Stroll into nearly any Italian restaurant in the country and you’ll likely get a glimpse at a row of oddly shaped bottles sitting in the oft-forgotten back bar.
Those bottles contain grappa, a spirited sip most often enjoyed after a lengthy dinner when belts start feeling tight, when diners recline in their seats taking lazy last bites of half-eaten desserts.
Grappa is enjoyed as a digestif, though its ability to aid digestion after a large meal is debatable. It is often enjoyed neat with a twist of lemon; many imbibers combine it with espresso to make a caffè corretto.
With roots that reach back at least as far as the 14th century, grappa is arguably Italy’s oldest known spirit. It’s made from distilled grape pomace (the skins, seeds, and stems left over from winemaking). Clear in color and bottled between 70 to 120 proof, its high alcohol content brings out subtle floral flavors and delicate fruit notes from its base material. Its story is one of innovation and sustainability; the use of grape pomace is one of the earliest examples of upcycling ingredients.
Although it’s traditionally produced in Italy, American distillers are writing the next chapter of grappa’s story as they craft and bottle exciting new expressions of the digestif. Here, we’re showcasing three American grappa reimagining the category.
Finger Lakes Distilling Riesling Grappa $33
Produced in New York’s Finger Lakes region, this crystal clear grappa is as delicate as the Riesling grapes from which it’s distilled. With a gently perfumed vegetal note complemented by restrained minerality, Finger Lakes Distilling’s grappa holds its own in competition among its Italian forebears.
Bethel Rd Grappa di Moscato $35
Floral, fragrant Muscat grape is the backbone of Bethel Rd’s aromatic bottle. Exceptionally light, it unfurls with a breeze of jasmine and peach, supported by heady lychee and white flowers. Unlike harsher versions, Bethel Rd’s Grappa di Moscato is especially smooth.
Rhine Hall Oaked Grappa $60
In Italy it’s not uncommon for grappa to spend some time aging, but in the burgeoning American market, Rhine Hall’s Oaked Grappa is rather unique. The spirit is rested in American oak for a minimum of nine months, in which it takes on a luscious caramel color. That aging also mellows some of its harsher notes, making way for flavors like honeyed raisin and leather to shine through.