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Nannoni Grappe: Top distillates from Tuscany

Master distiller and owner Priscilla Occhipinti has continually improved the company’s international reputation over the years with the same enthusiasm and sensitivity as her mentor, Gioacchino Nannoni. She has been personally responsible for these top-quality products for almost 25 years, and as one of the few women working in this industry, she is responsible for the entire journey of the product from the vineyard to the bottle.

Gioacchino Nannoni came up with the idea for the first ‘Grappa di Fattoria’ in the 1970s. This ‘farm grappa’ has been certified to indicate that it is distilled using its own fresh pomace from the respective grape producers. Since 2011, the company has been producing its own ranges under the brand name ‘Nannoni Grappe’, which is, however, limited to elite markets due to the very limited availability of top-quality pomace. Only fresh materials are used and processed within 48 hours. Distilling takes place just 60 days a year; gin, whisky and amaro are produced in the remaining months. “It’s an incredible amount of work for two months, day and night, but it’s also sort of a game,” says Priscilla, who is not only proud of the numerous awards (more than 165 international gold medals in ten years), but also the many visitors who come from all over the world.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for Gingillo Rosa, Gin Capricorno and Grappa d’Oro Riserva, and bronze for L’Estate and Acquavite Bacco per Venere.

RG QUADRO SRLS: The joy of mixing – the pleasure of enjoyment

Roberto Gulino has a passion for experimentation and is the founder of La Bodega, a modern cocktail bar in Cosenza, where he has revolutionised the drinking culture. There, night after night, he conveys his beverage philosophy to his guests, bringing the classics of mixology back into focus with just a few aromatic details and refining them with typical Mediterranean flavours. Each of his cocktails is an attractive and exciting sensory experience. His extensive knowledge of the European beverage market is best described by Roberto Gulino himself, and you can read all about it in respected publications such as the Financial Times, GQ, Espresso or Bargiornale.

“I just like mixing, because it’s a synthesis of my world, my passions. It reminds me of my father, of our surname, of Gulliver and his travels. Perhaps this gave rise to the desire to travel around my country and the world, to learn from affinities and differences. I distil, I make liqueurs and I compose cocktails, I am an entrepreneur, but also a barman. I try to convey emotions that glide over the lips, occupy the palate and then burn in the chest. To appreciate a liqueur, a cocktail or a distillate means to indulge in the intoxication of the moment and forget the roar and emptiness of the surroundings as the ice clinks in the glass. To open a bottle is to prepare for the joy of sharing, of sinking preconceptions and of expanding knowledge. People who enjoy a passion for quality can discover new places and revive what they have already seen.”

Amarsud non solo Amaro and Ginsud Convivial Gin won gold at the World Spirits Award.

Limomacher: Regionally produced – socially labelled

Limomacher is a young Bregenz enterprise, according to their own definition “excellent in graphics, design, customer service, lemonade production, social involvement and coffee drinking”. However, a look at the brief biographies of the four-person team reveals quite a bit about their wide-ranging qualifications. All lemonades are produced regionally in Vorarlberg according to their own recipes. Short pathways right up until labelling – also labels for private customers and companies on request – reinforce sustainability, along with filling exclusively in glass bottles. The labelling, as well as the whole warehousing, are handled by Lebenshilfe Vorarlberg, a support organisation for people with disabilities. This is an indication that social thinking has been of great importance from the beginning.

At the beginning of 2018, the ‘Franz von Durst’ brand started in Spar shops, followed by the start-up shelf at Metro. The company developed a gin along with a tonic water for this purpose, as the first manufacturer in retailing that offers both as a one-stop shop. The gin that is also regionally produced goes perfectly with the tonic water and its animating and aromatic concept offers an exceptionally fruity drinking experience. Aside from the juniper base, five further botanicals play a role: angelica root provides a slight tanginess and supports the homogenous taste; orange peel is characterised by a range of aromatic substances and a fine hint of citrus; liquorice provides a complex sweetness with a slightly earthy note; elderberry has an intensive and refreshing taste; and hops gives it a special something.

“We are delighted that the Vorarlberg locals have received our gin so well and that we can expand step by step also into other provinces,” say the two young entrepreneurs.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was achieved by Franz von Durst Gin, and silver by Franz von Durst Dry Gin Wild.