Nonino BotanicalDrink
From the recipe of the first woman Mastro Distiller in Italy, the new 100% natural aperitif
Nonino's is a wonderful story of love, perseverance and the art of distillation: 6 generations protecting the biodiversity and values of their land that have given birth to international award-winning drinks.
The first distillery was founded by Orazio Nonino in Ronchi di Percoto, in Friuli Venezia Giulia, in 1897. The spread of this craft had had great impetus under Austrian rule as the Empress Maria Theresa of Habsburg allowed free family distillation in order to reward the troops originating from the Friulian provinces.
The Noninos immediately stand out for their quality and spirit of innovation, laying the foundations for future success that will culminate in 1973 with the great intuition of Benito Nonino and his wife Giannola who, together, create the first grappa from a single grape variety, the autochthonous one of Picolit, giving life to the famous Grappa Monovitigno®. To preserve other “monovitigni”, at the time not yet included in the official lists and at risk of extinction, such as Ribolla Gialla or Pignolo, Giannola decided to establish the Nonino Risit D’Aur Prize, precisely to reward those who had planted one or more of these ancient vines.
The art of Grappa distillation is truly magic: fresh pomace selected vine by vine and fermented in purity, then distilled with ancient artisan method inside steam alambics.
(Giannola Nonino)
Innovation is always combined with great quality and Nonino, even today, continues to bottle exclusively products obtained from fresh raw materials distilled 100% with traditional methods, naturally aged in barriques under the seal of the Customs Agency, and using 0% colorants.
Today it is Giannola, with her daughters Cristina, Antonella, Elisabetta and the niece Francesca, the sixth generation of the family, to carry on the company. Together, in 2020 they received in San Francisco the award Spirit Brand / Distiller of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards, being the first Italian distillery and the first Grappa brand to receive the prestigious award.
In 2018 a new product was born that perfectly embodies the company’s philosophy: Cristina, Antonella, Elisabetta and Francesca recovered from the historical archive the recipe for the White Aperitif created by Silvia Nonino in 1940, the first woman Mastro Distiller in Italy who, remained widow, still managed to carry on the distillery and the liqueur art of the family.
Thus was born Nonino BotanicalDrink made exclusively with native Friulian botanicals and the addition of precious ÙE® Monovitigno® Grape Distillate® Fragolino Vigna Nonino, which in 2018 earned the international “Aperitif of the Year 2021” award at the Meininger’s International Spirits Award.
Try it fresh with ice, lemon, tonic water and bubbles of your choice.
To taste this and other products, the Nonino family awaits you in Borgo Nonino, in the Friulian countryside in Persereano. The rural complex, dating back to the Napoleonic age, houses the picturesque Grappa’s aging cellars and it is located right on the edge of the 10 hectares of wood created by Benito to grow and preserve the authentic essences of the ancient Friulian forests.
