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Originally Posted by Chap  Never had real grappa. I hear it tasted like turpentine!  |
Grappa is definitely an acquired taste.
It used to be made from the residue at the bottom of the wine barrels after the wine was made. The Dukes would give the "dregs" to the peasants after they gave him his wine.
Those seeds, twigs, stems and skins were put through a still and fermented into a clear, 160 proof liquor. Not unlike our moonshine, but not made with corn.
In the last 20 years or so, the wine makers in Italy have been making Grappa from the first pressing of some excellent grapes.
These Grappi are being marketed as a class of Cognac. The price has gone from $6 a bottle to $16 a glass.
It is still used as a digestivo in Italy and when you get into the Italian countryside, you may be getting the home brew (just like limoncello).
It's strong but after a big meal, it works by resolving the discomfort of overeating - that's a digestivo!
