Romano Levi Grappa di Barolo 700ml

Romano Levi's distillery is genuinely one of a kind — the last operation in all of Italy still distilling directly over an open fire, using a single-pass method that hasn't meaningfully changed in generations. The Levi family's story begins with traveling grappa distillers, the "grapat," who worked out of Italy's alpine valleys near the Splügen pass, moving with mobile stills between Lombardy and Piedmont each harvest season. Serafino Levi, Romano's father, eventually settled permanently in Neive, in the heart of the Langhe, founding the distillery in 1925. Romano himself took over the family operation in 1945, at just 17 years old, and went on to become a genuine legend of Italian grappa — designing the charming, hand-drawn labels that still appear on every bottle, right up until his death in 2008. The renovated distillery is now listed as a historical monument, producing genuinely small quantities of grappa each year.

This particular bottling, Grappa di Barolo, is made exclusively from Nebbiolo da Barolo pomace — the leftover grape skins and seeds from winemaking, sourced from historic DOCG vineyards in Barolo, La Morra, Serralunga, and Grinzane Cavour, including fruit supplied over the years by Piedmontese legend Angelo Gaja. The pomace is cured in underground pits before distillation, then aged a minimum of four years in traditional Piedmontese 220-liter acacia wood casks — the same style of cask historically used to vinify Barolo itself. Genuinely notable: Grappa di Barolo carries its own protected "Indicazione Geografica" designation at the European level, one of the only Italian grappas to hold this specific recognition.

The official tasting notes describe a medium amber color, opening with "intense notes of tobacco and chocolate," developing on the palate into "dry, well-balanced" character "with initial notes of tobacco and an intense finish of wood and spices." Hedonism Wines' extended tasting adds "liquorice, wood and spices" to that already rich profile, calling it "a rich but perfectly balanced grappa." Eataly's own account describes "light to medium amber" color, "with intense tobacco and light chocolate aromas, with an initial note of wood and light vanilla." CaskCartel's tasting confirms "dry anise and liquorice, rich tobacco and prunes with bold, oaky spice" on the nose. This is genuinely historic, artisanal Italian grappa — made in vanishingly small quantities, from the last open-fire still left standing in the entire country.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Romano Levi Grappa di Barolo is produced by the Romano Levi distillery, located in Neive, in the heart of Piedmont's Langhe territory. The Levi family's distilling origins trace to Frasciscio di Campodolcino, in the alpine valleys near the Splügen pass on the Swiss border, where the family worked as traveling "grapat" distillers, moving with mobile stills between harvests. Serafino Levi, Romano's father, settled permanently in Neive in 1925, founding the distillery. Romano Levi himself took over the operation in 1945, at 17 years old, and led it until his death in 2008, personally designing the distinctive hand-drawn labels still used on every bottle today.

The distillery remains the last in Italy still distilling directly over an open fire, using a single-pass alembic still — the renovated facility is now listed as a historical monument. This particular grappa is made exclusively from Nebbiolo da Barolo pomace, sourced from historic DOCG vineyards in Barolo, La Morra, Serralunga, and Grinzane Cavour, including fruit historically supplied by Piedmontese producer Angelo Gaja. The pomace is fermented directly without added water, then cured in underground pits, submerged in water, and distilled in an open-flame alembic still. The finished spirit ages a minimum of four years in traditional 220-liter Piedmontese acacia wood casks. Grappa di Barolo carries a protected European "Indicazione Geografica" designation. Bottled at 42% ABV / 84 proof.

Tasting Profile

Nose
Medium amber. Intense tobacco leads, developing into chocolate, alongside dry anise, licorice, and prunes, with a note of wood and light vanilla.

Palate
Dry and well-balanced, with tobacco and rich, bold oaky spice carrying the entry, developing genuine complexity with air.

Finish
Long, closing with lingering licorice and an intense final impression of wood and spice — a genuinely historic, artisanal close.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Dark chocolate
• Espresso, as a digestif pairing
• Aged, hard cheeses
• Traditional Piedmontese desserts

Serving Note

Best enjoyed neat, in a small tulip glass, as a genuine after-dinner digestif.