Pasqua ‘Amarone della Valpolicella' DOCG 2014

Grape Varietals: 65% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 5% Corvinone, 5% Negrara
Growing Region: Valpantena - Italy
Chief Winemaker: Giovanni Nordera
4 Stars ★★★★

I had the pleasure of spending time with the Pasqua family this July at their winery in Veneto. We were both celebrating a few milestones at the time. So I was invited to visit some of their new wine / vineyard projects and sample their vibrant and dynamic wines. Plus it is always special catching up with Cecilia & Giovanni. The current generation of the family have not lost touch with tradition and have a diligent focus on their future successes.
The vineyards for this wine are located on the gentle hillside slopes of Valpantena, in the north-east area of Valpolicella, just a short distance from the winery. The different parcels of ripe fruit were hand harvested in early October. After careful bunch selection, i.e. having fruit that is not too tight, close to each other for ideal air flow. The grapes are allowed to slowly dry, raisin on wooden racks, with the length of the drying process taking a minimum of 120 days.
As the grapes dehydrate and raisin the berries increase in sugar extract by up to 30%. At the end of January the dried grapes are pressed and left to ferment for 25-30 days. Then pressed-off and racked into stainless steel tanks where malolactic fermentation takes place. When deemed ready, the wine is then transferred into French oak barrels where it was aged for around 18 months. Then comes the tasting, blending and then bottling, where it rested in bottle for a minimum of 3-4 months before labeling and release.
In your glass you will be greeted by a deep rich red colour with a cinnamon hue. On the nose you are enticed by vibrant fragrances of black berries, dark plums, mocha-coffee along with sweet hazelnuts with subtle notes of violets and vanilla.
The palate is full and engaging with multiple layers of dark fruit flavours, cacao-chocolate and savoury characters all seamlessly infused with vanilla and tobacco notes. This wine has a big-heart, along with well-balanced silky tannins and a thoughtful amount of oak. The wine is generous and engaging from the first sip through to its lingering finish.
This 2014 Pasqua ‘Amarone della Valpolicella' DOCG has 15% Alc./vol. Decant for 25-30 minutes and serve in a generous glass at 16°- 18°C.

A detailed Italian red packed with tradition & character.

CELLARING POTENTIAL: *(Review 19/8/2019)
With decanting, drinking this season; plus will age nicely for another 10 - 12 years.

FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
Perfect wine pairing with prime red meats, slow cooked beef cheeks, game dishes with a wine jus, earthy vegetarian cuisine and aged hard cheeses - enjoy.

Pasqua-Amarone-2014-Image-01

more wine reviews