At The Wine Next Door, we don’t believe in drinking certain wine varietals during certain seasons.  Instead, if it’s winter…you can drink Sauvignon Blanc if you want; if it’s summer…you can drink Cabernet Sauvignon if you want.  And no matter what the season, you can always drink Rosé!  Pasqua ’11 Minutes’ is one of those versatile rosés that you should drink year round.  We love this Rosé with a light lunch or before dinner.

The Pasqua Family produces this unique blend from Verona, Italy (see map below).  Founded in 1925, Pasqua is now run by third-generation winemakers, whose mission is to bring the wine of Verona to the rest of the world.  The name ’11 Minutes’ refers to the duration of skin contact with the juice during the pressing of the grapes.   The winery claims that 11 minutes is the ideal time of contact so that the wine inherits the most noble qualities of the grapes and gets its slightly rosy shade.

’11 Minutes’ is a blend of Corvina (50%), Trebbiano di Lugana (25%), Syrah (15%), and Carménère (10%).  Corvina, which is a standard in Verona, gives a floral aroma and perfect acidity; the Trebbiano brings elegance and a long aftertaste; Syrah gives ripe fruit and subtle spice notes to the glass; and the Carménère gives structure and mouth feel.

’11 Minutes’ is distinctive because of the unique blend, and it is easy to drink.  With a pale coral color, it has notes of wild strawberry, raspberry and pink grapefruit, and, on the palate, pink, soft red fruits with balanced refreshing natural fruit acidity.  The finish is bright and clean.  The blend separates ’11 Minutes’ from the more traditional California or French rosés.

In case you are interested: Corvina is an Italian red wine grape most famous as a key constituent of Valpolicella wines.  It’s known for its sour cherry and plum flavors and acidity to balance out slight sweetness.  Corvina often brings almond, leather and chocolate notes.  Trebbiano is a high yielding white wine grape variety that originated in the South-Eastern Mediterranean, and found mostly in Italy and France.  It accounts for over half of the white wines in Italy, and is most well-known for its use in Cognac.

’11 Minutes’ is available at The Wine Next Door for $30 a bottle.  During the Olympics, it is also available by the glass in the flight of Rosé.  Perfect for Valentine’s Day, and perfect no matter the weather!

Distinctive Bottle and Label

 

Verona, Italy

Pasqua Vineyard in Verona

The Wine Next Door is located at 418 21st Street in Galveston, Texas.  We are a wine bar and boutique – drink here or take away wines.  We were proud to receive the Best Wine Selection in Galveston for 2017.