Eighteen Moons Grappa – 700ml

Le Diciotto Lune Grappa, eighteen moons aged in barrels

The Le Diciotto Lune by Marzadro is a Grappa Stravecchia from Trentino, aged for 18 months in small barrels made of cherry, ash, oak, and locust wood. Amber-colored, velvety smooth, with a fine finish of vanilla from the wood – a digestif for those quiet moments after a meal.

Le Diciotto Lune Grappa translates to "eighteen moons" – because that is exactly how long, eighteen full moons, this Grappa Stravecchia from the Distilleria Marzadro in Trentino ages in small wooden barrels. The maturation follows the rhythm of nature, explains master distiller Andrea Marzadro – and you can taste what that means: softness, warmth, depth. In 2016, it was named the best aged grappa in the world at the World Grappa Awards.

In the glass, it glows with a warm amber hue, while the fragrance combines ripe fruits with vanilla and fine wood – intense, ethereal, harmonious. On the palate, it is pleasantly dry yet silky smooth, with 41% vol. which it carries with great ease. This is what patience tastes like.

Amber in the glass, vanilla in the bouquet

Le Diciotto Lune smells of ripe fruits, vanilla, and fine wood, and feels velvety smooth on the palate – a Grappa Stravecchia of rare mildness.

Its color and aroma are owed to the four types of wood in its maturation barrels: cherry, ash, oak, and locust wood contribute fragrance, color, and flavor to the distillate. The longer the grappa rests in the small barrels, the more intimately the wood and distillate merge – reaching the harmony that has earned this Stravecchia its reputation. The finish remains long, warm, and dry, with a final hint of vanilla.

A digestif for long evenings

An aged grappa like Diciotto Lune belongs at the end of a good meal – served neat, at room temperature, in a glass that tapers gently toward the top.

In Italy, it is also a staple of the *caffè corretto*, the espresso "corrected" with a splash of grappa. Dark chocolate also pairs well with it – its roasted aromas harmonize excellently with the grappa's vanilla and wood notes. And if you want to sample the range first, the Grappa Tasting Set Le Mignon, featuring five miniatures, makes getting started easy.

Five grape varieties, four woods, one family

Diciotto Lune is created from fresh pomace of five Trentino grape varieties – Marzemino, Teroldego, Merlot, Muscat, and Chardonnay form the base.

It is distilled carefully in a water bath using discontinuous stills, as is traditional in Trentino. Master distiller Andrea Marzadro only takes the "heart" of the distillate – the harsher head and tail are discarded, which is exactly why the finished grappa is so clear and mild. Then comes the waiting: for eighteen moons, in a cellar full of small barrels.

It all began in 1949, when Sabina Marzadro learned the art of distillation in Brancolino di Nogaredo and turned the fresh pomace of winegrowers between the Adige Valley and Lake Garda into grappa. Today, Andrea, Anna, and Stefano Marzadro – the children of her brother Attilio – run the distillery, still distilling according to their principles: fresh pomace, plenty of time, no shortcuts. The World Grappa Awards crowned Diciotto Lune the world's best aged grappa in 2016.

With an espresso or a quiet glass by the fireplace

At room temperature and with a moment to breathe in the glass, the vanilla and ripe fruit aromas fully unfold. It is as perfect an accompaniment to an espresso after a meal as it is to a quiet glass by the fireplace. If you wish to discover its darker side: the Diciotto Lune Botte Porto is additionally aged in port wine barrels – and you can find all Grappas by Marzadro gathered here.