Wines from Segnana

The distillery

Segnana is a grappa distillery from Trentino with an unusual beginning. In 1860 Paolo Segnana, from Borgo Valsugana, built one of the few mobile distilleries on record. He loaded his stills onto a horse drawn cart and travelled from valley to valley and farm to farm, working fresh grape pomace on the spot. The rules of the empire that then ruled Trentino required the distillation to happen within twenty four hours of pressing, so the still had to go to the grapes.

In 1982 the Lunelli family, who make the Ferrari Trentodoc sparkling wines, took over the business. It was a natural step, since the Lunellis were already among the main suppliers of pomace. The family has run Ferrari since 1952, when Giulio Ferrari handed it over, and Segnana now belongs to the Lunelli Group alongside brands such as Surgiva water, the Tenute Lunelli wines and Bisol 1542 Prosecco. Part of Segnana grappa is made from the marc left after the soft pressing of the grapes used for Ferrari. Because the time between pressing and the stills is short, the marc keeps its original aromas and flavour.

The method is traditional batch distillation in a bain marie, improved with ideas developed by the distillery's own master distillers together with the Edmund Mach Foundation in San Michele all'Adige. The distillery says its way of storing marc in tanks sealed with hydraulic gaskets is unusual, and that in particular vintages it uses a patented system of secondary distillation of the phlegm to isolate the purest part of the marc. After distilling, the grappa rests and ages for several months in steel tanks, where it gains smoothness and harmony.

The spirits

The Segnana collection is divided into three families. The aged grappas take an amber colour from time in wood and show notes of vanilla, pastry, leather, tobacco and cocoa butter. The distillery suggests sipping them slowly, with a cigar or chocolate. One of the best known is the Solera di Solera, and a Solera Collezione Invecchiata won a gold medal at the Alambicco d'Oro competition.

The aromatic grappas are clear and unaged. They come from aromatic grapes such as Traminer and Moscato, and they keep a fresh, intense scent close to the fruit, with good length. The white grappas come from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grown at altitude. Chardonnay pomace gives floral notes, Pinot Noir gives fruitier, warming ones, and blending the two aims for balance.

Today

Segnana is the only grappa brand that belongs to Altagamma, the foundation of high end Italian companies in fields from fashion to food and drink. The company behind it is Ferrari F.lli Lunelli S.p.A., and the grappa remains tied to Trentino and its grapes.

Founded

1860

Owners

Lunelli family (Ferrari F.lli Lunelli S.p.A.), since 1982