Hello Grappa! Announces First-Ever Cocktail Contest in New York City

Wine may be Italy’s most famous export made of grapes, but Grappa, a spirit made from the skins and seeds left over at the end of the winemaking process, is equally compelling. Italian Master Distillers take the byproducts from some of Italy’s most famous wines (Moscato, Barolo, Brunello, etc.) and use them to craft spectacular Grappas, each one recalling the characteristics of the wine of origin. Giving a second life to grape pomace is a highly sustainable practice and a critical part of the circular economy.

Lovers of Grappa, as well as members of the public interested in finding out more about its many uses as a sipping spirit and cocktail ingredient, will have ample opportunities to celebrate and learn about it this June. Hello Grappa!, an E.U.-funded promotional campaign designed to energize Americans around the grape-based spirit, is excited to announce the first-ever Grappa Cocktail Contest.

The Grappa Cocktail Contest is an educational and entertaining event showing American consumers how versatile and delicious Grappa can be in mixed drinks. The ten chosen bartenders will devise a cocktail that embodies the Italian way of life and showcases this diverse beverage. They will present their creations at a special event at Hometown – Industry City in Brooklyn, New York, on the evening of June 15. The cocktails will be judged by a professional jury of four to five spirits professionals, journalists, and influencers. Guests at the presentation event will also weigh in on their favorite. The winner will receive a $3,000 prize.

Potential contestants should register for the contest using this Google Form. Spirits professionals, journalists, influencers, trade members and consumers interested in attending this “edutaining” event should contact Balzac Communications and Marketing at events@balzac.com or follow the registration link here.

* Hello Grappa! is an informational and promotional campaign for Grappa GI. The project is promoted by AssoDistil and co-funded by the European Union under Regulation 1144/2014 for the promotion of agricultural products. It is a three-year project

(February 2020 – August 2023) that includes educational and promotional events in the United States of America.

The content of this promotion campaign represents the views of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility. The European Commission and the European Research Executive Agency (REA) do not accept any responsibility for any use that may be made of the information it contains.