Grappa

Grappa is an Italian alcoholic beverage: a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy that contains 35 to 60 percent alcohol by volume (70 to 120 US proof). Grappa is a protected name in the European Union.

Grappa is made by distilling the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems (i.e., the pomace) left over from winemaking after pressing the grapes. It was originally made to prevent waste by using these leftovers. A similar drink, known as acquavite d'uva, is made by distilling whole must. The original date grappa was created cannot be determined, but was likely first made pre-1300s as distillation arrived in Italy during the Middle Ages.

In Italy, grappa is primarily served as a digestivo or after-dinner drink. Its main purpose is to aid in the digestion of heavy meals. Grappa may also be added to espresso coffee to create a caffè corretto, meaning "corrected" coffee. Another variation of this is the ammazzacaffè: the espresso is drunk first, followed by a few ounces of grappa served in its own glass. In Veneto, there is resentin: after finishing a cup of espresso with sugar, a few drops of grappa are poured into the nearly empty cup, swirled and drunk down in one sip.

Noted producers of grappa include Jacopo Poli, Nardini, and Nonino. These grappas are produced in significant quantities and are exported; there are also many small local or regional grappas.

Most grappa is clear, indicating it is an unaged distillate, although some may retain very faint pigments from their original fruit pomace. Today, aged grappas have become more common, and these take on a yellow or red-brown hue from the barrels in which they are stored.

Grappa is also well known in Uruguay and Argentina, due to the significant Italian immigration in those countries. It is served as in Italy, after the main meals. In Uruguay, a local version called grappamiel has also been created, which sees honey added to the traditional grappa. It is widely served and mostly drunk in winter because it "warms" the throat.

Distillation is an ancient practice that can be traced back to the 1st century AD. The distillation of alcohol may have been carried out reliably by al-Kindī (c. 801–873), al-Fārābī (c. 872–950), and al-Zahrāwī (Latin: Abulcasis, 936–1013), as well as by the School of Salerno in the 12th century.

Grappa is traditionally produced in northern Italy and is also widely consumed in places such as Argentina, Bulgaria, Georgia (chacha), Uruguay, Galicia (orujo or aguardiente in Spanish), and Portugal (known as bagaço or bagaceira).