Italian Brandy

Though not as well known as its French cousins, Cognac and Armagnac, some fine brandies are made in Italy. The big name here is Vecchia Romagna - ‘old Romagna - which is located in the North of the country just below Venice. The company uses trebianno, aka ugni blanc, the Cognac grape, Cognac-style stills, and ageing in European spirit to create an elegant, refined spirit. Italian regulations mandate that brandy must be aged for a minimum of one year, while ‘vecchia’ (old) and ‘stravecchia’ (very old) designations require three and five years, respectively.