Vintage Grappa

Often they ask me:
If it is a good vintage for wine, does it mean that it is a good vintage for Grappa, too?

When asked this, my father used to reply with a saying: “If the winery cries, the distillery laughs!”.

What he meant is that if the vintage is not particularly good, the winemaker has to press the grapes soflty, thus letting the grape marc rich of must or wine, perfect for a good quality Grappa. Therefore there is no direct relation among the quality of the wine vintage and a the quality of the Grappa vintage.

The quality of Grappa mainly depends on the way the grapes are pressed and the consequent richness of must remaining on the grape marc.

That is why usually the vintage is not stated on Grappa labels, with rare exceptions.

Buona Grappa, everyone!