🥃 Ratafia

If you have seen “ratafia” on a bottle, it may be a dark walnut liqueur from Catalonia or a grape-must liqueur from Champagne: the word is a name for sweet liqueurs, not one recipe. In the EU two ratafias have a protected name: Ratafia Catalana from Catalonia, Spain, and Ratafia champenois from Champagne, France. The Catalan technical file also notes that in Spain 'ratafia' is a voluntary term for the spirit drink category liqueur (Royal Decree 164/2014).

Catalan ratafia. Ratafia Catalana is a protected geographical indication in the liqueur category, made in Catalonia by steeping green walnuts (Juglans regia), at least 10 g per litre of finished product, in alcohol of agricultural origin with aromatic plants that must include lemon verbena, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg (at least 5 g per litre together). The walnuts steep for at least three months. The liqueur is 24–30% ABV with 100–400 g/l of sugar (as invert sugar), brown, thick, and is aged at least three months in wooden containers. The label must carry 'Indicación Geográfica Protegida Ratafia Catalana' or 'IGP Ratafia Catalana'. The file retells the legend of the name: bishops of several Catalan dioceses signed a treaty with the words 'rata fiat' ('let it be signed').

French ratafia. Ratafia champenois, called Ratafia de Champagne until Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/623 approved the change of name, is a liqueur-category spirit drink. According to INAO it is a blend of grape must and alcohol of wine origin, sold after at least 10 months of maturation in tank or cask, or at least 3 years of ageing in wood. Its colour runs from straw yellow to amber, and the area is the same as that of the Champagne AOP. INAO notes that the origin of the word is disputed; the most accepted explanation is the Latin 'rata fiat' ('let the treaty be ratified').

What the law says. In Regulation (EU) 2019/787 a liqueur has a minimum strength of 15% ABV and, in most cases, at least 100 g of sweetening products per litre.

Why this matters to you. The word 'ratafia' alone does not tell you what the drink is made from, so check the label. The WHO states that there is no safe amount of alcohol that does not affect health.