“QuattroMani”, Pasqua Vini & Charles Smith wine which unites “Old and New World”

One of the most beautiful aspects of wine is its ability to create connections between people which go far beyond the essential convivial dimension. And sometimes these connections even turn into business projects capable of crossing borders. This is the case with “QuattroMani”, a new chapter in the prestigious collaboration between Pasqua Vini and Washington State winemaker Charles Smith, from which a truly unusual wine arises: a “multi-vintage” Pinot Noir made from grapes grown and harvested in Valpolicella, and vinified according to Smith own vision, in a bottle that brings together the “Old and New Worlds” of wine. “A wine which synthesizes the meeting of visions, languages and geographies, writing a new chapter in the history of the Verona-based winery, which in 2025 became the exclusive global distributor of the House of Smith brands - including K Vintners, Sex, and Real Wine (the latter in which the Verona winery also holds a minority stake)”, states a note.
“With “QuattroMani”, Pasqua Vini and Charles Smith symbolically bring together the Old and New Worlds: on the one hand, a vineyard in Valpolicella with its history, know-how and beauty; on the other hand, a winemaking approach oriented toward full fruit expression, typical of overseas styles”, explain the protagonists.
The genesis of “QuattroMani” began eight years ago, when Pasqua started working on the new project. In 2021, contact was initiated with Charles Smith and the project took shape and structure: the American winemaker regularly visits the vineyard, which he fell in love with because it represents the ideal laboratory for the experimentation he had long wanted to pursue in the Old World. Tasting the base wines from the 2018 vintage onwards together with Riccardo Pasqua made it possible to give substance to the idea of a multi-vintage blend, which became both an expressive tool and a distinctive signature. The Campiano vineyard, located above San Giovanni Ilarione, is a 9-hectare plot situated at 600 meters above sea level, where nature sets the rhythm and time seems to slow down. The clay and limestone soil, derived from ancient seabeds, provides excellent drainage on the slopes. The vines, between 20 and 30 years old, are spread across several parcels with south-west exposure, capturing the light and returning it with depth and finesse. The forest surrounding the vineyard creates a unique microclimate: cool and breezy, protected yet open at the same time. Grape ripening is slow and gradual, accompanied by significant temperature swings that favor aromatic development and build an elegant, precise, vibrant profile.
The wine project also inspired Resonance, an immersive art installation by Sara Ricciardi, recently presented at Palazzo Maffei in Verona and dedicated to the value of collaboration as a force capable of generating new ideas and projects. At the center of the work is a geode over 4 meters tall which splits open to reveal something new. Not a fracture that divides, but a space that generates. “Innovation can’t just be declared; it must also be demonstrated through projects. “QuattroMani” is the answer to that promise  - comments Riccardo Pasqua, ceo of Pasqua Vini -  Charles Smith, his vision, his prejudice-free perspective, and his dedication to quality have always been a great source of inspiration for us. For this project, so subversive from its very roots, he immediately seemed the ideal partner. To Charles Smith mastery, particularly with Pinot Noir, we add our experience with multi-vintage blending projects, which has become our stylistic hallmark and strongest innovative expression”.
“I accepted the challenge because I saw the opportunity to do something that had never been done before, while fully aware that collaborations can be very complex. When you work without preconceptions, interesting things always happen. “QuattroMani” is pure energy: a Pinot Noir which doesn’t want to imitate anyone, but simply to be authentic. It takes the depth of the Old World and pushes it toward something more immediate, alive, and accessible”, adds Charles Smith.
“The first edition of QuattroMani  - Pasqua and Smith further explain -  is complex, layered and vibrant, revealing spicy notes on the nose with a fresh herbal edge. On the palate, it is fresh and drinkable, with a tannic texture that is neither rigid nor invasive. The wine is made from a blend of the 2018, 2022, 2023 and 2025 vintages: the grapes, harvested by hand, are first crushed and destemmed, followed by a cold maceration of a couple of hours. Fermentation takes place at 20-22°C, with 3 to 4 punch-downs per day. After two days, the seeds are removed from the bottom of the tank to avoid overly astringent tannins. After about 20 days, the wine is racked and transferred: part into tonneaux (for 2 years), part into barriques (for 1 year). The oak used is first-pass French oak with light toasting. The vintage then rests in stainless steel for two to three months before being blended with the others (also kept in steel) and finally bottled. The aging potential is around 10 years”. A project that brings together, in a single bottle, the Old and New Worlds of wine.