Italy and GI Grappa
A heritage to savor
Italy is the ideal cradle for the vine plant, thanks to its mild and favorable climate. Spread out in the Mediterranean Sea like an enormous garden, Italy offers tastes and flavors of extraordinary variety. It is in this land that Grappa originated, the quintessential Italian distillate, unique in the world for its character and provenance.
Origins and characteristics of Grappa
The term Grappa is exclusively reserved to the spirit obtained from Italian pomace, distilled in Italy. The pomace, i.e. the skins and seeds of grapes remaining after the winemaking process, must therefore come from grapes cultivated and vinified in Italy. Any other foreign pomace cannot bear the name "Grappa", even if produced within the country's borders.
GI Grappa: a symbol of Italian culture and tradition
The Regulation 110/08 of the European Union definitively established the above, granting Grappa a special protection, the Geographical Indication (GI), to maintain its authenticity and quality. Therefore, when we say "Grappa", there is no need to add the word Italian: Grappa already means an absolutely Italian distillate by culture and tradition.
Regional diversity: the Grappas of Italian wine regions
Grappa is not all the same. To be more precise, we should talk about Grappas rather than Grappa in general. In 1989, the European Community identified six regions that embody the tradition and culture of artisanal Grappa production: Veneto, Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont, and its sub-region Barolo. In 2008, not without some controversy, the denomination was extended to the region of Sicily and the sub-region of Marsala.
Typical Geographical Indications (TGI)
Besides the denomination "Grappa", covering the whole national territory, there are today nine Typical Geographical Indications (TGI), corresponding to the regions and sub-regions just mentioned. Each IGT offers Grappas peculiar characteristics, in a range of aromas and flavors that reflect the uniqueness of the territory they hail from.
Origins and characteristics of Grappa
The term Grappa is exclusively reserved to the spirit obtained from Italian pomace, distilled in Italy. The pomace, i.e. the skins and seeds of grapes remaining after the winemaking process, must therefore come from grapes cultivated and vinified in Italy. Any other foreign pomace cannot bear the name "Grappa", even if produced within the country's borders.
GI Grappa: a symbol of Italian culture and tradition
The Regulation 110/08 of the European Union definitively established the above, granting Grappa a special protection, the Geographical Indication (GI), to maintain its authenticity and quality. Therefore, when we say "Grappa", there is no need to add the word Italian: Grappa already means an absolutely Italian distillate by culture and tradition.
Regional diversity: the Grappas of Italian wine regions
Grappa is not all the same. To be more precise, we should talk about Grappas rather than Grappa in general. In 1989, the European Community identified six regions that embody the tradition and culture of artisanal Grappa production: Veneto, Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont, and its sub-region Barolo. In 2008, not without some controversy, the denomination was extended to the region of Sicily and the sub-region of Marsala.
Typical Geographical Indications (TGI)
Besides the denomination "Grappa", covering the whole national territory, there are today nine Typical Geographical Indications (TGI), corresponding to the regions and sub-regions just mentioned. Each IGT offers Grappas peculiar characteristics, in a range of aromas and flavors that reflect the uniqueness of the territory they hail from.
