​Italian innovation and design at its best

Certainly not left on the sidelines is the wine industry, with fabulous wines produced from indigenous grape varieties for thousands of years, with development and innovation throughout. Apart from the excellent quality of many of the wines, some of the most attractive wine labels I have ever seen are Italian.

Italy is also top of the tree in terms of quantity of wine produced worldwide, alongside France. A great statistic, but one which also creates certain difficulties for Italian wine companies in terms of the level of competition in selling their wines. The extraordinarily innovative House of Pasqua based in Verona in the Italian Lake District in the north of the country seems to have it cracked. Firmly planting their flag in the twenty-first century, the company philosophy is based on innovation and design, whilst never compromising on quality - which is top notch.

Founded in 1925 and now run by the third generation, this family company innovates at every level, from marketing to vinification, with emphasis on modernism and targeting the sophisticated younger market. In fact, 90% of the wines produced by Pasqua are exported, the top markets being the USA, UK and Denmark - all markets which fully embrace top quality as well as captivating design. Last week, I was invited to a Zoom tasting of Pasqua wines, hosted by Cecilia Pasqua.

Whilst basing many of their wines on traditional vinification methods, such as their Valpolicella Ripasso and Amarone, all their wines have an innovative ‘tweak’, producing wines adapted to the twenty-first century wine drinker. Similar in style to a Valpolicella Ripasso, Passimento Rosso, recalls the romantic story of Romeo and Juliet, set in Verona, with the words Passione Sentimento. Eschewing the DOC norms, a good proportion of Merlot is blended with the usual local varieties of Corvina and Croatina. The grapes are partially dried prior to fermentation, the resultant wine being a velvety, layered wine with deep concentration of red and black cherry, hints of spice and soft tannins on the finish. Amazing artistic label from a photograph of the wall in Juliet’s courtyard.

Familia Pasqua Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore is a DOC wine from the San Vincenzo Vineyard, Saint Vincent being the traditional protecting Saint of winegrowers. At an altitude of a thousand feet, the 20-year-old vines are organic since planting, and a very fresh, fruity style of red wine results which is quite delicious. An intense, full-bodied wine with succulent tannins and toasty, morello cherry and red berry character.

One of the wines at the summit of the Pasqua range is a very different style of Amarone with the intriguing name of Never Say Never (Mai Dire Mai in Italian). Highly rated by top critics around the world, the vines are on the top of an arid mountainside where anything struggles to survive, let alone grow! Grapes are dried for 100 days pre-fermentation and the wine spends 24 months in new oak barrels. A powerful yet elegant wine with potential to age for 20 years plus.

Just three of the innovative Pasqua range. Oh, and look out for the 11 minute Rosé – very pale, dry pink with just 11 minutes of skin contact in the vinification process. Presented in a ‘Gin’ style bottle. Exquisite.

Try Majestic for several of the Pasqua range. Mai Dire Mai Amarone 2012 available at Harrods.