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Words by Simon Difford
Grappa originated in Italy and European law dictates that to be termed a grappa a brandy must have been distilled in Italy from Italian grape pomace. Grappa production originated in the of North Italy, particularly the Trentino-Alto Adige and Val d'Aosta regions, with Veneto, Friuli and Piedmont most identified with grappa production.
These northern Italian regions have a large number of noted producers that benefit from cooler weather at an altitude better suited to grappa production with more acidic grapes and more favourable conditions for storing pomace.
Pomace brandy is produced in most traditional wine making countries, with each country having its own term for the resulting spirit, i.e. 'marc' in France and 'bagaceira' in Portugal. USA producers cause some confusion with the Italian product by also using the name grappa.

Italian wine regions
Made using destalked, freshly harvested pomace of Moscato grapes selected from dedicated production zones. The fresh, soft pomice is fermented in temperature-controlled
Il Merlot Di Nonino Monovitigno is distilled from fresh merlot grape pomace from the Fruili wine region.
Distilled from selected and destalked Chardonnay grape pomace, immediately after harvest. The grappa is aged for more than 12 months in barriques.
Distilled from the pomace of Fragolino grapes from the Nonino Cru vineyard fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks under vacuum, immediately
Distilled using dried Picolit grapes from Cru Nonino Vineyard in Buttrio, Friuli. Presented in a commemorative hand-blown glass silk-screen printed bottle.
Grappa distilled from carefully destalked white and red pomace using controlled fermentation and artisanal batch distillation in steam stills renovated
Made from destalked white and red grape pomace, with a controlled fermentation and artisanal batch distillation in steam stills renovated by Benito Nonino.
Made from selected and destalked, harvested fresh and soft pomace of Glera grape for prosecco. Batch distilled in proprietary copper steam stills designed
Blend of Grappas from fresh pomace, selected by the Nonino family, aged from 5 to 20 years in Limousin, Nevers and Grésigne oak barriques and small sherry
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