🍇 Pomace spirits

Pomace spirits are spirit drinks made from the leftovers of pressing: skins, seeds and stems. Under EU rules these are grape pomace (category 6) and pomace of other fruit (category 7); the minimum strength is 37.5 % ABV, flavouring them is forbidden, and only caramel may adjust the colour.

The pomace is fermented and distilled with steam or after adding water; each distillation is below 86 % ABV, and the first takes place in the presence of the pomace itself. Yeast lees may be added to grape pomace, up to 25 kg per 100 kg, and the alcohol from lees must not exceed 35 % of all the alcohol.

Examples of protected names: Grappa and its regional variants (Grappa di Barolo, Südtiroler Grappa), Marc de Bourgogne and Marc de Champagne, Orujo de Galicia, Bagaceira, Tsikoudia and Tsipouro (Greece), Zivania (Cyprus), Törkölypálinka (Hungary). Georgian chacha is of the same kind.

This is a tradition of the wine-making countries of the Mediterranean and the Transcaucasus, where pomace is not thrown away after pressing but distilled. In Greece it is tsipouro and tsikoudia, in Cyprus zivania, in Italy grappa, in France marc, in Spain orujo.

Why it matters to you. Grappa, marc, orujo or tsipouro is not “vodka from juice” but a pomace distillate. A name with a place (Grappa di Barolo) guarantees origin. For grape pomace the law allows up to 1000 g of methanol per hectolitre of alcohol (in wine spirit, 200), so only legal products matter. WHO: no safe dose exists.

Other sections of this topic: Grape brandies; Fruit brandies; Anise spirits; Vodka and grain spirits; Whisky; Mulled wine and fortified wines; Liqueurs; How spirits are made. All sections are gathered on the “Spirits” page.