Ratafia: What is it, and how can you make it?

Ratafia is a generic term to define a liqueur produced with alcohol and fruit juices, but the most famous is typical of Piedmont, made with sour cherries and possibly spices and other botanicals.

Let’s pretend that Piedmontese Ratafia was the first and then took on a thousand different personalities.

Over time, this liqueur traveled and ended up in Abruzzo, where it met Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, a full-bodied, structured red wine that is also one of the richest in anthocyanins, the substances that make it taste so fruity.

And that’s how, after a long journey, the Ratafia became pure magic in the bottle.

What are the characteristics of Ratafia d’Abruzzo, and how is it made?

Ratafia from Abruzzo is sweet, juicy, and whey-filled, full of spicy and fleshy references, with the tannins of Montepulciano in the background that have softened in the sugar.

To produce Ratafia, we start with a base of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wine, to which black cherries, sugar, and a little alcohol are added, but not necessarily; sometimes the only alcoholic ingredient is wine.

With Ratafia, you can make great cocktails, make a banal vanilla ice cream unique, or dye a glass of sparkling wine red. You can use it like Chambord and crème de cassis; the function is identical.

Only true artisan ratafia often has rocky tannins, so always taste it before adding it to sparkling wine or Champagne to make an Abruzzo-style Kir cocktail.

Differences between Piedmontese, Abruzzese, and French Ratafia

As we have seen, if we say Ratafia, we indicate many liqueurs, and it is hard to recognize them on the fly.

But if we want to sum up the Piedmontese liqueur, we can say that it is a classic liqueur, a hydroalcoholic solution in which black cherries, spices, and herbs are macerated, and it is much more alcoholic.

It also reaches 28–30 degrees, depending on the degree of dilution.

In Abruzzo, ratafia is a solution of wine and (a little bit of) alcohol in which black cherries are macerated, to which sugar and spices are added.

The difference is subtle, but often the alcohol content is lower, even 18 degrees, and in fact it becomes a liqueur wine, not a real liqueur. In any case, there are various interpretations in Abruzzo, so be wary of very cheap products, which are usually sugar juices. They serve high-quality ingredients, and the base wine must also be decent, so 10 euros is a bit low for an acceptable Ratafia.

Make sure you don’t confuse these liqueurs with the French Ratafia, which is a brandy made by adding alcohol to the last pressing of the pomace and then distilling it.

The alembic is not used in the production of the Italian one.

How to serve Ratafia

Serve it in small liqueur or amaro glasses, not too cold; let’s say that at 12 degrees it is excellent. If you serve it too cold, you will accentuate the hard flavors and tannins; if you serve it hot, the fleshy aromas are enhanced, but it is very sweet.

What does Ratafia mean, and what is its history?

People claim that the name Ratafia derives from the Latin phrase “ut rata fiat,” which refers to the practice of merchants and notaries sealing contracts and sales with a drink of good luck liqueur.

The best bottles

Ratafia Praesidium, the best ratafia from Abruzzo, Montepulciano wine liqueur If you want to try a bottle of great value, the Ratafia from the biodynamic Praesidium winery in Prezza is a work of art, sweet but vigorous, warm in the mouth, with a series of perfumes that will amaze you.

Even the Ratafia Tollo is not bad at all; it is pulpy, spicy, and warm, with a velvety taste but never too sweet.