An interesting combination of culinary symbols, historical events and great wines of its territory can be discovered on Verona traditional Christmas tables.
In Verona great care has been vested in creating first courses tied to the land and local ingredients. Vialone Nano Veronese PGI, a rice cultivated in the surrounding plains, is the perfect base for risotto made with Amarone, a red wine from Valpolicella, or dishes from poor peasant origins that now represent the succulent heart of Verona’s gastronomy. A great variety of homemade pasta and second courses that tempts the palate such as boiled meat with pearà, a typical Veronese sauce made from broth in which marrow is dissolved and then combined with breadcrumbs, oil, pepper and salt.
But there is no Christmas lunch or New Year’s dinner that does not end with the cutting of a Pandoro. Tasting Verona’s cuisine means also going back into its history. Born in Verona in the 18th century, Pandoro is one of most popular Italian Christmas cake, baked in a 8-pointed star shape and usually dusted with powdered sugar before it’s served, often with mascarpone cheese. This dessert certainly figured in the cuisine of the Venetian aristocracy, but it was in Verona, at that time in Venetian territory, that the formula for making Pandoro was developed and perfected.
But if Christmas is going to be different this year and restrictions do not allow to celebrate winter festivities with us, some wineries in Verona have found the right solution!
The Monte del Frà Winery, located in Sommacampagna (Verona) among the Morenic hills of Lake Garda, has created a new smart tasting arrangement, which allows amateurs, enthusiasts and experts to live an authentic tasting experience, without having to leave the comforts of home!
You can jump in the beautiful morainic hills and experience the story that began in the fifteenth century. Discover the history of Bonomo family from 1958 until today through an exciting journey, tradition and innovation. Carol and Silvia are ready to welcome wine lovers to this virtual experience, showing where the wines are made and the wine cellar where the Amarone and Ripasso barrels rest undisturbed. You will then experience the wines in the elegant welcome room as if you were right there in the wine cellar.
Virtual visitors can also take a look at Monte del Frà wine tasting programs, order the wine they wish to discover, select the date and time of their availability. By connecting (through video conference), users will find Bonomo family ready to make feel close.
Monte del Frà – https://www.montedelfra.it/?lang=en
An acceleration of the digital transformation has also characterised Pasqua Vini, with an history of almost a century and now with two new projects to learn more about the winery while staying at home. In addition to confirming media investments and increasing those on online, the winery has created two new digital experiences to stay in touch with wine enthusiasts and customers, while waiting to reopen to the public: Digital Tasting box and Virtual Tour.
Digital Tasting Box is a real tasting kit that includes everything needed for a personalized tasting experience, guided by a winery expert over Zoom. There are 3 different variations with three different types of wine, among the most iconic and award-winning products of the winery and, for each box, two glasses, a corkscrew, tasting and food pairing suggestions and, last but not least, an invitation valid for two people to visit the winery as soon as the global situation allows.
Purchasing is easy. The user can choose and purchase the digital Box from the official Pasqua Vini e-commerce website https://www.pasquashop.it/it/digital-tasting. Once the purchase has been completed, the buyer will receive an email from a Wine Specialist to make an appointment and organize their digital tasting. In addition to the technical explanation, wine lovers can also learn about tasting techniques and refine their senses with the pairing suggestions included in the package.
The Virtual Winery tour is instead a real digital journey inside the most exclusive areas of the winery. By accessing the dedicated page on the site https://www.pasqua.it/it/virtual-winery-tour/, wine lovers will be able to explore the most inspiring areas of the winery from the comfort of their home, together with featured artistic installations. For this itinerary, Pasqua Vini makes use of an exceptional guide: Filippo Bartolotta, well-known Wine coach and educator utilises social media to communicate about wine from all over the world. The winery tour begins in the barrel room where the Amarone rests, the Caveau which houses the most prestigious wines and the first immersive installation, commissioned by Famiglia Pasqua in 2017, to celebrate the most iconic 11 Minutes rosé, in a sort of capsule “suspended” in space and time inserted in the second barrel room. Filippo then guides the viewer through the various Touchpoints, showing the environments, the history and the innovative spirit of the winery, in a pleasant combination of education and entertainment.
Pasqua Vini – https://www.pasqua.it/en/home/
Verona has never been so close!