Montessa Grappa
What is that?? Usually this is the first thing everyone asks when hearing about grappa. Grappa is Italian in origin. The Italians will have a shot of grappa after a heavy meal to aid in digestion.
Most grappa is clear or with a little color from the pomace. Aged grappa is becoming more common and is yellow or red-brown in color.
What is pomace? Pomace is the winemaker’s leftovers. Grapes are crushed, and then are fermented on the skins. This is the beginning of grappa. After the wine is pressed off the skins, the skins and seeds still contain some alcohol. The Italians, being thrifty and making the most of everything, put the skins into a still and distill off the remaining alcohol. This is grappa, an Italian type of brandy.
What does grappa taste like?? Only you can answer that. It tastes different to every palette. Most often it is an acquired taste. The typical flavors you can expect are a wine grape taste and an oily texture from the seeds.
The Italians also add it to espresso for a “caffe corretto” or corrected coffee, also known as “ammozzacaffe” or coffee killer. I see a cultural trend here.
So experience Montessa, an aged grappa, from Syrah and Nebbiolo grapes and decide for yourself where this little Italian may fit into your life. Bottled in 200 ml only. $17.00
Tasting Distilled Spirits
“I don’t know how to taste this.” This question is on everyone’s mind whether they say it or not. You are not alone. Here is what you can expect when coming into Black Heron Spirits. You will enter our well lit and comfortable tasting room. We invite you to have a seat as we bring the samples of the spirits we are offering for tasting to you. The first hurdle is “Is there a fee for tasting?” There is no fee for tasting. That’s right, it is absolutely free! The next hurdle is “How much will I be served?” Not to worry, unlike the wineries, our samples are generally about ¼ ounce, and we do supply you with an “Angel’s Share” cup. We will tell you some of the highlights for each spirit. We encourage you to sip a little to taste the flavors and subtleties of the spirit. This is how craft distilleries differ from the large ones. There is something to experience in each spirit made. We know that most people do not drink spirits straight, but then a few years ago not many people drank red wine either.
If you want to get technical about your tasting, ask your host to explain the process to you.
So throw your fears aside and walk on the spirit side. Come in and experience something new and exciting. You won’t be alone. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, we want you to understand distilling and the spirits that create your cocktails.
