Nonino Grappa

Nonino Il Merlot di Grappa....$48.99 / 375ml
Pure, soft and round with scents of rose petals and cherry stones. On the nose it recalls the smell of grape must being pressed.
The pomace, collected when it is fresh and soft, is selected from Merlot grapes. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks under vacuum and in a controlled temperature environment. This is followed immediately by distillation in order to avoid harmful secondary fermentations. Batch method with the removal of the heads and the tails in artisanal batch steam stills renovated by Benito Nonino.
Limited and strictly dependent on the individual year’s harvest.

The flavour of grappa, like that of wine, depends on the type and quality of the grapes used, as well as the specifics of the distillation process. Grappa is made by distilling the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems (i.e., the pomace) left over from winemaking after pressing the grapes. It was originally made to prevent waste by using these leftovers. A similar drink, known as acquavite d'uva, is made by distilling whole must.

In Italy, grappa is primarily served as a digestivo or after-dinner drink. Its main purpose was to aid in the digestion of heavy meals. Grappa may also be added to espresso coffee to create a caffè corretto, meaning "corrected coffee". Another variation of this is the ammazzacaffè ("coffee-killer"): the espresso is drunk first, followed by a few ounces of grappa served in its own glass. In Veneto, there is resentin ("little rinser"): after finishing a cup of espresso with sugar, a few drops of grappa are poured into the nearly empty cup, swirled and drunk down in one sip.