Can someone explain exactly the differences of grappa?

Question

yess I know its a liquer made from italian grapes and that
different grappas come from different italian wines such as
barolos, brunellos, chiantis, amarones,.. but how do they taste differentially? Banfi Brunello is clear and $44, everbody else is smaller, yellower and around $22-$30

Answer 1

Grappa is distilled from the pomace, the residue from the wine making process (skins, seeds & stems). The process is special because you are distilling from a solid object.

Some fresh grapes are added to the pomace when distilling to flavor it.

Grappas are strong, at least 80% proof. Clear grappas are unaged. Yellow or brown grappas are those that have been aged in wooden barrels.

Most would say that grappas taste like kerosene, but it is a kerosene I love very much.

Moscato grappas have a flowery nose and a long sweet after taste.

Nebbiolo grappas gives hints of chocolates and vanilla and the after taste is also long.

Bornada grappas have a sharper taste and a short after taste.

Yes, they all taste different. Go try them.

Answer 2

Grappa, like most distilled spirits, is a function of:

1) the quality of the raw materials
2) the distilling processes
3) the skills of the producers
4) and age.

Grappa is very simple. The more expensive ones are CLEARLY smoother. I think worth the price. Cheaper ones are like drinking battery acid.

The problem is, when Joe Schmo decides to try a new beverage, like grappa, he usually starts with something cheap. It tastes terrible and he comes to the conclusion that the particular beverage is inferior. I recommend starting with a better one although an argument could be made that an undeveloped palate will not appreciate the higher quality example. The "pearls before swine" argument.

Thus, if you REALLY want to appreciate a new food or wine, you must take the time, money and energy to invest into sampling the entire range of the product in question.

Happy New Year.

Chef Mark.