Grappa is a particular type of brandy made from grape pomace, which are the seeds, skins, and stems left over from the winemaking process. The original idea was to reduce winemaking waste by putting what had otherwise been discarded into use as the basis for a distillate. Officially grappa must be made in Italy or a couple of other parts of Europe, although international spirits made in the same fashion and calling themselves grappa do exist. The use of pomace gives grappa a very distinct flavor, as is the fact that most grappa is bottled without aging, leaving it quite pungent, although barrel-aged grappas also exist. In Italy, grappa is usually consumed in small quantities as a digestif.
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