Marzadro Grappa from Trentino, from young to barrel-aged
Marzadro Grappa is a grape marc spirit from Nogaredo in Trentino, distilled in copper water baths. The assortment ranges from the clear, young spirit of the Trentina line and the eighteen-month-aged Diciotto Lune to the Giare, which spends three years in oak barrels. All spirits are made from fresh pomace from the autumn harvest.
Marzadro Grappa is an Italian pomace brandy from the family-run distillery Distilleria Marzadro, which has been distilling in the Vallagarina valley between Rovereto and Lake Garda since 1949. Only fresh pomace is distilled, over a hundred days between September and December, in eight copper pot stills in a water bath. We offer thirty items from this line, from 5-cl miniatures to magnums.
Grappa is distilled pomace, not distilled wine
Grappa is made from what remains after pressing: the skins, seeds, and stems of the grapes. It is a pomace brandy, not a wine brandy.
This distinction defines its entire character. Wine brandy like Cognac is distilled from fermented grape juice and carries its fruit sweetness; Grappa, by contrast, draws its aroma from the berry skin, where the color, tannins, and fragrance reside. That is why it tastes sharper, spicier, sometimes floral, and why it reveals the grape variety so clearly.
For this to succeed, the pomace must be fresh. At Marzadro, it arrives still damp from the must at local wineries and goes directly into the stills. A water bath surrounds the copper, ensuring nothing burns and the steam rises slowly. This "bagnomaria" distillation in discontinuous stills is considered the Trentino method.
Because fresh pomace cannot wait, the distillation season runs around the clock for a hundred days between September and December. The company processes around 5,000 tons per year. The distiller only takes the heart of the distillate—the middle run, where the aromas reside and are not disturbed by the foreshots or feints. Deciding when a spirit is ready is left to the palate of Andrea Marzadro, the master distiller of the house.
Since 1968, the quality has been monitored by the Istituto Tutela Grappa del Trentino, in collaboration with the Istituto Agrario San Michele all'Adige and the Trento Chamber of Commerce. Each batch is tested in the laboratory and by palate before receiving the seal. "Control" sounds sober—here, it is the backbone of an entire region.
The clear Trentina and the smooth Morbida
Every Grappa journey begins with an unaged spirit, as it shows what the distillate can do without the influence of barrels.
The Trentina Tradizionale is one such spirit: 41 percent ABV, crystal clear, made from Teroldego, Marzemino, and Merlot. It smells of fresh grape seeds and a hint of grass, and it gets straight to the point. Anyone familiar with Italian grappa from the neighboring table will recognize the tone here.
The Trentina Morbida barrique goes a step further. It ages in the exact barrels that previously held Diciotto Lune, absorbing a hint of sweetness and vanilla from them. "Morbida" means smooth, and that fits perfectly. It is also available as a small 200-ml bottle for sampling.
Eighteen moons in cherry, ash, and oak
Diciotto Lune is the house's most famous spirit, produced since 2002 and named after the eighteen moons of its aging period.
It spends eighteen months in small barrels made of four types of wood: cherry, ash, oak, and acacia. Each imparts something different: cherry adds fruit, acacia adds honey notes, and oak provides structure. It is distilled from five Trentino pomaces—Marzemino, Teroldego, Merlot, Muscat, and Chardonnay—and hits the glass at 41 percent.
In our shop, it is available in several sizes, from a miniature to the 500-ml bottle and the 700-ml bottle. For those who prefer something darker and fruitier, there is the Riserva Botte Porto, which spends an extra period in Portuguese port wine barrels after its eighteen months of aging.
Giare, three years in the barrel
In the Giare line, each spirit ages for 36 months in oak barrels. Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay are single-varietal, while the Amarone is made from three grape varieties.
The Giare Amarone is created from the pomace of Amarone grapes Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara; it ages in 500-liter barrels and displays dark fruit, dried plums, and a hint of bitter chocolate. It is the evening spirit among the three, 41 percent, with a long finish.
The Giare Gewürztraminer is significantly more floral, resting in large 1,000-liter barrels and bringing notes of rose petals and lychee. The Giare Chardonnay, in turn, ages in small 225-liter barrels and is the most powerful at 45 percent—lean, nutty, and driven.
Behind this lies a simple calculation: the smaller the barrel, the more wood surface area meets less grappa. This is why the Chardonnay in the barrique gains its vanilla note, while the Gewürztraminer in the 1,000-liter barrel retains its florality. Same aging time, different barrels, three distinct signatures.
Giare is also the most frequently awarded line of the house. The Amarone won a trophy at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in 2010 and 2018, gold at the 40th Premio Alambicco d'Oro of the A.N.A.G. in 2023, and the Gran Medaglia d'Oro from Città del Vino in 2024. The Gewürztraminer received Gold Outstanding along with a trophy in 2015. Impressive, to say the least.
Anfora, Espressioni, and the small series
In addition to the four main lines, there are small-batch spirits that experiment with vessels, time, and processes.
The Anfora ages for ten months in 300-liter clay amphorae, fired in Montelupo and Impruneta in Tuscany. The clay allows oxygen to pass through like wood, but does not impart flavor. The result is a grappa that tastes aged without tasting of the barrel. 43 percent, unusually clear in expression.
The Espressioni line is selected by master distiller Andrea Marzadro anew each year. The Espressioni Solera ages for five years using the Spanish Solera method, in which younger distillate is continuously added to older batches until everything is woven together. The Espressioni Aromatica, on the other hand, focuses on aromatic grape varieties.
Serve chilled, but not ice-cold
Grappa shows itself best in a glass that tapers at the top to concentrate the aromas.
Served too cold, it closes up and tastes only of alcohol; too warm, and it becomes sharp. A tulip-shaped stemmed glass is ideal, though a small tumbler works too. Young spirits like the Trentina handle the refrigerator well, but aged ones like the Giare Amarone prefer room temperature, or slightly cooler.
We especially enjoy Diciotto Lune after a meal with an espresso, either side by side or as a "caffè corretto" directly in the cup. The Giare Chardonnay goes wonderfully with strong mountain cheese, and the Amarone with dark chocolate. And if you want to start exploring, try the Le Mignon tasting set with five miniatures.
By the way, a Marzadro Grappa does not require special storage. Unlike wine, it does not continue to age in the bottle because the aging process ends in the barrel—it remains unchanged for years if kept upright, in the dark, and at room temperature. What is open stays good even once opened. Sharp, spicy, long-lasting—that is how a Marzadro Grappa stands up even after months.
For those who prefer something sweet, you will find the smooth side of the house under Marzadro Liqueurs, and everything ready-packed can be found under Marzadro Gift Sets. Start small, and you will find your favorite.
