grappa- with minimal alfa/fiat content.

[Adam Reeves <areeves@domain.elided>]

I went to an italian wine tasting a couple years ago put on by winebow 
(one of the big italian importers) after my girlfriend at the time and I 
settled the debate over whether to take my alfetta or her fiat 850 
spider, she won of course.  Eventually we found ourselves half in the 
bag and sauntering up to jacobo poli to taste his premium grappa which 
run hundreds of dollars for tiny hand blown volumetric flasks of the 
stuff.  Before allowing us to taste his treasures, Poli, with great 
gravity sniffed our glasses and detecting some residual chianti odor 
insisted that they be rinsed forthwith.  Pouring us thimble fulls of 
various bottlings, my girlfriend brought one to her lips and immediately 
spat it out over the assemblage proclaiming--"Ehhh, Benzina!"  While it 
may not all be gasoline and poli's is actually quite good in my 
experience grappa can be pretty awful.  I'm sure fred's is sublime, but 
if you aren't nearby there are good american grappa's made by clear 
creek and germain robin.  And in addition to Poli, Nonino makes Grappas 
that are good and can be found in the US.  I think it is very much an 
acquired taste, like scandinavian akavit or greek ouzo.

Adam
'78 sport sedan-pinging in cold weather, may need grappa octane booster.

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