Spirit Style

What's the difference between Grappa del Ticino and grappa from Italy? Both are pomace brandy, but Ticino grappa comes from pomace of grapes grown in the region, mainly Merlot, and carries its name only under the EU–Switzerland agreement. Added to this are the four southern Grisons valleys, whose names are likewise protected. Italian grappa, by contrast, is distilled from pomace sourced in Italy, pointing to regions like Piedmont, Friuli, or Veneto. In the glass, the difference shows mainly in the fruit: the Ticino spirit tastes of dark Merlot berries, without the floral notes found in some brandies made from white grape pomace.

The benchmark style is Grappa di Merlot. It's crystal clear, smells of ripe dark berries and plum, and tastes dry and warm. Because Merlot pomace brings tannin and dark fruit, it comes across as fruity-tart rather than floral.

Alongside it there's the oak-aged Grappa ticinese. It's amber-colored, smells of vanilla, dried fruit, and spice, and the finish is softer and longer than the clear spirit's. The difference, then, lies less in the raw material than in the time the spirit has spent in the cask.

A category of its own is the grappa made from the Americana grape, whose aroma differs from any Merlot brandy. Anyone wanting to compare should place two glasses side by side and will quickly see how wide the range is within a single canton.

Grappa della Val Calanca, della Val Bregaglia, della Val Mesolcina, and della Valle di Poschiavo carry the name of the valley they come from. These are small, regional specialties and differ from Ticino brandy mainly in their origin, which appears on the bottle.