Pairing grappa with any meal is possible. At the Gran Galà della grappa held yesterday evening, Monday 7 October, at the Antica Bottega del Vino in Verona, the flagship distillate accompanied every course with refined elegance, from aperitif to dessert. About sixty guests were present, including journalists, wine producers, importers, opinion leaders and friends of Roberto Castagner, master distiller and founder of the famous distillery in Vazzola (Treviso). The CEO of Veronafiere, Maurizio Danese, was present and anticipated the theme of the next Vinitaly with grappa also taking centre stage at the table.
The evening opened with an aperitif with Casta Negroni based on Casta, the grappa created in 2017 for mixing, Bitter Castagner in which Treviso PGI radicchio is also infused, and Vermouth Castagner based on Glera. Then the dinner continued with Grappa Prosecco Ice served chilled and paired with pumpkin risotto. The Fuoriclasse Leon Amarone was served with beef cheek braised in Amarone and also accompanied the tiramisu. Masterful was the tasting, guided by sommelier Sara Tosti, of Riserva 23 years, the grappa celebrating Roberto Castagner's entrepreneurial journey, with flakes of Domori dark chocolate, an excellence in the world of quality chocolate from Riccardo Illy's Polo del Gusto, guest of the evening. During the dinner, Valpolicella Classico Superiore Rafaèl and Amarone Ca' Florian by Dario Tommasi were served. Tommasi was present at the event and promoted the meeting between Roberto Castagner and Luca Nicolis, director of the ancient Bottega del Vino.
Abroad, spirits and mixed drinks represent two segments where food pairings are already a reality, just think of food pairings with spirits such as whisky, vodka, tequila, rum and brandy.
"As with wines, there are also basic rules for pairing food/grappa - explains Roberto Castagner -. For a fish appetizer, rather than cured meats or for a first course such as risotto or pasta with ragù, we must look for a dry, but soft, fruity white grappa, perhaps served cold or iced, which is able to enhance the aromas that are being savored, but above all to degrease at the end. Then, instead, if we want to pair it with meat, for example with a braised meat or a Florentine steak, we must pair it with a structured grappa, perhaps Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet, aged in oak barrels that give it those typical hints of vanilla and spices; so I eat meat and sip a few drops of grappa: this pairing is enough to enhance the meat and make the grappa a truly exceptional companion. With the most famous dessert in the world, tiramisu, but also with chocolate desserts, we pair it with very aged barrique grappa, over 3 years old; if we are talking about ice cream, a fruity white grappa of Prosecco or Moscato is fine».
But grappa is also gaining a place of respect in the world of mixology. "Today - explains Samuele Ambrosi of the Cloak Room Cocktail Lab in Treviso, creator of the Casta-based Ve.n.to cocktail - at least 15-20 percent of bartenders normally use grappa in cocktails while until a few years ago no one offered it. Today in any cocktail bar defined as such they know what a Ve.n.to is and this is a victory for the world of grappa and if you ask for a grappa-based cocktail you will taste something wonderful".
