Nonino

Nonino Distilleria was established in 1897 in Percoto, Friuli, and revolutionized grappa production by pioneering single-varietal distillation from fresh pomace. The range includes Grappa Moscato Monovitigno, Grappa Merlot Monovitigno, rare Grappa Cru Picolit, Amaro Nonino Quintessentia (mountain herb bittersweet liqueur, essential in the Paper Plane cocktail), and L’Aperitivo.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What did Nonino pioneer and why does it matter for grappa?

Before Nonino’s innovation in 1973, traditional grappa was made from blended pomace — the pressed grape skins, seeds, and stems from multiple grape varieties, often mixed together after pressing regardless of which variety they came from. The result was a generic, often harsh spirit with no varietal character. Nonino introduced Monovitigno grappa — single-varietal production where the pomace from each individual grape variety (Moscato, Picolit, Merlot, and others) is distilled separately and immediately after pressing while still fresh and moist. Fresh single-variety pomace produces a grappa that genuinely tastes like the grape it came from. The 1973 vintage Picolit Monovitigno is considered the bottle that changed Italian grappa from a rough industrial byproduct into a serious artisan spirit category.

What is the Picolit grape and why is Nonino Grappa Cru Picolit rare?

Picolit is a rare Friulian white grape variety with an extremely low yield — the grape’s flowers are partially sterile, meaning many berries don’t develop fully, producing tiny clusters with relatively few grapes per vine. This makes Picolit wine already scarce and expensive; Picolit pomace — the pressed remnants after winemaking — is even more limited in volume. Nonino Cru Picolit grappa is produced from what little Picolit pomace is available from estate production, making it one of the rarest and most sought-after grappas in Italy. The flavor profile reflects the Picolit grape’s distinctive apricot, honey, and floral character.