Skip to main content

Mazzetti d'Altavilla - Grappa di Moscato - Aged

NV
Blend
100% Moscato
Country
Italy
Region
Piemonte
Appellation
Grappa
UPC
0 15643 25548 9
Other
Verified Stock
83055NV
Product Ratings
Wine Enthusiast 91pt

Made with Moscato grapes and aged more than 12 months in oak casks, this has a light gold hue and mild, lightly herbaceous aroma. Plenty of almond and oak lead the palate, followed by baked pear, cooked banana and almond sweetness. The finish is long and distinctly floral, framed by verdant herbal notes, hinting at fennel and tarragon.

by Wine Enthusiast, 2024

Description

Famous Piedmont aromatic white grape of ancient origin. Its skins, from Canellese, make a fragrant, mellow brandy. The aged Grappa rests from 12 to 36 months in Allier oak barrels.

Mazzetti d'Altavilla is a historic grappa factory of Piedmont which, since 1846, has distilled only grape marc produced in this land, coming from the noblest grapes of Piedmont, including Barolo and Barbaresco. The close link with its land is one of the core values of the company's philosophy.

Mazzetti d'Altavilla, now in its seventh generation, is situated in the small village of Altavilla Monferrato (in the province of Alessandria) in the heart of Piedmont's hills. The production is carried out from the main product, that is grappa, in its different variants: ‘young’ grappa, ‘aged’ grappa, and Reserve. Altogether, fifteen vineyards of Piedmont are distilled separately in order to create the single varietal grappa.

Background

Grappa is a traditionally Italian spirit distilled from all the solid matter left over from wine making. That includes all the grape skins, seeds, stems, everything. Grappa is usually very high proof, above 40%, and has a somewhat justified reputation as firewater because, you know, it’s really alcoholic. It takes about 100 kg of moist, fresh pomace produces about 9 to 10 liters of Grappa.

But it also has a soft and subtle side that craft distillers pull from even the ugliest purple mashes leftover from the winery. These are still very high proof but they exalt the flavors in the grapes. Unlike aggressively name controlled wines like Champagne or spirits like Tequila or Mezcal, Grappa can also be made in the United States where many winemakers and distillers are finding great success.

Tasting notes

Nose: Intense and round which is characteristic of the grape.
Palate: Balanced and aromatic with hints of a mixture of flowers, fruits and herbs (sage, roses, violets and peach).