🥃 Tsipouro

Tsipouro is Greece's answer to grappa, and not the same thing as ouzo: a Greek grape marc spirit and an EU geographical indication, «Tsipouro / Tsikoudia» (category 6, protected since 2008). It is made only in Greece from the pomace of Greek wine grape varieties, distilled in the presence of the pomace itself at below 86% vol. It is sold at a strength of 37.5% ABV or more.

The name depends on the place: «Tsipouro» is used throughout Greece except Crete, «Tsikoudia» on Crete, and in the Cyclades either may be used, but a single distillery cannot use both. Separately, since 1989 the EU register has protected regional names: Tsipouro of Macedonia, of Thessaly and of Tyrnavos, and Tsikoudia of Crete.

The pomace of white and rosé wines is fermented in steel vats, while the pomace of red wines is taken already fermented; up to 25 kg of lees per 100 kg may be added. The yield is no more than 7.5 l of pure alcohol per 100 kg of pomace. Distillation is mostly in copper pot stills run in batches, discarding the «heads» and «tails», sometimes distilling a second time. By tradition, anise, fennel or star anise is added during distillation; Tsikoudia of Crete may not be flavoured. After at least 6 months in oak barrels of up to 1000 l, the label may say «old» or «aged».

The technical file links the start of pomace distillation in Greece to Mount Athos: the community's archive holds more than 20 decrees about stills, the oldest dating from 1590. Until 1988 only grape growers could distil pomace from their own harvest, in stills of up to 130 l; since then distilleries have made tsipouro too.

Why it matters to you. The word «Tsipouro» or «Tsikoudia» on the label replaces the generic «grape marc spirit» and means the whole journey, from grape to bottling, took place in Greece. Tsipouro of Macedonia without anise is at least 38% vol., with anise 42%. WHO: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.