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Poli Distillery, located in the quiet town of Schiavon outside Bassano Del Grappa, has been shaping that story for more than a century. (Kimberly Kephart)
Grappa is one of those spirits people think they know, usually from a too strong after dinner shot on a trip to Italy, but seeing how it’s made tells a different story. Poli Distillery, located in the quiet town of Schiavon outside Bassano Del Grappa, has been shaping that story for more than a century. What began as a small family operation in the late 1800’s has grown into one of the most respected artisan distilleries in the Veneto region and visiting offers a deeper look at a regional craft many travelers barely scratch the surface of.
Poli is still family-run today, and that sense of stewardship comes through the moment you step into the distillery’s museum and retail space. The visit begins not with production but with context: historic bottles, antique distilling tools and displays tracing how grappa evolved from rural by-product to a carefully crafted spirit. It is an approachable introduction, especially if you are unfamiliar with grappa beyond the occasional restaurant pour.
Poli’s story began in 1885 when the family opened a trattoria in the same building where the distillery stands today. Eventually they added a mobile still, a first of its kind and sits in the museum to this day, then when regulations required it, they built a permanent distillation room behind the restaurant. Remarkably, those early copper stills are still in operation.
The business is now led by Jacopo Poli. He guided our tour, walking us through each stage of production with the kind of calm authority that comes from growing up with the craft. Though Poli exports worldwide, today the heart of the operation remains small, precise, and every single employee I encountered at Poli was kind, informative and made me feel like I was a part of their family.
The distillery has not had an easy path. In the 1970s and 1980s, when industrial grappa took over Italian supermarkets, many small producers disappeared. A fire and a severe snowfall in 1985 collapsed the roof over the stills which made things worse. For a while, survival was not guaranteed.
Each method of distallation creates a different expression of grappa. (Kimberly Kephart)
The Poli family chose to double down instead of walking away. They refined their methods, invested in technology and redesigned their spirits with clarity and intention. The resilience shows in every part of the tour and for a minute there I tasted it in the grappa.
After the museum area, the tour moves into the production facility itself, where the real work takes place. The shift is instant; you go from the museum to the hum and warmth of an active distillery.
Poli uses three primary distillation methods:
Traditional steam distillation
Bain-marie (water bath) for gentle, even heating
Modern vacuum bain-marie that protects delicate aromas
Each method creates a different expression of grappa and Jacopo explained them with a simple analogy.
“Heat a single ingredient three different ways, and you will taste three different results. Grappa is no different.”
— Jacopo Poli
We were also invited to take part in one of the post-distillation steps, an experience that immediately grounded the tour in the physicality of the craft. We lifted out the compacted grape skins using an arm and then slid the mass with a cloth wrapped around the outside of the grape skins down a ramp and into a stainless-steel mixing machine.
Poli may be rooted in Grappa, but their range goes well beyond it. During the tour, we sampled several of their other spirits and the surprise standout for me was the Marconi 21 gin. It is a delicate botanical expression made from juniper berries, rosemary, mint, green anise, wild fennel, cardamom and coriander, a combination that gives it the soft herbal aroma of a wildflower field. It is served as a low alcohol gin; I was immediately hooked.
Poli also connects its spirits to local craftsmanship. The Rasentin Kit is an elegant collaboration with the ceramic students of Nove, a town known for its venetian ceramic tradition. The kit includes a hand-crafted ceramic bottle filled with Grappa Bassano 24 Carati Oro and two small ceramic cups designed for the Rasentin ritual, a traditional way of savoring the final drops of grappa. Each piece is handmade by Stylnove Ceramics making every kit slightly unique.
I found my favorite discovery as the tour winded down: Poli’s Prugna Elixir, a plum liqueur that completely surprised me and I know it will do the same for you! They poured a splash into the tail end of the espresso, and I was floored by how it instantly elevated something so familiar. Notes of plum, bitter almond and an amaretto finish with my espresso. It was warm, fragrant, and comforting.
Poli Distillery offers guided tours at both the Schiavon distillery and their museum in Bassano Del Grappa. Reservations are highly recommended. Tours are offered in a variety of languages. You can visit their website for more information.
A visit to Poli Grappa helped me shift my perspective, it revealed grappa as a product shaped by geography, family history and tradition. You do not have to be a spirit enthusiast to appreciate that. You just have to be curious and willing to explore a piece of northern Italy still deeply connected to its roots.
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A visit to Poli Grappa helped me shift my perspective, it revealed grappa as a product shaped by geography, family history and tradition. (Kimberly Kephart)
Kimberly Kephart is a freelance travel writer and content creator based in Vicenza, Italy. She shares practical guides and cultural insights for military families and solo travelers on her blog, Kimberly Kephart Travels
Editor’s Note: This article was written by a member of the local military community, not an employee of Stars and Stripes. Neither the organization nor the content is being represented by Stars and Stripes or the Department of Defense.
