In 2025, Distilleria Nardini’s Grappa Riserva 7 Anni earned two of the most prestigious accolades in the spirits world: Brandy Producer of the Year and Grappa of the Year at the Bartender Spirits Awards. For Italy’s oldest grappa distillery, founded in 1779, these awards are less a culmination than a meaningful waypoint, signalling both the strength of its roots and its growing resonance in today’s premium spirits landscape.

We spoke with Agnese Cantarelli, Brand Manager at Nardini, to explore how this heritage brand is navigating contemporary markets, supporting its trade partners, and articulating a vision of grappa that speaks not just to tradition, but to evolution, education, and export.

Congratulations on Nardini being named Brandy Producer of the Year and on Grappa Riserva 7 Anni winning Grappa of the Year at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards. How does a bicentenary distillery like yours plan to leverage this recognition in your marketing and trade relationships?

We are very proud of these awards, which recognize the daily commitment of our company and everyone involved in the Nardini world. For us, they are not only a confirmation of our dedication to quality and innovation, but also a positive message to the outside world: our  Grappa is increasingly recognized as an authentic expression of Made in Italy, even in international markets. 

These awards are a valuable opportunity to strengthen commercial relationships, especially abroad, where such recognition helps raise awareness of grappa and our unique approach to it, driven by passion, care, and respect for tradition. We will value these awards through our communication channels, sales materials, and joint activities with our partners. 

Image: Grappa Riserva 7 Anni winning Grappa of the Year at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards.

Grappa Riserva 7 Anni stands as a culmination of centuries of innovation, from permanent stills to vacuum steam distillation. What makes this expression particularly special, both from a technical and sensory perspective?

Grappa Riserva 7 Anni is the result of a precise balance between technological innovation and respect for traditional production methods. We use fresh, carefully selected pomace, distilled using both continuous and discontinuous systems, along with distillation columns that allow us to preserve the aromatic components to the fullest. The long aging process in fine woods in Slavonian oak casks gives the product a unique complexity. 

From a sensory perspective, it’s a smooth, structured grappa with warm notes of spice, dried fruit, and vanilla. It’s a stylistic signature that reflects our contemporary vision of aged grappa:  elegant, distinctive, and capable of resonating with an international audience. 

Image: Slavonian oak casks at Bassano Del Grappa Distillery.

How are you communicating the value and uniqueness of Grappa Riserva 7 Anni to trade partners and consumers in international markets, particularly in the US? Which markets are you currently prioritizing for this product?

We rely on the communication channels of our international distributors, who play a key role both in sharing the value of our work and introducing Grappa Riserva 7 Anni to an increasingly broad audience. The ongoing dialogue we maintain with them across different markets allows us to best highlight our product’s uniqueness, style, and positioning. 

Currently, we are present in 16 U.S. states, with a particularly strong presence in strategic areas such as New York, California, Washington, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.  These are markets with a well-established culture of quality drinking and a growing interest in premium spirits like our aged grappa.

Can you share where consumers in the US can currently find Grappa Riserva 7 Anni, whether in retail, e-commerce, or on-premise? Are there any restaurant groups or chains where it's featured?

In the United States, Grappa Riserva 7 Anni is distributed through both retail and on-premise channels, via a curated network of stores and venues. 

Among physical retailers: 

• Gibby Bottle Shop 

• Astor Wines & Spirits 

• Rodman’s Food & Drug 

• Bottles Liquor 

• Binny’s Beverage Depot 

In the Ho.Re.Ca. channel: 

• Felice Warehouse 

• Happiest Hours 

• Union Saloon 

• The Smith 

• Il Carciofo 

At the moment, we do not operate a direct e-commerce platform. Our distribution focuses on selected channels to ensure consistency with the product’s premium positioning. 

What initiatives, events, trade collaborations, and digital campaigns are you employing to support your importers and drive awareness, especially around a premium product like Grappa Riserva 7 Anni?

We are actively engaged in a range of initiatives designed to enhance our presence in key markets, especially internationally. These include guided tastings at consumption points,  training sessions for industry professionals, and educational activities dedicated to grappa culture. 

These events are a valuable opportunity for us, not only to present the product, but also to create an authentic experience that helps people understand its identity, history, and sensory complexity, particularly when it comes to an aged expression like Riserva 7 Anni. 

Our approach is highly relational and long-term oriented. We build value together with our partners, creating opportunities for dialogue, knowledge, and trust that allow us to share our vision and position grappa as a refined spirit in quality-driven contexts.

Image: Nardini products at the Berlin Bar Convent 2024.

Nardini has long championed grappa’s place in mixology. Do you see aged expressions like Riserva 7 Anni entering that space, or do you position them strictly for neat consumption and connoisseurship?

Our aged products find their fullest expression when enjoyed neat, where every aromatic detail can be fully appreciated. It’s in that setting that grappa reveals its structure, elegance,  and the richness imparted by long aging. 

That said, certain products – like Riserva 7 Anni – can also be used in high-level mixology,  especially when paired with revisited classic cocktails. In those contexts, the complexity and depth of the spirit can add a distinctive touch that enhances the drink without compromising the integrity of the product. 

Image: Grappa Riserva Nardini classic cocktails  - (Left) The Robin and (Right) Kolibri Lussuria.

How is Nardini integrating environmentally responsible practices in both distillation and packaging, and what goals lie ahead?

We are highly committed to sustainability throughout the entire production chain. A concrete example is the packaging of our latest product, Garage Gin, which uses 100% PCR (Post Consumer Recycled) glass. On the production side, we are working to optimize energy consumption and reduce environmental impact by progressively integrating more efficient technologies and low-impact solutions. 

Image: Monastier di Treviso Distillery.

Looking beyond this award season, what are your longer-term ambitions for Nardini’s export footprint, and how might new expressions or formats help expand grappa’s relevance globally?

International expansion is one of our strategic priorities. Today, our main foreign markets are the United States and Germany, but we are also developing new opportunities in other European and Asian countries. 

The recent establishment of the Grappa Consortium marks an important step in this direction: it promotes a shared approach to product protection, enhances the production process in all its phases, and helps position grappa as a genuine, protected expression of Made in Italy. 

We are also exploring new expressions and formats with the goal of reaching a broader audience and tapping into diverse consumption contexts. What matters most to us is that every proposal remains true to our identity and the quality that has always defined us.

Conclusion

As grappa continues to find new ground among curious drinkers and experienced connoisseurs alike, Nardini’s commitment to depth, identity, and long-term relationships sets it apart. Whether through training sessions in the trade, selective on-premise placements, or careful communication of what makes an aged grappa distinctive, the company is building relevance without rushing reinvention. The win at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards is both a moment of recognition and a renewed invitation for markets beyond Italy to see what time, care, and conviction can create in the glass.

Header Image: Michele Viscidi, CEO of Nardini Distillery; Source: Distilleria Nardini 1779.

In conversation with Malvika Patel, Editor and VP, Beverage Trade Network

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