For those of you who didn’t catch my blog post on The Atlantic earlier this week, here it is again. I love having people over for dinner. I adore the entire process of shopping, cooking, setting the table and then enjoying the meal. But I get really excited at the end of the meal, when we get to the after dinner drinks. “Anyone want a grappa?”. And sure enough, at least one (if not most) of my guests say “No, I hate grappa.” So, I bring out the bottles of amaro, limoncello (yuck!) and even cognac. But I also bring out at least three bottles of grappa. But not just any grappa. It’s Nonino grappa, and since the bottles are so distinctive (much more classy and elegant than anything else on the table) this is the first thing that gets my guests’ attention.“Well, ok… I guess I’ll try some.” And usually, all it takes is one sip and they are grappa converts. As it turns out, the grappa they’ve tried up ‘till now has almost nothing to do with what I serve.
I can understand their hesitation. Even though much has changed in the world of grappa in the last decade or so, most of the grappa out there is still dreck. That there is even any attempt at producing artisanally-crafted grappas and aquavits in Italy is almost entirely due to the Nonino family, who I had the pleasure of getting to know about 12 years ago when I wrote a feature about them. I have been a huge supporter (and, I admit it, drinker) ever since. (For the full story, I’d love to direct you to my article, but it’s not online. But I introduced Frank Bruni to the Noninos, and he wrote this wonderful piece. )
A bit of background: Traditionally grappa used to be a working man’s drink, made by farmers with the left over pomace (stems and skins) after wine making. The musty smelling pile was fermented and then distilled into an extremely strong, highly alcoholic drink that provided much-needed calories during the winter.
By the 1960‘s the Nonino family, which started out with a portable still that they brought to farms, was producing a high quality grappa. Even though they had upgraded to a more advanced method in their plant, it was still made using the winerie’s leftovers. Enter Giannola, who married Benito Nonino and decided to completely flip the grappa -making process on it’s head.
Rather than use mixed-up, old leftovers, she had the bold idea to pick up the freshly pressed pomace within hours of their pressing, and distill single varietals using a discontinuous still which would preserve (she hoped) the aroma of the original grapes. Her husband, Benito, is the mastermind who devised the method, but it was Giannola’s vision and passion that resulted in the first single grape grappa using Picolit. Most people thought they were crazy, but once they tasted her brew they were smitten. They had done what no one had done before: produce a grappa that retained the perfumes and essence of the original grape.
Over the last three decades the revolution that the Nonino’s started has changed the way the world thinks of grappa. Their stylish bottles are widely imitated, as are their smooth as silk grappas and aquavits. But no other maker distills grappa with the same passion and artisanal skill as they do. They continue to process every drop of the clear liquids in their own distillery, full of gleaming copper stills.
Most of the grappa in Italy that is supposedly made by high-end wineries using their own pomace is made by a third party and often employs a more industrial method. And I won’t even get into the truly industrial stuff served in most bars. So I can understand why my guests are so grappa-wary. “It burns.” “It tastes like nail polish remover.” These are the comments I hear most often. But like I say, the Nonino stuff has nothing to do with this, and you realize this from the very first sip.
I hadn’t seen the family for ages, so was really happy to hear that they were coming to Rome to present their grappas. Benito and Gionnola came, along with their three daughters who now pretty much run the show: Cristina, Antonella and Elisabetta. Besides revisiting some of my favorites (see below) we were treated to a barrique-aged 19-year old UE Riserva Monovitigno Moscato, Cru Besenello Vallagarina. There is only one barrel of this, and it hasn’t even been bottled yet for sale (but will be soon), although there will be only 500 bottles.
While I really appreciated the chance to taste something as rare as the 19 year-old riserveva, some of my favorites are still the following:
Grappa Cru Monovitigno Picolit: This is the very first single varietal grappa the Noninos produced, but it remains one of my favorites. Made from the picolit grape which grows only in a small region of Friuli. Amazing aroma, smooth as silk finish.
Gioiello – Not a grappa in the strict sense of the word. But this is always the one my guests fall in love with. It is a honey distillate. And don’t ask me how they do it, since it is a carefully guarded secret and as far as I know, no one else is doing it. Depending on the year and honey harvest, they produce various kinds, including chestnut, orange blossom and acacia blossom honey. Its amazing perfume retains all the complexity of the original honeys.
UE Fragolino Cru – A full grape distillate made from the extremely rare fragolino grape from Fiuli. This may be the most aromatic of all the UE’s (grape distillates) with hints of blueberry and wild strawberries.
Il Cerasus di Nonino Kirsch – like the Pirus, which I also love, not really a grappa, but a wild cherry distillate. They don’t make it every year, but if you see it make sure you grab a bottle. The smell of cherry hits you, but it’s the bite of the pit, and cherry blossom, not the sticky fruit. Heavenly.
In my continued efforts to convert the world to grappa, A few years ago I hosted a Grappa Tasting meal a few years ago, and managed to work grappa into three courses. Here are the ‘recipes’:
Fragolino Cocktail
2 oz of Grappa Cru Fragolino
1 oz of pomegranate juice
1 tsp of pomegranate molasses
Place in cocktail shaker with ice, shake till chilled, then pour into chilled martini glass.
Grappa Fruit Salad
Make your favorite fresh, seasonal, fruit salad. It’s nice if you have a mix of colors and textures. About an hour before serving, toss with 1 Tablespoon of sugar per two cups fruit. Add about 2 Tablespoons of Grappa for each Tablespoon of sugar (I used the Carasus, which I happened to have on hand, but you could use Moscato di Nonino Grappa , Grappa Cru Fragolino or Grappa Cru Picolit). Toss and let sit for an hour.
Pairings:
UE 25th Anniversary Riserva is extraordinary with dark chocolate.
Gioello Distillato di Miele di Castagno: Serve with wedges of Pecorino di Siena drizzled with chestnut honey.
Added note on storing grappa: After years of thinking I must be drinking grappa in my sleep, I realized that the high alcohol content (from 38 to 45%) meant that my precious grappa was evaporating away. Now I always store opened bottles with a small sheet of saranwrap between bottle neck and cork.
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