Grappa has always been a family tradition at Volpaia. Rafaello Stianti — printer, hunter and first-generation Stianti in Volpaia — used to distill grappa for himself and his friends to enjoy during hunting. It is doubtful that Rafaello had the proper licenses at the time, but some of the best distilled beverages come from the passion of men more than from strict rules.

Volpaia is no longer a hunting reservoir; it is now dedicated to protecting the environment through its commitment to organic practices. Despite this change, the culture of grappa and friendship still lives on in the Stianti family.

Grappa is distilled from grape pomace, and, like many other distilled products, its quality is strongly connected to the quality of the base product — in this case, the grapes themselves. The best pomace comes from the best grapes that give birth to outstanding wines.
The Stianti family, faithful to Raffaello’s heritage, chooses the best pomace of the Volpaia wines to create a unique grappa of Sangiovese from Chianti Classico.

What is Grappa?

“Grappa” is the legal Italian name given to the distilled spirit obtained through the distillation of the pomace or marc of pressed grapes (skins, seeds, small quantity of pulp, must and wine). Grappa is obtained through the distillation of pomace by boiling water and the extraction of alcohol present in it through a flow of hot steam. Quality grappa (such as Volpaia’s) is made from fresh pomace — not freeze-dried pomace — obtained only during harvest and distilled within 24 hours of crush. True varietal flavors are represented in the spirit itself.

Production

• Fresh marc (pomace from Sangiovese grapes) is delivered to the Nannoni Distillery in Tuscany
• Distillation begins within 24 hours of delivery with steam system, discontinuous process (detailed above)
• Spirit is stored in steel tanks
• Distilled water added
• Filtered, then bottled
• Simple ingredients include water and marc distillate — no added flavors or colors

Clear without any haze or color, the viscosity of this grappa presents itself with a thick, rich coating of the glass. A bouquet of white flowers, fresh herbs, Tuscan citrus and wild strawberries jump from the glass to delight your senses. A warm and spicy encounter of the grappa will glide over your palate, followed by a long finish with gentle notes of licorice and cinnamon.