La Riserva Dei 'Cent'Anni' (700 ml)

When Orazio Nonino founded the distillery in Percoto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia in 1897, grappa was a peasant by-product; it was his granddaughter Giannola and her husband Benito who, in 1973, redesigned bespoke copper steam discontinuous stills and began separating individual Friulian pomace varieties — an act that effectively invented the Monovitigno® category and forced a rewrite of Italian spirits law. La Riserva Dei 'Cent'Anni' commemorates that century of distillation from Percoto. The spirit is built from fresh, destalked Friulian pomace delivered to the still within one hour of pressing, with residual wine-fermentation yeast driving conversion over approximately five days — no industrial shortcuts, no silo storage. Aging unfolds across Nevers, Limousin, and Grésigne oak barriques alongside ex-Sherry casks from Jerez de la Frontera and ex-Sauternes barriques, drawing simultaneously on oxidative richness and sweet-wine glycerol. Zero color additives are used across the entire Nonino range, making the amber depth here entirely cask-derived. What sets this expression apart within the grappa universe is the deliberate multi-wood architecture — wild Cherry, Acacia, and Ash casks are also part of the house's aging arsenal — applied to a spirit category where most producers still rely on a single oak type. As a non-vintage Riserva, it is blended for consistency of house character rather than harvest expression, and is ready to drink now while rewarding further cellaring.