What is Grappa(Sp.)?

[Thomas]

I never heard of a wine called grappa, but I am sure not to have heard of everything that is out there.

Grappa is indeed from grape material.The way I understand it, the name comes from the old Italian word "graspe" which referred to the pomace and remains after a wine pressing. Feudal lords gave the remains to their subjects to do with as they pleased. Their subjects, being poor and in need of calories, not to mention heightened spirits, figured out how to add water and sugar (probably beet sugar) to re-ferment and then distill to make the potent drink we now call grappa.