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Entries > Historical establishments > By resort > Riverside resort > Grapperia Nardini

Grapperia Nardini
since 1779


Grapperia Nardini
Grapperia Nardini
Grapperia Nardini

Italy's oldest distillery, in the family for seven generations. An eighteenth-century grapperia on the famous Palladio Bridge, it is a treasure-house of antique interiors, furnitures, stills and pages of Italian history. Napoleonic cannon-shot sounded the retreat of Archduke John of Austria in 1809, and the famous song recalls how it witnessed the passing of the Alpini Corps during the Great War, when Hemingway discovered and appreciated it as a Red Cross volunteer. President De Gasperi opened the reconstructed bridge in 1948 and toasted it with the Nardini grappa so loved by D'Annunzio and Duse, and by the Queen Mother.

Address
Ponte Vecchio 2, 36061 Bassano del Grappa (VI)
Phone
+39 0424 227741
Fax
+39 0424 220477
eMail
nardini@nardini.it
Website
www.nardini.it
Roles
  • Giuseppe Nardini - Licensee
Map
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The most family-run

The most family-run
Out of more than 230 historical places, almost 100 have been run by the same family for more than two generations, and some for as many as five. These include the Ristorante Osteria di Rubbiara, in Nonantola, Modena, the Hotel Royal Victoria in Pisa, Ristorante Checchino in Rome, and Hotel Croce Bianca in Canazei, Trento. Some have been run for six generations: Hotel Alla Posta in Caprile-Alleghe, Belluno, Pasticceria Pansa in Amalfi, Salerno, and Antica Trattoria Suban in Trieste; others even for seven, like the Grapperia Nardini on the famous bridge at Bassano del Grappa, Confetteria Romanengo in Genoa, the Gran Caffè Renzelli in Cosenza, and Ristorante Erasmo in Ponte a Moriano, Lucca.


Mezzo e mezzo

Mezzo e mezzo
This is probably the most unique aperitif ever invented. Nardini’s classic aperitif has always been the “Rosso” a red bitter vermouth mixed with selzer water. In the 1970’s a client decided to try it with a bit of Nardini’s rhubarb liqueur. The word spread and the “bit” of Rhubarb became increasingly more until the mixture reached 50% Rosso and 50% Rabarbaro. This drink was dubbed “mezzo e mezzo” or simply “mezzo”, and crowds of people can be found on the historic Ponte Vecchio in Bassano del grappa, “mezzo” in hand.


Here is the recipe: in a cocktail glass add one part rabarbaro and one part rosso. Fill will 2 parts cold soda water, add a lemon peel and serve.(photo by Fabio Zonta)



Historic grappa

Historic grappa
Grappa is a product that has existed probably as long as grapes. After winemaking, no by- products were left unused. The stems, vines stalks and pressed grapes were cooked and distilled to make what became known as grappa, probably taking its name form “graspa” which means bunch of grapes. Now only the pressed grapes, or grape pomace is used and Nardini Distillery in Bassano del Grappa was the first to use a steam-induced still, distilling twice to ensure purity.

On Nardini’s bottles you find the word Aquavite ( latin spelling) , not grappa, because the original name for grappa was acquavita, or “water of life”, used to cure ailments of all types including the black plague.


Acquavite Nardini Bianca is the queen of the product line , and the most loved among Italians because its clean dry taste and floral bouquet. Perfect as an after dinner drink, it is best served at 18° C , can be used a san ingredient for many cocktails. Frank, generous and immediate fragrance.


Acquavite Nardini Riserva is aged for a minimum of 5 years on oak barrels from Slavonia and is smooth and soft on the palate. All Nardini’s grappa is 50% alcohol, as tradition dictates.
Soft but intense. In the aftertaste you can detect the complex degrees of flavor created by the long aging process in Slavonian oak barrels.






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