Nonino Grappa Vendemmia 750ML

Nonino Grappa Vendemmia 750ML is an unaged Italian grappa blending single-varietal pomace distillates at 40% ABV in a 750ml bottle. Produced by the Nonino family — pioneers who introduced the world's first single-varietal grappa, Monovitigno®, in 1973 — this Vendemmia expression showcases the house philosophy of preserving each grape variety's individual aromatic identity before merging them into a harmonious whole.

Quick Facts: ABV: 40%  |  Origin: Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy  |  Unaged  |  Distillery: Nonino Distillatori

Production & Heritage

Nonino Distillatori was founded in 1897 by Orazio Nonino in Percoto, a small town in Friuli-Venezia Giulia in northeastern Italy. The family remains at the helm more than 125 years later, and the distillery's influence on the grappa category is difficult to overstate — Benito and Giannola Nonino's 1973 decision to distill pomace from a single grape variety (Picolit) essentially redefined grappa from a rough farmhouse spirit into a refined aromatic category. Vendemmia carries that legacy forward: pomace from Prosecco, Ribolla Gialla, and Malvasia grapes is distilled separately in discontinuous copper steam stills with precise head-and-tail cutting, then blended. The spirit sees no wood aging whatsoever, keeping its aromatic freshness fully intact.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with soft, floral top notes — acacia blossom and white peach — before settling into riper tones of apricot, green apple, and a thread of raisin sweetness. A faint herbal undercurrent adds dimension without overpowering the fruit.

Taste: The entry is gentle and velvety, immediately grape-forward with pear and stone fruit. At mid-palate, a subtle honeyed sweetness emerges alongside delicate almond and a whisper of spice. A faint, pleasant bitterness from the grape skins provides structural counterpoint and keeps the spirit from feeling one-dimensional.

Finish: Long and remarkably clean, with lingering fruity sweetness balanced by gentle warmth. The finish has a refreshing quality uncommon in grappa, trailing off with soft orchard-fruit echoes.

How to Drink Grappa Vendemmia

Serve neat in a tulip-shaped grappa glass at cool room temperature — around 12–15°C — to let the aromatics express themselves fully without alcohol heat dominating. This is a grappa built for sipping, but its clean profile and floral intensity also make it a surprisingly versatile cocktail ingredient.

• Sgroppino: The traditional Venetian after-dinner cocktail of lemon sorbet, Prosecco, and grappa. Vendemmia's Prosecco-derived component creates a natural harmony with the sparkling wine.
• Grappa Sour: Substitute grappa for whiskey in a classic sour template — lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white. The floral aromatics add complexity that brown spirits cannot replicate.
• Espresso Corretto: A shot of espresso "corrected" with a pour of Vendemmia. The grappa's fruit sweetness and clean finish cut through coffee's bitterness without clashing.

Best For

• Introducing a curious spirits drinker to premium grappa for the first time
• Serving as a digestivo after an Italian dinner party
• Gifting to someone who appreciates artisan Italian spirits with genuine heritage
• Building an Italian spirits collection beyond amaro and limoncello

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Grappa Vendemmia taste like? Nonino Grappa Vendemmia is a fruit-driven, floral grappa with prominent notes of pear, apricot, honey, and almond, complemented by a gentle grape-skin bitterness. The finish is long, clean, and refreshingly smooth for a 40% ABV spirit.

How does Grappa Vendemmia compare to Poli Grappa? Both Nonino (founded 1897 in Friuli) and Jacopo Poli (founded 1898 in Veneto) are benchmark artisan grappa producers who use copper stills and prioritize varietal expression. Vendemmia tends to lean more floral and fruit-forward due to its Prosecco, Ribolla Gialla, and Malvasia blend, while Poli's comparable expressions often emphasize the grape varieties of the Veneto region.

Is Grappa Vendemmia good for sipping neat? Yes — its 40% ABV and unaged, aromatic profile make it an approachable neat pour, especially when served slightly chilled in a tulip glass to concentrate the floral and fruit aromas.

Where is Grappa Vendemmia made? Nonino Grappa Vendemmia is produced at Nonino Distillatori in Percoto, a town in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeastern Italy, where the Nonino family has been distilling since 1897.

What foods pair well with Grappa Vendemmia? Almond biscotti — the grappa's own almond notes create a natural echo. Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano — the salt and umami contrast the fruit sweetness. Dark chocolate — bittersweet cacao amplifies the grape-skin undertones. Fresh stone fruit like peaches or apricots mirror the spirit's dominant aromatics. Panettone or other lightly sweetened Italian breads work well with the honey character.

What sizes does Grappa Vendemmia come in? The standard bottling is 750ml at 40% ABV, which is the most widely available format in the U.S. market.

Is Grappa Vendemmia worth the price? Nonino Grappa Vendemmia sits in the premium tier of the grappa category, positioned above commodity grappas but below Nonino's own aged Riserva and single-varietal Monovitigno® releases. For a family-estate grappa made from individually distilled varietals in copper pot stills, it represents strong value within the artisan segment.

Why Grappa Vendemmia?

What separates this expression from most grappas on the shelf is Nonino's insistence on distilling each grape variety's pomace independently before blending — a labor-intensive approach that preserves the distinct aromatic fingerprint of Prosecco, Ribolla Gialla, and Malvasia rather than homogenizing them in a single distillation run. That technique traces directly back to the family's 1973 invention of Monovitigno® single-varietal grappa, a development that fundamentally changed how the spirits world perceived an entire category. Founder Giannola Nonino was awarded the Cavaliere del Lavoro — one of Italy's highest honors for enterprise — in 1998, recognizing decades of innovation. Vendemmia distills that legacy into an accessible, everyday expression that still carries unmistakable craft in every sip.