Maturation & Storage

Grappa doesn't actually need to mature, since the EU regulation sets no minimum aging period for pomace brandy. Many rest only briefly in stainless steel or glass before being bottled, colorless. What happens during that time is more about smoothing than transformation: rough edges soften, alcohol and aromas integrate, and volatile notes recede. That's why a gently rested Grappa tastes softer than a freshly distilled spirit, even though it remains crystal clear in the glass.

It's different when an age statement is involved. If a Grappa carries the term vecchia or invecchiata, under the Italian decree of 2016 it must have rested at least one year in wood; for riserva or stravecchia, it's a year and a half, both under bonded storage.

Among the houses that also offer aged Grappa is Marzadro, which, by its own account, uses aging in various types of wood. The wood turns the spirit amber, softens its edges, and adds notes of vanilla and toasted wood.

Kirsch Trentino, Williams trentino, and Aprikot trentino, by contrast, are usually kept colorless in glass demijohns or stainless steel, since they're meant to smell of fruit, not of barrel. There they rest until any harshness fades and the fruit character comes through clearly. For fruit brandies, oak, ash, or acacia wood may also be used; a brief stay gives them just a hint of color and spice.

A fruit brandy may not be colored. Only spirits that have rested at least one year in wood may have their color adjusted with caramel coloring. The demijohns are best kept in a cool, dark cellar.

The EU regulation sets no minimum aging period for Genziana, Distillato di mele, or Sliwovitz; even so, if an age statement appears on the label, it must refer to the youngest component. Anyone comparing age statements should pay attention to the actual term used, not to fanciful names.