The establishment of a third generation Grappa distillery was the fulfilment of a lifelong dream for Giorgio Dalla Cia. His Father, Vittorio, who was initially a wine merchant, had bought an old still in the early 1920’s and quickly developed the family business into one of the biggest producers of Grappa in Italy. The production of Grappa - this unique Italian husk spirit - was such an inherent part of Giorgio’s childhood that he was determined to continue the legacy on local soil. This only became possible after 1994 when the production of Grappa in South Africa was legalized.

Two years later Giorgio with his son George, imported a state-of-the art copper alembic still from Italy, establishing their boutique Grappa distillery in Stellenbosch.

Grappa is a husk spirit which derives it’s name from Graspa, an Italian term used to describe the fermented grape skins (husks or pomace) left over after the wine making process.

Through an artisanal bain-marie double-distillation, within 48 hours after the grapes have been pressed, only 30 litres of Grappa are delicately extracted from a half ton of husks with very concentrated aromas that define the spirit’s distinct flavour and capture the essence of the cultivar. No traditional Italian meal is complete without a Grappa.

Sipped slowly, slightly chilled or at room temperature, or added into an espresso as a caffe’ corretto, Grappa is the ultimate digestive!