Marolo Grappa di Brunello...

Marolo Grappa di Brunello (42.0%): Another bottle from my sample swap with Florin... This time it is not a whisky but a grappa which is a pomace brandy from Italy carrying the label of Marolo brand. As a family brand Marolo is born in 1977 when founder Paolo Marolo opened the Santa Teresa Distillery and started to distill using two bain-marie pot stills, one designated for red wine pomace and the other one for white wine pomace. The grappa in the bottle is distilled from Sangiovese grapes leftovers grown in Montalcino, Tuscany which are used to make Brunello di Montalcino wines before. it is not aged in wooden casks.

Color: Clear with very thin legs around the glass.

Nose: Black gardening soil, wild mushrooms and rotting plants. Musty, damp and vegetal. Brings back memories of visiting an old wine cellar or of an early morning autumn hike in the woods after a strong rain fall. Soaked wet autumn leaves, sprouting mushrooms and rotting grass. A pond or a well you discover behind the trees where no sunshine can reach covered with moss and leaves... A musty, mineral, mossy and damp smell. Love it, love it and love it... 

Palate: Very mineral, clean and fruity... Far away from all the mossy and rotting aromas of the nose. They are still there but now only at the background. It is like a subtle flavored sparkling water first: Granny Smith apples, underripe peaches and underripe apricots. Fresh cucumber slices and lemon juice. It gets spicy and floral in time. Dried jonquils, hyacinths and potpourri pot. Juniper berries, coriander seeds and dried rosemary leaves.

Finish: Long but gentle. White pepper and fresh green banana peppers.

Overall: Gosh, I loved it... This is a great grappa. It would be an absolute treat with a single shot espresso after dinner. I can only imagine... The nose is a perfect entry with strong pomace aromas waking you up, making you curious and also maybe a little uneasy. Then the palate follows with a much calmer nature with clean, fruity, watery and mineral notes. Thanks to Florin for the sample. I might go and start to look for a bottle...

Price: $52

Comments