Description
Geographical Indication Grappa Friulana or Grappa del Friuli is reserved for the grape marc produced from raw material derived from grapes produced and vinified in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, which is distilled and bottled in plants located within the above mentioned area.
Production Area
The production area of Grappa Friulana GI or Grappa del Friuli GI is within the entire territory of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.
Production Method
Grappa Friulana GI or Grappa del Friuli GI is produced through distillation, directly by water vapour or after water has been added in the pot still, of fermented or semi-fermented grape marc. Liquid natural lees of wine can be utilized up to a maximum of 25 kg for each 100 kg of grape marc. The quantity of alcohol derived from the lees may not exceed 35% of the total quantity of alcohol in the finished product. The liquid natural lees of wine can be used in the following ways: by adding it to the grape marc before proceeding with distillation; by removing – at the same time – the alcohol from both the grape marc and lees, and starting the distillation of the mixture obtained from the two phlegms or alcohol vapours; by removing – separately – the alcohol from both the grape marc and lees, and starting the distillation process of the mixture obtained from the two phlegms immediately. These operations must take place in the same distillation plant. The distillation - in continuous or batch plants - of the fermented or semi-fermented grape marcs should be carried out at less than 86% by volume. Within this limit the obtained product may be re-distilled. The addition of the following is also permitted in the production of Grappa Friulana GI or Grappa del Friuli GI:- aromatic plants or fruits or part of them, which represent traditional production methods;- sugars, up to a maximum of 20 g of sugar per litre, expressed as invert sugar; - caramel, only to grappa that has been aged for at least 12 months, in accordance with current national and European regulations.Grappa Friulana GI or Grappa del Friuli GI can only be aged in wooden barrels, vats or containers. The terms Vecchia (old) or Invecchiata (aged), can be used on the labels and for the promotion of grappa that has been aged in not varnished or dipped wooden containers for at least 12 months, subjected to official controls and in plants situated within the territory of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. The terms Riserva (reserve) or Stravecchia (extra-old) can be used for Grappa Friulana GI or Grappa del Friuli GI that has been aged for at least 18 months.
Additional specifications
The name Grappa Friulana GI or Grappa del Friuli GI may be completed by reference to:- a vine variety name, when it has been produced from distillation obtained from raw materials coming entirely from the vinification of grapes belonging to that specific vine variety for 100% of their weight (it is allowed the presence of other vine varieties up to 15%);- no more than two vine varieties names, when it has been produced from distillation obtained from raw materials entirely coming from the vinification of grapes belonging to those specific vine varieties (it shall not be indicated vine varieties used for less than 15%);- the name of a DOC, DOCG or IGT (PDO, PGI) wine, when the raw materials come from the grapes employed for the production of this wine (in this case, the use of the DOC, DOCG, IGT, PDO, PGI symbols or lettering, in either abbreviation form or in full, is not permitted);the distillation’s method, continuous or discontinuous-cycle stills, and the type of pot still employed.
Product Characteristics
Grappa Friulana GI or Grappa del Friuli GI is produced through distillation of fermented (or semi-fermented) grape marc, directly by water vapour or after water has been added in the pot still. It can be subjected to the ageing process in not varnished or dipped wooden containers. Grappa Friulana GI or Grappa del Friuli GI can only be made available for consumption if the minimum alcoholic strength by volume is 40%.
Link with the territory
The first signs of processing grape marcs to produce alcoholic beverages date back to the Sixth century A.C., when a Burgundian settlement passed from the fermentation of apples to that of grape marcs. Documents from 1451 demonstrate the existence of a metallic tool (the pot still) for the production of spirits in Cividale del Friuli, and numerous documents from the Sixteenth century onwards show that there was a thriving trade in sprits. In 1744 the Empress Maria Teresa of Austria promulgated a law that allowed “familiar distillation”. In 1909 a publication of the Udine Chamber of Commerce attests to the existence of 42 controlled distilleries and 70 small agricultural distilleries, using mainly grape marc in respect to other raw materials. In the years between the Nineteenth and Twentieth century, in Friuli the term Grappa started to be used to refer to the grape marc spirit, replacing the slang terms used in the previous centuries. In Council Regulation (ECC) n. 1576/89, Grappa Friulana GI or Grappa del Friuli GI was registered for the first time in Annex II of European geographical designations for spirits.
Legislative information
Geographical Indication Grappa Friulana or Grappa del Friuli is registered in the Annex III of Regulation (EC) n. 110/2008 on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of Geographical Indications of spirit drinks and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89 (published in the Official Journal of the EU of 13 February 2008; L. 39) as modified by the Reg. (EC) 1067/2016 and by Reg. 674/2019. Notwithstanding the entry in force of the new Reg. UE 787/2019 which is replacing Reg. 110/2008 and that applies to GIs from 8 june 2019, Annex III still stand until the creation of GI’s Register referred to in article 33 of the new law. Generally, article 24 paragraph 1 of Regulation 787/2019 provides that for every Geographical Indication has to be presented a technical file containing requirements requested by article 24 itself. In Italy the approval and presentation procedure of technical files is defined by Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies decree of May 13, 2010. The Grappa Friulana GI or Grappa del Friuli GI technical file is contained in the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies decree of November 24, 2014 (published in the Italian Official Journal n. 280 of December 2, 2014).
