Poli Distillerie

Two demijohns of Sassicaia

It was an afternoon in the Spring of 1993 when I illustrated to Marchese Incisa della Rocchetta a project that had been in my head for several years.This project regarded making an excellent Grappa from the marc of a great wine, and namely Sassicaia.

 We were sitting on a sofa in the hall of the Principe di Savoia in Milan and I think he listened to me more out of politeness than genuine interest. I was a young 'grappaiolo' from the province and without a pedigree, asking for the hand of the most beautiful creature of Tuscan wine-making and a symbol Italian wine worldwide. As a gift I offered a long family tradition and, above all, a passion for Grappa and its profound culture.

I think it was this respect for the values innate in a distillate that convinced the marquis, a man not inclined to make impulsive choices but well-aware of the responsibility involved in the management of a legend to which his family was inseparably linked.

Even today I am still grateful for the trust he showed.

A trust that, every day, I strive to deserve. The first time we sent our Bruno with the truck to get the Sassicaia marc in Bolgheri, we also told him to shave, dress well, greet everyone and be courteous. He had never been sent outside the region to get marc, and therefore realised that this was something special.

Bruno left in the late afternoon and slept in front of the cellar, ready for loading early in the morning.
On arriving home I asked him if everything went well, and he replied yes, but without the usual cheerfulness.

Several hours later the marquis called me on the phone and said: "I hope the driver who came to load the marc is not upset..."
What happened? I asked him,

"Well, after finishing loading, he opened the cab of the truck and pulled out two 54-litre demijohns and asked the cellarman if he could fill them with this famous Sassicaia he had heard so much about, so that he could bottle it and taste it... The cellarman replied that we do not sell retail. So I hope he is not offended, and I do apologise...”

Sensitivity of other times.

Jacopo Poli