The Nonino Family: A Legacy of Innovation and Artisanal Grappa

When you encounter the name Nonino, it’s likely that Amaro comes to mind. Yet, hidden behind this renowned ingredient in the Paper Plane cocktail is a family of Grappa distillers with a captivating story that deserves to be shared. Most families are content to have that one story of that one relative who did that one amazing thing for which the next generations will rest their laurels upon.

But the Nonino family is not any family, they are a family that for 126 years have been pushing themselves and each successive generation to innovate, push boundaries and most importantly share the passion of making artisanal grappa. The Nonino family have been and remain the vanguard for distillation in Italy and in 1973 gave birth to a new style of Grappa that changed the spirits world forever and for the better.

Through sheer determination and against all odds, Giannola and Benito Nonino, the matriarch and patriarch of the family, defied tradition by introducing the world’s first single varietal grappa, Monovitigno^® Nonino, where instead of distilling pomace all mixed together, they championed the individuality of grape varieties. A 100% Picolit grappa that turned the world upside down and is now the benchmark of what grappa is.

Today three generations of the Nonino family stand side by side as they continue their mission to produce the best grappa possible and to spread the word and passion of what it means to make artisanal grappa and how best to enjoy it. It is our honor to learn more about the history, the present and the future from the Queen of Grappa herself, Giannola Nonino.