I know–you tried grappa once before and you hated it, didn’t you? It had all the flavors of oily kerosene with a hint of smelly dog. It destroyed your taste buds for several hours, and burned its way right through your digestive tract.

That, I’m afraid, is how many of us perceive grappa and, to be honest, in the past there was some justification for this viewpoint. The correlation would be with tequila. Many of us first experienced tequila in its harsh, mass-produced form. That was what was largely available at one time, in the days before tequila was given the boutique spirit makeover. And just as there are now many fine and complex and popular quality tequilas, so there are also many grappe that deserve serious enjoyment and attention.

So what is grappa anyway? Grappa is an alcoholic beverage made by distilling pomace–that is, the skin, pulp, seeds and stems of grapes (though not necessarily all of these ingredients). It is not, as some say, a brandy because it is not made from wine. Grappa, in something akin to the form we know it today, originated in the middle ages, probably in the town of Bassano del Grappa in Italy’s northern Veneto. As usual in those far gone days waste was not tolerated. After the wine was made something productive had to be done with the pomace. And so grappa was created as a cheap, strong drink to warm and fortify poor workers and farmers. It wasn’t until the 1960s that it began to take on its current more refined form and was enjoyed by Italians from all strata of society.

Many of the grappe available today bear the name of a winery on the label. This is not necessarily an indication of quality. By law, in Italy, the pomace must be sold to an independent distiller. Because the grapes originated in a good winery doesn’t always mean that it will make superior grappa. The secret of quality grappa is in how the distiller handles the pomace. Quality producers keep the pomace fresh and press it early. They often use only the skins and the pulp. And they usually don’t mix the skins of different grape varieties. A good indicator, if you want to check the quality of a certain grappa, is to dip your finger in the grappa and rub it on the back of your hand between the thumb and fore-finger. Then smell it. The aroma should be fresh and show at least a hint of grapes, and it should not feel oily.

Grappa is usually served after a meal, straight, as a digestivo. Many Italians however also add it to their espresso, which is called a caffe corretto or corrected coffee.

Personally, I find grappa to be a delight. I hope you’ll forget about all past altercations and, without preconceived notions, give it a try.

Bill Stobbs (aka Frank Grappa), ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebills