Vernaccia is a grape found almost nowhere outside the area around Oristano in Sardinia, and for generations the Carta family has distilled its pomace into a grappa that carries the island's dry, salty character.
Expert description
Silvio Carta Grappa di Vernaccia Invecchiata is an Italian Grappa from Sardinia, matured in chestnut casks and bottled at 40% ABV.
The grappa is distilled from pomace of the vernaccia grape, a variety grown almost exclusively around the Oristano area of Sardinia. The bottle comes from the Silvio Carta distillery in Zeddiani, founded in the early 1950s by Silvio Carta and led since 1972 by his son Elio Carta.
After distillation, the grappa is matured in Sardinian chestnut casks, some of them over a hundred years old and previously used to age vernaccia wine. The long contact with the old wood gives the grappa its amber colour and a depth a young, clear grappa could never reach.
Tasting notes
Nose
The nose offers chestnut honey and toasted almonds, with a touch of butter, coffee and preserved quince.
Palate
The palate is intense and enveloping, moving from a faintly briny, salty note toward a dry, bitter-almond finish.
Finish
The finish is long and dry, with almond and a last hint of coffee.
Specifications
Name: Silvio Carta Grappa di Vernaccia Invecchiata
Distillery: Silvio Carta
Region/Country: Sardinia, Italy
Type: Italian Grappa
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 cl
Cask type: Sardinian chestnut casks, previously used for vernaccia wine
Serving suggestion: Serve at room temperature in a grappa glass, ideally as a digestif
Flavour profile
Amber · Nutty · Salty · Intense · Dry
Did you know?
Did you know that some of the chestnut casks Silvio Carta uses to mature its grappa originally spent over a hundred years ageing vernaccia wine before being put to use for the grappa?
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