Won’t Get Fooled Again

Don’t Let Appearances Deceive You.

Wow! I’m stunned. I will be the first to say “don’t be deceived by appearances”, but I got fooled this week.

The Grappa Guy and family are staying in Salò, a small resort town on Lago Di Garda Lombardia, for a week. We explored Salò at first, then went farther afield. I noticed a few bottles of Grappa Marolo in the window of a pastry shop in Salò. “Interesting, but a Pastry shop? Likely not much there beyond what is in the window.”.

I was so wrong.

On my last 24 hours in Salò I decided to follow up and go in the shop. Inside there was a second, more complete display of Grappas from Grappa Marolo, and several varieties from Poli Grappa. As I am taking pictures a very nice Signora speaks to me in Italian and I don’t understand her. I apologize for my poor Italian, she doesn’t speak a word of English, but is insistent that I come with her. I follow her to the back, a room labeled “Enoteca”.

My head explodes. The Enoteca is not filled with Wine, but Grappa! Many varieties from Grappa Marolo, Poli Grappa, Distilleria Artigiana Carlo Gobetti, Pojer e Sandri, and more.

The lesson here, intrepid Grappa Explorers, especially when in Italy, is go inside that shop that has a bottle in the window. Look around, ask questions.

My grateful thanks to Signora Vassalli of Cafe Pasticcerie Vassalli for her patience and kindness with The Grappa Guy, and to Signore Cernov for serving as interpreter.

If you are ever in Salò please go to Cafe Pasticcerie Vassalli, on the first day of your visit, not your last. Ask to see their Grappas.

Bring an extra suitcase, they have *a lot* of Grappa.

Ciao!