Diciotto Lune Grappa – 500ml

Le Diciotto Lune Grappa, a one-time world champion in a half-liter bottle

Marzadro's Le Diciotto Lune was named the world's best aged grappa at the 2016 World Grappa Awards. A Grappa Stravecchia made from five Trentino grape varieties, aged for 18 months in wood, 41% ABV. Available here in a 500 ml bottle.

Le Diciotto Lune Grappa is the heart of the Marzadro distillery and the spirit that made the brand famous worldwide: in 2016, the World Grappa Awards crowned it the best aged grappa in the world. "Stravecchia" denotes the highest level of aging a grappa can achieve – and in this case, that takes eighteen full moons. The 500 ml bottle is the perfect format for those who want it on their shelf without committing to a full-sized bottle.

Amber in the glass, intense and harmonious in aroma, silky smooth on the palate – that is its signature. It carries its 41% ABV without revealing it, leaving a hint of vanilla from the wood on the finish. That is what a world champion tastes like.

What Stravecchia means

Stravecchia means "extra-old" – a term used for grappa that has been aged for an exceptionally long time in wood.

At Marzadro, this means eighteen months in small barrels made from four different types of wood: cherry, ash, oak, and locust. Each adds something unique, and because the barrels are small, there is a high ratio of wood to grappa. The longer and more intense this contact, the smoother the distillate becomes and the deeper the color. After eighteen months, the result is a spirit that tastes of patience.

The name says the same thing in Italian: Diciotto Lune, eighteen moons. The family prefers to count the aging time in full moons rather than calendar months – a lovely way to express that nature, not a stopwatch, sets the pace here.

The half-liter as a sensible middle ground

500 milliliters is a significant amount for a digestif – this bottle yields about twenty 2 cl servings.

For a shelf where several spirits stand side-by-side, this is the ideal size: it lasts long enough for many evenings and is finished before the grappa ever gets old. Room temperature and a glass that tapers toward the top are its ideal conditions – aged spirits lose their aroma in the refrigerator. If this format is too small for you, the 700 ml bottle is available, and if you would like to try it first, it is also available as a miniature.

From fresh pomace to amber

Diciotto Lune is made from the pomace of Marzemino, Teroldego, Merlot, Muscat, and Chardonnay – a blend of red and white Trentino varieties.

The pomace arrives fresh at the distillery, still moist from the must, and is gently heated in a water bath. Master Distiller Andrea Marzadro keeps only the heart of the cut, leaving behind the harsher heads and tails. Then, time takes over: eighteen moons, guided by the palate of the master distiller, until the wood and the distillate have harmonized.

It all began in 1949, when Sabina Marzadro learned the art of distilling in Brancolino di Nogaredo – in the Adige Valley, not far from Lake Garda, where many still visit this distillery while on vacation today. Andrea, Anna, and Stefano Marzadro run it as a family business. You can find all Marzadro grappas here.

Caffè corretto, the Italian way

Room temperature and a moment to breathe are all Le Diciotto Lune Grappa needs for the fruit and vanilla notes to emerge. It makes for a calm conclusion after a good meal; paired with an espresso, it becomes a Caffè corretto, just as Italy loves it. And if you want to discover its darker side: the Diciotto Lune Botte Porto takes this same spirit and ages it for an additional eighteen months in port wine barrels.