Poli Distillerie

An inseparable link

During both the First and the Second World War Monte Grappa and the entire surrounding mountain area, the last bastion against enemy invasion, were the theatre of some heroic battles.

The city lying at the foot of Monte Grappa was then called Bassano Veneto and played an important role in the organization and logistic support to the troops engaged at the front, and in accommodating thousands of civilians fleeing from the many villages invaded by the Austro-Hungarian army.

The city was heavily bombed in the vain attempt to wear it out.

In 1928 the fascist government decided to change the name of the city to Bassano del Grappa, in honour of the many unknown heroes who had sacrificed themselves for their country on Monte Grappa.

At the end of the Second World War the city of Bassano was awarded the gold medal for military valour and for the key role played during the liberation.

The relationship between Grappa and the war is well known and is now part of the history of this distillate: soldiers were given abundant rations of liquid courage, and it was in those circumstances that men from central and southern Italy got to know and taste for the first time the aqua vitae from grape marc.

Since then the bond between Monte Grappa, the city of Bassano del Grappa and the Grappa distillate has become indissoluble.

Grappa Bassano Classica is obtained by distilling the grape marc from vines of the Breganze DOC area, which includes Bassano del Grappa.

It is a clean, neat and sincere Grappa that lends itself to be served in small glasses or to lace coffee.

Bassano Classica is often used for the “rasentin” ritual, which consists in cleaning up with a few drops of Grappa the cup where you just had your coffee.

You must whirl slowly the Grappa in the warm cup, so that it will dissolve the little sugar and milk froth remaining and “rasenti”, i.e. rinse it, well.

Then you sip it, with a smile… 

Jacopo Poli