399633 Tue May 08 13:01:44 -0700 2007 4 36 Spirits 0 2552324 I am going to Italy for my honeymoon. A friend who recently went there suggested I try Grappa. What is it? What do people think? Tue May 08 13:01:44 -0700 2007 83409 drewames03 1 2552396 "What is it?" Brandy made from grape pomice. Some of it can be quite tasty but, in your shoes, I'd probably focus on wine. Tue May 08 13:20:50 -0700 2007 2552324 10520 carswell 1 2552899 Grappa is the same as marc -- a brandy distilled from the pomace that's left over after you press the newly fermented wine. In other words, it's distilled from grape *skins* and not from the wine itself. The two best producers are Nonino -- http://www.nonino.it/ -- and Jacobo Poli -- http://www.poligrappa.com/distillati_eng.html -- but after that . . . well, most grappa is better left alone. Carswell is correct -- stick to wine. Tue May 08 15:41:02 -0700 2007 2552324 28122 zin1953 1 2552992 I love grappa. It's nothing like wine; more like a spirit of about the same strength as vodka or whiskey. Old Italian men drink it after dinner as a digestive aid. There's a tiny bit of a grapey aroma that makes it really lovely, I think. I imagine it's pretty terrible if you get a bad one (just like bad vodkas are really, really, really bad, and bad chiantis are dreadful), but solicit recommendations from sommeliers or wine merchants and you should be able to navigate your way to at least a decent one. I don't think there's anything about grappa that you ought to avoid, intrinsically. Tue May 08 16:12:12 -0700 2007 2552324 64215 cimui 1 2557297 Grappa can be like paint stripper, even some of the good stuff. But I just love that fire in the belly feeling. Good grappa is (I think) a beautiful thing, my sister can't stand it. Some has a very armagnac-like flavour, some doesn't. Different grapes produce different grappas (shocking I know). I look out for 'nardini' (especially reserve) and 'prime uve' but that must be their 'nere'. But there are so many out there that the only way is to try some, but be warned I have had wonderful meals in superb restaurants in Italy who have followed up with awful grappa! Thu May 10 01:28:21 -0700 2007 2552324 24646 ali patts