There are bottles on our back bar that carry a whole landscape inside them, and l’Arco Grappa di Amarone is one of the most quietly remarkable. Poured by the glass here at Grappa in Queen Anne, Seattle, it is a grappa born from one of Italy’s most storied red wines, offering a warm, contemplative close to an evening of Mediterranean cooking. Refined yet unhurried, it is the sort of spirit meant to be lingered over.
About the Distillery
l’Arco is the small, exacting estate of Luca Fedrigo, set in the hills of Valpolicella in the Veneto, in Negrar near Verona. Fedrigo spent his formative years working in a celebrated Valpolicella cellar, an apprenticeship under the region’s most revered Amarone tradition, before founding l’Arco to make tiny quantities of very high-quality wine. That same devotion to detail carries into the grappa drawn from his Amarone production, a spirit produced in genuinely limited volumes and prized by those who seek it out.
Style & Production
Grappa is an Italian pomace brandy, distilled not from wine but from the grape skins, seeds and stems left after pressing. What makes this one special is its source. The grapes behind Amarone della Valpolicella, principally Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, are laid out to dry for months in airy lofts through a process called appassimento, concentrating their sugars and aromas before fermentation. The pomace that remains after the wine is made is exceptionally rich, and l’Arco distills it into a grappa of real depth and character.
Tasting Notes
Expect an aromatic, generous spirit. The nose leans toward dried fruit, raisin and cherry, with gentle spice and a whisper of nuttiness drawn from those appassimento-dried grapes. On the palate it is warm and full, decisive and clean, with a long, softly spiced finish. It is robust without being harsh, a grappa that rewards slow, considered sipping.
What to Pair It With
A grappa this rich loves dessert and depth. Try it alongside Mama’s Tiramisu or our Flourless Chocolate Cake, where the dried-fruit warmth meets coffee and cocoa beautifully. It also shines next to a Charcuterie Board, or as a digestif after our American Wagyu Steaks. Browse the full dine-in menu to build the evening around it.
How It’s Served at Grappa
We pour l’Arco Grappa di Amarone as a digestif, served neat in a tasting glass so its aromatics can open, at $19 a pour. Ask your server and let it be the last, lingering note of the night.
FAQ
Where is it from?
It is made by l’Arco, the small estate of Luca Fedrigo in Valpolicella in the Veneto region of northern Italy, near Verona.
What is grappa di Amarone?
It is a grappa distilled from the pomace, the grape skins and seeds, left after making Amarone della Valpolicella, a red wine produced from dried Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella grapes.
What does it taste like?
It is warm and aromatic, with dried fruit, raisin and cherry notes, gentle spice and a long, smooth finish that rewards slow sipping.
Ready to enjoy it in person? Book a table, explore the cocktail & spirits list, and browse the dine-in menu.
