Pasqua ‘Amarone della Valpolicella’ DOCG 2016
Grape Varietals: 65% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 5% Corvinone & 5% Negrara
Growing Region: Valpantena - Northern Italy
Chief Winemaker: Giovanni Nordera
4 Stars ★★★★
In July 2019, I had the pleasure to spend time with the Pasqua family 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 Pasqua & Giovanni. The current generation of the family have not lost touch with tradition and have a meticulous focus on their future success.
The vineyards for this wine are located on the gentle hillside slopes of Valpantena, in the north-east part of the Valpolicella growing region, 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, partially raisin in wooden trays, with the length of the drying process taking a minimum of 120 days.
As the grapes dehydrate 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 are welcomed by a deep rich red colour with a magenta hue. On the nose you are enticed by vibrant fragrances of black cherries, dark plums, mocha-coffee along with roasted hazelnuts with subtle violets and vanilla essence.
The palate is full and engaging with multiple layers of dark fruit flavours, cacao-chocolate and subtle earthy nuances all seamlessly infused with vanilla and deft tobacco notes. As with the nature of Amarone, this wine has a big-heart, along with well-balanced smooth tannins and a thoughtful cloak of oak. The wine has a generous elegance from the first sip through to its lingering finish.
This 2016 Pasqua ‘Amarone della Valpolicella' DOCG has 15% Alc./vol. - with residual sugar of 7.3g/L. Decant for 30-40 minutes and serve in a generous glass at 16°-18°C.
CELLARING POTENTIAL: *(Review 15/5/21)
With medium decanting drinking well this season: plus will age nicely for another 8 - 10 years.
FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
Perfect wine pairing with prime red meat cuts, slow cooked beef cheeks, along with wild game, rich pasta dishes, earthy vegetarian cuisine, plus chocolate torte and aged, hard cheeses - enjoy.
