The memory of freshly pressed grapes, carried into grappa.
Distilleria De Negri was founded in 1933 by Francesco De Negri in Vittorio Veneto, in the Veneto region of north-eastern Italy. The town sits between the Prealps and the Prosecco hills of Valdobbiadene, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the distillery has been working there for more than ninety years.
Today it is run by the fourth generation, the Della Giustina family. Master distiller Lucio Della Giustina chooses the grape pomace and botanicals. His son Stefano is sales director and takes the spirits to markets around the world, and his younger son Roberto looks after administration.
Distillation takes place in a late-19th-century building, in batches, on a copper pot-still system in use since the late 1950s. No two batches turn out exactly the same, and the master distiller's experience shows directly in the result. The water comes from the springs of the Meschio river, which runs through the town. It stays at an almost constant temperature all year, and it is said that sword makers once used it to temper their blades.
Only fresh grape pomace is used, most of it from Glera grapes grown for Prosecco DOCG. The herbs and fruit for the liqueurs and flavoured grappas are chosen with priority given to those from around the Dolomites, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. After distillation the pomace goes back to the fields as fertiliser.
In 2026 the distillery redesigned its labels and grouped its range into five lines: Spirito di Zarpa for young, clear grappas (zarpa is the local word for pomace); Materia Viva for single-variety and aged grappas; Dolomitica for grappas and liqueurs made with herbs and fruit; Nottetempo for the amaro and after-dinner liqueurs; and Creme for sweet liqueurs that also work in pastry and gelato.
Prugna, the plum liqueur the founder created in 1933, is still treated as the distillery's starting point and has been made to the same recipe for four generations. The aged Graspa dei Amighi rests for 15 to 17 months in large Slavonian oak casks and won Gold Best in Class at IWSC 2011. WAIN99 visited the distillery in September 2025.
- Founded in 1933 by Francesco De Negri
- Family-run by the fourth generation, the Della Giustina family
- Batch distillation on copper pot stills in use since the late 1950s
- Water from the springs of the Meschio river
- Only fresh grape pomace, mostly Glera grown for Prosecco
- Graspa dei Amighi: Gold Best in Class, IWSC 2011
