Come to Papa, Grappa
In the end, the best skins win.
By Nancy Ross Ryan
Photo by Laurie Proffitt
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Come to Papa, Grappa
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Photo by Laurie Proffitt |
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Is the glass half empty or half full? That question is a trite but true test of optimism or pessimism. Pessimists will look at the midway point of liquid in a glass and call it half empty; optimists will call it half full. When it comes to a glass of grappa, pessimists will point out that, for generations of Italians, grappa was the daily drink of peasants, a cheap, harsh, unrefined high-octane substance that could either be imbibed or used as paint remover. That's a joke -- maybe -- because grappas range between 40 to 50 proof. Optimists will look at a half-full glass of grappa and say that in all probability it contains not the crude grappa of yesteryear, but the artigianale or artisan grappas of today -- expensive, flavorful, aromatic and, granted, robust -- but refined. They could both be right. To get a grip on grappa, it is absolutely essential to find out what kind of grappa the glass contains. And don't be fooled -- as I once was -- by a beautiful bottle. In Florence one year, while browsing a gourmet food shop, I spotted grappa in beguiling hand-blown glass bottles, and made the mistake of assuming that if the bottle was artisinal the grappa would be, too. But the spirit in the bottle was industrial grappa at its worst -- harsh, brutish and fiery with no redeeming qualities. When I confessed and complained to an Italian friend, she reminded me, "Always remember, you don't drink the bottle, only what's inside." Conversely, some very fine grappas are placed in some very fine bottles. Oro & Cristallo Grappa comes in a graceful glass decanter with a crystal stopper, and the grappa within is among the smoothest and finest. It is produced from estate-grown grapes in Veneto, Italy, distilled slowly drop by drop, and aged in small oak casks for more than six years, giving the grappa its golden (oro) tint. How can grappa be so bad and so good, and how can you tell one from the other? By finding out how and by whom it was made. All grappa is produced from pomace, or the grape pulp and grape skins left over from wine making. If the wine that was made is ordinary wine, the juice in the grapes has been pressed out as completely as possible, leaving little juice. Sometimes the grape stems and seeds are used along with the pomace, making the grappa very harsh. But in making fine Italian wines, the grapes are pressed to between 60 to 70%, leaving 30 to 40% of the juice still there among the grape pulp and skins. These really good, juicy "leftovers" can be used to make extraordinary Italian grappa. Grappa made from grapes with this much juice still in them allows the flavors, aromas and the varietal qualities of the grape to become part of the grappa. Then there are two different ways of making grappa, industrial and artisinal (artigianale). Industrial grappa is made with the squeezed out pomace and often grape seeds and stems, boiled in huge quantities, then distilled quickly in large industrial stills.By law it needs to be aged only one year. Artisanal grappa is made from grapes with a high juice content and distilled in small stills, drop by drop. In addition, the "heads" and "tails" of the distillation are discarded and only the body -- or middle part of the distillation -- is used. (This means that the grappa distilled first and last -- which may not be the best parts of the distillation -- are simply thrown away.) Artisinal grappas are aged, often in oak, for two to three years, often as long as six years. How can you tell? First, price is one indicator of quality. Good grappas range between $20 to $73 for a 750ml bottle, and from $24 to close to $100 for a 375ml bottle -- illustrating the adage "Good goods come in small packages." The producer is another, and here your trusty wine and spirits merchant can point out grade A grappa makers who have established their name and reputation in the market by their consistency and craftsmanship. The label is a third indicator: Many of the grappa labels clue you in on the producer, the region and the kinds of varietal grapes in the pomace used to distill the grappa. For example, Grappa di Chardonnay, Conte Tasca d'Almerita is an artisinal grappa made on the Regaleali Estate in Sicily from a 100% chardonnay wine pomace. Among Inga grappas, produced in Piedmont, Italy, is a grappa di brachetto (a grape variety used to make rose dessert wine), a grappa di cabernet (from cabernet sauvignon grape must), and a grappa di barolo (from nebbiolo grapes grown in the Barolo wine producing region). Each of these grappas has its own aroma, and flavor -- none sweet, but some delicate, some robust. Lastly, your own taste is the best way to know.No two grappas are alike, and I firmly believe there is a grappa for everyone. Your local bar, however, is not the place to sample, because grappa is not yet mainstream enough for bars to stock high quality grappa, much less a variety. The best places to try grappa by the glass are very good Italian restaurants, where the sommeliers have chosen them, know something about them and can often recommend a tasting of three different grappas. And although Italy was the original grappa land, now some very fine grappas are made in California and in Oregon. Two of my personal favorites are Ca' del Solo Grappa di Moscato made by Bonny Doon Vineyard in California, and Grappa Moscato from Clear Creek Distillery in Oregon. Grappa made from muscat grapes is easy to like. It has a floral aroma and is smooth and a little less challenging than some of the other grappas. I have found grappa, unlike Cognac and Armagnac, to be an uncompromising spirit. I would never consider using it to marinate foods, or slipping it into a chocolate mousse. I wouldn't be caught dead pouring it over ice cream. And although certain New York restaurants have created cocktails using it, I have been disinclined to drink one. Grappa stands on its own. It has nothing extraneous about it. And therein lies its appeal. There is nothing quite so straightforward and unsullied as a glass of really good grappa.
How and when to serve good grappa |
LIQUID ASSETS - May 2001
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