Pasqua Romeo & Juliet Passione Sentimento

Breaking all the rules in the name of making delicious wine, the Pasqua Romeo & Juliet Passione Sentimento Bianco and Rosso.

Today we’ve got quite a pair of unique wines from Famiglia Pasqua. We were first introduced to these when we visited Pasqua last fall on a trip to the Verona area and also had a chance to sample these at home.

You may recognize Pasqua from their excellent Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore or their Amarone (more to come on that wine and many others from their line soon). The latter is made from grapes that are dried for 3 months, a very expensive process where the grapes lose up to 60% of their volume.

The Pasqua family; however, had the idea of making use of this technique in a more economical way, by drying the grapes for a shorter period of time so that they only lose 15-30% of their volume. Even more startling was that they decided to apply this technique not only to a red wine, but also to a white. As a result, the Bianco is believed to be the only dry white created by any Veneto producer using the appassimento method.

The wines take their name from the Romeo and Juliet balcony in Verona and the walls outside it that are constantly scribbled with messages from visitors.

Samples submitted for review. Both wines have an SRP of $16 and are available for for as low as $14. Imported by Pasqua USA.

First up is the Pasqua Romeo & Juliet Passione Sentimento Rosso.

This red blend is comprised of 40% Merlot, 30% Corvina and 30% Croatina from Valpantena in the northeast part of Valpolicella, Italy. The Merlot is dried for 1 month, the Corvina for 3 months (because it has bigger berries) and the Croatina is not dried. The wine is aged 3 months in oak tonneaux.

From the bottle:

3,000 messages a day from every corner of the world, any religion, any culture trapped forever on a single frame: Romeo and Juliet’s wall, a unique spot in our city.
This elegant and velvety red wine is partially produced with grapes that have been slightly dried before fermentation.
14% Alcohol

The 2016 Pasqua Romeo & Juliet Passione Sentimento Rosso begins with a pleasing aroma of sweet berry fruit, plum, vanilla and touches of cranberry, baking spice and chocolate. The wine tastes soft, smooth and silky and is loaded with sweet cherry fruit although the wine itself is not too sweet at all. This is just a delight to drink. Licorice and black tea notes come out under the sweet fruit and linger on the long, dry finish.

Ready to buy? Check your local retailers.

2016 Pasqua Romeo & Juliet Passione Sentimento Rosso

TASTE: 8 COST: 7

OVERALL RATING: 7.8

Highly Recommended

Next up is the Pasqua Romeo & Juliet Passione Sentimento Bianco.

This wine is 100% Garganega, part of which is dried for 1 month, from Veneto, Italy. After fermentation part of the wine is aged in barrels for a few months.

From the bottle:

This is an alluring white wine obtained mostly from the Venetian Garganega grape, part of which is slightly dried before fermentation. Intense aromas of citrus fruits, almonds and peaches on the nose, followed by a palate which is refreshing and well balanced with a lingering finish.
13% Alcohol

The 2017 Pasqua Romeo & Juliet Passione Sentimento Bianco begins with lots of wonderful lemon aromas along with nice notes of peaches, pears and citrus. Taking a sip reveals a lovely, luscious wine with a smooth, slightly creamy mouthfeel. It’s got tons of sweet fruit but the wine is relatively dry and very refreshing. It features good crisp acidity and similar flavors to the nose plus melon and a little tropical fruit. The finish is tasty and long with a lingering hint of almond.

Ready to buy? Check your local retailers.