Finns hoard this wine at Christmas – It has a special feature

The hills are bathed in light as the car curves up to the 26-hectare Montevegro vineyard in the Valpolicella region near Verona. The ropes carry the silent legacy of past decades. On these hills, grapes grow for, among other things, Amarone, a red wine loved by Finns, which has earned its place on many a Christmas table.

The grapes for Amarone grow in a block in Montevegro’s garden, which is located in the most remote part of the farm and opens to the northeast. The shady and cool part of the vineyard receives the wind from the Lessin mountains.

When the grapes are ripe, we pick them by hand. In the production of Amarone, grapes are dried, and only fully intact grapes are suitable for drying, therefore mechanical picking would not be possible.

Of course, more grows in Montevegro’s nurseries. The basaltic and calcareous soil has a minerality suitable for Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Oseleta and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. From these, the Pasqua winery produces, in addition to Amarone, valpolicella and Valpolicella ripasso, the so-called super wine from Veneto.

Viinitalo turns 100 years old this year, but the family doesn’t talk so much about the past, but more about the future. According to the family, the first hundred years are only the beginning of the next hundred.

– It is an incredible opportunity to capture the essence of the land or vineyard and turn it into wine. We are privileged to experience it every day, says the CEO Riccardo Pasqua.

From the roots of the south to the heart of Verona

Pasqua’s story began in 1925, when the Pasqua family moved from Puglia to Verona in the north and founded a wine shop. In the beginning, the company founded by four brothers bottled and sold wine produced by others to local osterias.

In the 1960s, the winery passed into the hands of the second generation and expanded significantly.

Again, a new era began in the 1980s, when Pasqua founded the Cecilia Beretta brand. At the same time, the first vineyards were born.

In the 21st century, the winery turned its eyes strongly to exports, especially to the United States, and built a modern winery near the center of Verona. It was worth it. Today, Pasqua wines are sold in more than 70 countries, and 90 percent of the production goes outside the borders of Italy.

There are wines on shelves all over the world, including in Finland, but no two markets are exactly the same, if you ask the owner family.

– We have preserved the spirit of a family business, but we think with global eyes. Helsinki is as important to us as New York, says Pasqua’s export manager Cecilia Pascua.

– In the Nordic countries, alcohol monopolies strictly determine what is sold. In Finland and Sweden, the cornerstones of the house are Valpolicella Ripasso, Villa Borghetti Valpolicella Classico and Villa Borghetti Bardolino Classico, which has been on sale in Finland for over 40 years.

In Finland, one of the house’s long-lasting success stories is also Prosecco Frizzante, a lighter bubbly sparkling wine that has been in Alko’s range since the early 90s, i.e. more than thirty years. Cecilia Pasqua believes that the secret of its popularity lies in its freshness and soft style. They fit well with the Nordic taste world.

In Great Britain and the United States, the most popular wines are pinot grigio, primitivo and prosecco, says Cecilia Pasqua.

And then that amarone. Amarone, made from dried grapes, is the house’s flagship in all countries.

Amaronets are known as premium wines that are bought when it’s time for a party.

In Finland, Amarone has established its position as the star of the Christmas table in many households, although wine professionals often urge us to think about whether red wine is the best choice for hearty Christmas dishes after all. Whether or not, many people associate the type of wine with festive moments.

Rosee is the star of Pohjola

One of Pasqua’s biggest successes is 11 Minutes Rosé, a wine that is sold in 58 countries and whose production reaches almost half a million bottles a year.

– The popularity of rosé wines indicates that consumers know the variety better and better. In Finland, everyone talks about the “rose summer” every spring, and it can also be seen in sales, Cecilia Pasqua knows.

The rose boom has really been talked about in the Finnish media for years, and rose wines have established themselves as favorites of the summer season. Towards winter, Rose’s sales in Finland fade as the weather gets colder.

Like prosecco, the fresh style of rosé wines also appeals to Nordic tastes.

House of the Unconventional

When the third generation took over the reins of the traditional winery, the company was thoroughly renewed. The brand’s new tagline, House of the Unconventionalsums up the house’s quality of mind: the winery wants to question traditions and reconcile art, design and technology with viticulture. The young Pasqua knee says he follows the rules, but also knows when to break them.

Art has become a significant part of the winery’s modern activities. The collaboration with more than 20 international artists resulted in works that have been exhibited in Milan as well as in London.

One of the most famous projects is Onirica, an installation inspired by dreams, which was built on a winery in Verona. But what does art have to do with wine?

– For us, art is a way to connect wine and people. It makes people stop and experience the wine on an emotional level, explains Cecilia Pasqua.

CEO Riccardo Pasqua considers the connection between wine and art to be natural.

– We have always believed that wine and art have a deep connection, because their creation processes are so similar, he says.

Art and Verona truly belong together. Art can be admired in the city, for example, in the Palazzo Maffei museum. And then there is perhaps the most famous attraction in Verona: Romeo and Juliet’s balcony, which tourists line up in droves to see. Touching the statue of Julia is said to bring luck in love.