🥃 Grappa friulana

Grappa friulana (Grappa del Friuli) is an EU geographical indication for grappa made from pomace of grapes grown and processed in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. It is distilled there, brought to the required strength and bottled. The minimum strength is 40% vol. and volatile substances start from 200 g/hl of pure alcohol. EU protection dates from 12 June 1989.

The threshold for volatile substances is here higher than the general 140 g/hl, which, according to the technical file, gives a more intense aroma of the raw material. The pomace is distilled in continuous apparatus or batch stills, in a water bath or over direct fire, separating the "head" and "tail", below 86% vol. Reduction of strength with demineralised water, cooling, filtering and bottling take place only in the region.

By tradition, rue, juniper, gentian, sweet woodruff, wormwood and mountain pine are permitted, and among fruits bilberry; they are named on the label. Sugar is limited to 20 g/l, and the same amount of honey may be added; caramel is allowed only after 12 months in wood. The type of cask (barrique, tonneau and so on) may be named only if the grappa spent the entire stated period in it.

The technical file mentions a spirits still in Cividale del Friuli in records of 1451, and in 1744 Empress Maria Theresa liberalised home distilling in Austrian Friuli. In 1890 the province of Udine had 33 distilleries and 238 working rural ones. In 1995, 15 distilleries of the region produced just over 9% of Italian grappa.

Why this matters to you. The name guarantees Friulian grapes and the whole cycle within the region. "Vecchia" means at least 12 months in wood, "riserva" 18. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.