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TheEngineer · 04-28-2006, 10:09 PM,

I got a chance to buy a bottle of grappe from Romano Levi (the guy who draws his own labels). So now it is sitting at home....I've never owned a bottle of grappa. I assume that I cannot store it sideways, or is that true and how long does it last (does it go into a dumb phase and then emerges like wine or should I treat it more like a spirit, that it should be consumed soon but no great hurry).

Kcwhippet · 04-29-2006, 03:45 AM,

Grappa is like any other distilled spirit - scotch, vodka, bourbon, etc. What you have now is as good as it's ever going to get, and there is no dumb phase to distilled spirits. You don't have to drink it soon either.

winoweenie · 04-29-2006, 06:54 AM,

I've had 500ml bottles of Grappa I've opened that were sound for over 2 weeks after opening....One caveat...If you aren't familiar with this juice make sure you be seated 'afore you take your 1st sippy-poo. WW [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

Thomas · 04-29-2006, 06:55 AM,

Be prepared. Grappa is an acquired taste.

Drew · 04-29-2006, 07:12 AM,

They should serve it on Fear Factor....

Drew

Innkeeper · 04-29-2006, 07:47 AM,

The guy who runs around the world drinking local drink specialties on Fine Living did a piece on Grappa while we were staying with our daughter. So we went out and bought a bottle. Holy fire extinguishers!

hotwine · 04-29-2006, 08:47 AM,

The high-end shop I sometimes visit has a big chocolate Lab named Grappa..... sits on a stool at the tasting bar to keep an eye on patrons.

Best use of Grappa that I know of, other than boosting the octane of a dragster.

TheEngineer · 04-29-2006, 07:02 PM,

Thanks All!

robr · 04-29-2006, 07:42 PM,

What the hell is it? You guys are scaring me! Is it like seeing The Exorcist for the first time? No, but seriously, what is grappa? A type of brandy?

TheEngineer · 04-29-2006, 09:12 PM,

From Wikipedia (starting to warm up to this site....)

"Grappa, also known as Grappa Wine, is an Italian grape-based spirit of between 40% and 60% alcohol by volume (80 to 120 proof). It is made from the distillation of pomace, i.e., the residue of grapes (including the stems and seeds) that were pressed for the winemaking process. It was originally made to prevent wastage by using the leftovers at the end of the wine season. It quickly became commercialised, mass-produced, and sold to the world.

Sometimes, usually in Italy, grappa is added to espresso and known as a "CaffÃ¨ Corretto", which can also be made with other alcohols, such as sambuca. The other variation of this is the "Amazza CaffÃ¨"; literally, "to kill the coffee". The espresso is drunk first, followed by a few, downed ounces of grappa served in proper glass."

The warnings come from a buncha Whisky drinker too...think I'm gonna shave first before I try this thing.

Thomas · 04-30-2006, 06:21 AM,

Some grappe are produced just like fine brandy in the alembic method, using grapes--usually smaller producers.

The larger producers often use grain alcohol and certainly no alembic method.

Once, I tased 55 grappi over two days for an article I was (trying) to write. That was when I discovered that I don't much care for the stuff--only two out of the 55 appealed to me at all, and one of them had been produced from Concord.

Grappa came about during feudal times, when peasants could not afford wine. The landlord gave them the pulp after the press (the word for that pulp was "graspe") and they invented a powerful distillate from it. Medieval peasants got a lot of their calories from alcohol.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 04-30-2006).]

robr · 04-30-2006, 11:36 AM,

I think I would have a hard time trying to write after sampling 55 types of anything with that much alcohol in it too. I would have trouble just holding a pen.

Thomas · 04-30-2006, 11:50 AM,

I'm a good spitter, and it was over two afternoons; it was also in Italy, so that negates the negative social structure part of so much grappe [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 04-30-2006).]

Kcwhippet · 04-30-2006, 05:13 PM,

What a bunch of wussies. Grappa is great. We got some samplers from one of our distributors a few weeks ago. We tried Barolo, Nebbiolo, Moscato, Sangiovese and a few others. About 15 years ago I got a small bottle of Muscat Grappa from Randall Grahm, and those made from that grape have been my favorite ever since. Of those we tried at the shop a few weeks ago, the Muscat was the best I thought. Judy won't touch the stuff.

VouvrayHead · 04-30-2006, 10:28 PM,

ok.. i've been curious to try the stuff.
at my store right now we have 375ml of inga gavi, dolcetto, and nebbiolo.

anyone had any of these? any advice on which i should try?
i like scotch, but... this seems even more intense.

wondersofwine · 05-02-2006, 03:48 PM,

If you are going to try it, get a good grippa on the glass of grappa.

Oh, and Foodie, thanks for once again adding to our education. Also, EngII with the info from Wikipedia.

[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 05-02-2006).]

Darlene516 · 05-08-2006, 07:10 PM,

Was in Italy a couple of years ago...had Grappa in Pisa and thought I was drinking Isopropyl. When I came home, the sommelier at our weekly wine tasting venue told me that there are many different qualities of Grappa...similar to any other liquor. He said a good Grappa goes down like silk. I'll have to take his word for it.

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