Inside the building there is a small distillery where every year for four generations, the Bettanini Virdia family distil the prized grappa ““Rugiada delle Alpi”.
The distillery, located next to the cellars, under the large vaulted ceilings of the basement of the manor house, uses an old still (dating back to the late eighteenth century) heated by an open wood-burning fire.
The distillation began in the early nineteenth century when times were hard and nothing was wasted. Marco Bettanini decided to buy and install the still to use the marc (“vinaccia”), the meagre residue from the making of wine.
Later, around 1930, Alessandro Bettanini named the grappa “Rugiarda delle Alpi” on the suggestion of the famous Italian poet Gabriele d’Annunzio, who, frequenting the area and appreciating the product, poetically united the place the grappa was produced “at the foot of the Alps” with its crystal-clear appearance that resembled dew-drops.
Thanks to the enthusiasm for the slow pace and simple things of the past and the willingness to preserve this tradition that all the members of the Bettanni Virdia family share, the ancient ritual of distillation is carried on every year using the same equipment and the same method as in the past.
The small production, limited by law for this type of distillery to only 300 anhydrous litres a year (1,250 ½ litre bottles), and the completely manual method of production, enable the meticulous selection of the quality of the marc and allow the distiller to control the quality of the grappa, ensuring that it has the particular aromas that distinguish it.
Each bottle, packaged by hand, is sealed with sealing wax where the distillery brand is imprinted, and is labeled with bottle number and year of production.
Our Grappas
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Grappa Rugiada delle Alpi
"Classica"
Marcs:
Sangiovese, Marzemino, Barbera, Gropello, Cabernet.
Features:
Deeply rooted in the territory and tradition, of crystalline appearance, the Grappa “Classica” is characterized by its strong olfactory intensity with notes of ripe fruit fused with a fresh grassy smell, almond and violet. The taste is harmonious and enveloping, without sharpness, and has a long finish that once again recalls the aroma of violets and hints of ripe fruit and liquorice.
Diluted with distilled water up to 48% by volume, without added sugar, additives or flavourings, is refined in steel for at least 12 months before bottling.
Grappa Rugiada delle Alpi
"7 uve"
Marcs:
Sangiovese, Marzemino, Barbera, Gropello, Cabernet, Yellow Muscat and Gewürtz Traminer.
Features:
The “7 Uve”, which literally means “seven grapes”, originates from the Rugiada delle Alpi “Classica” to which are added the separately distilled grapes of Gewürtz Traminer and Yellow Muscat. Of crystalline appearance, it adds to the Grappa “Classica”, the fruity notes of the aromatic vines, exalting the aromas of raisin and citrus fruits, to which binds the floral notes of viola, lavender and geranium.
Diluted with distilled water up to 48% by volume, without added sugar, additives or flavourings, is refined in steel for at least 12 months before bottling.
Grappa Rugiada delle Alpi
"Riserva"
Marcs:
Sangiovese, Marzemino, Barbera, Gropello, Cabernet.
Features:
The “Riserva” is the Rugiada delle Alpi “Classica” refined for three years in medium toasted barrels of French and Slovenian oaks.
The aging in wood gives not only an attractive amber colour, but also strengthens the roundness of the Grappa, softening and amalgamating the fruity and floral notes. In the mouth shows it’s mature, clean and harmonious character, characterized by feelings of raisin, dried fruits and vanilla, proposing again in the final the feeling of liquorice.
After the extraction from the barrel it is diluted with distilled water up to 48% in volume, without added sugar, additives or flavourings.
