Lonato Fair Celebrates Grappa Heritage with Marino Damonti’s Book

Among the many curiosities of the forty-third Lonato Fair, a special mention definitely goes to the book «Grappa, a tradition not to be forgotten» written by Marino Damonti, refined Lonato restaurateur and avid collector of grappas. His cellar, which houses over 3,500 types of spirits, is considered by many experts as «the largest existing collection in the world».

The volume and its significance

The preface of the book is authored by Vincenzo Buonassisi: the «guru» of global enogastronomy, who states that «Marino Damonti, pursuing a passion rooted in his family, has learned to distill; he does not do it for reasons related to production, branding, but solely for himself».

In the publication, the eclectic Lonato chef presents a comprehensive map of grappa distilleries currently in Italy: 121. A century ago, there were over 600.

The message conveyed in the book is to approach grappa not just as an alcoholic beverage but as a way to receive a sensation, a memory, a scent. In short, to experience those feelings «evoked by the aroma of baked apple, which recalls childhood».

The symbolic value of grappa

«Grappa — writes Damonti again — is not just a drink; it possesses a very strong symbolic power that allows us to enjoy the present with a particular attention to the past».

It is well known that one cannot live without dreams and hopes, but also without roots.

Contributing to the writing of this interesting work were Carlo Pegoraro, Patrizia Zanotti, Francesca Baraldi, and Costantino Cipolla.

The photographs are by Damonti himself and Antonello Perin, with drawings by Elena Merini.

Content and objectives of the book

The book covers everything there is to know about grappa: from distillation procedures to classification, tasting, and finally a recipe section based obviously on spirits.

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