Passito di Pantelleria 'Fuori Carta': Pasqua Reimagines the Passito Tasting Experience

Pasqua Wines reinterprets Passito through a more unconventional lens, redefining the classic tasting framework to highlight its full versatility at the table.

At the Italian Embassy in Paris, a global reference point for fine dining and culinary innovation, Pasqua Wines unveiled "Fuori Carta", a new pairing concept that disrupts the traditional Passito tasting paradigm in favor of a vision rooted in total food-pairing versatility.

Challenging established wine categories by highlighting their most contemporary expressive possibilities has always been part of Pasqua Wines' DNA. The winery applies this philosophy not only to its own labels, but also to projects that share a vision, sensibility, and creative direction aligned with its core values. This approach is at the core of Pasqua Wines' recent investment in Sangue d'Oro, a Passito di Pantelleria DOC produced by style icon Carole Bouquet. A decision rooted in a shared vision: to safeguard the winegrowing culture from which it originates, while at the same time pushing research beyond customary boundaries and reinventing its modes of consumption.

This is a project of cultural promotion rather than a purely entrepreneurial venture. Pasqua's intention is to lend new voice, visibility, and opportunity to a community that unites ancient gestures with contemporary courage to give life to a wine of singular identity. A wine that today, through the stylistic lens that defines Pasqua, becomes the protagonist of a radical, unconventional reinterpretation of its ritual of consumption.

Within the Embassy's salons, on the opening evening of Wine Paris, Pasqua welcomed a select audience of international media, figures from the entertainment world, and institutional representatives to A Sicilian Interlude. Guests were immersed in the evocative setting of an original 18th-century Sicilian theatre, brought to Paris from Palermo in the early 20th century.

The aromatic depth and structure of Sangue d'Oro underscore its remarkable versatility, equally compelling as an aperitif and capable of surprising pairings from appetizers through dessert, across a wide range of cuisines and gastronomic cultures.

Sangue d'Oro's new spirit was expressed through two distinct modes of dialogue. The first was culinary, featuring the 2018 and 2022 vintages paired with a diverse selection of dishes, most notably a chocolate cake with capers and caviar created by renowned two-Michelin-starred chef Bruno Verjus. The second was oenological, highlighting the seamless coherence between Carole Bouquet's winemaking project and the broader vision of the Veronese winery.

At the Italian Embassy, Pasqua also poured two of its most original and visionary labels: Hey French You Could Have Made This But You Didn't Fourth Edition, Italy's first multi-vintage white wine, and Fear No Dark 2020, the most radical expression of the Mai Dire Mai line dedicated to Amarone della Valpolicella.

Welcoming guests, Italy's Ambassador to Paris, Emanuela D'Alessandro, emphasized how initiatives like this offer a unique platform to promote the culture and excellence of Made in Italy abroad, particularly in France - which, she reflects, is "a crucial market for Italian exports and a country with which Italy shares a deep and longstanding relationship." The Ambassador adds, "I am truly delighted to host, within the Embassy's Sicilian theatre, such a symbolic event; a new, symbolic Italo-French and Mediterranean dialogue centered on one of our most historic shared passions: wine—its history, tradition, and deeper meaning."

Andrea Pasqua, Head of Business Development states, "From the very beginning, we knew that Sangue d'Oro was meant to exist outside rigid rules and predefined roles. It is deeply traditional yet unmistakably contemporary, a wine shaped by time, wind, and human touch, but not confined to a single moment of the meal." Pasqua adds, "When we discussed restoring Passito di Pantelleria to its rightful place at the center of the conversation, Carole immediately embraced the idea. With 'Fuori Carta,' we can more powerfully express that the true strength of Sangue d'Oro lies in the emotion it creates."

"When I imagined Sangue d'Oro, I envisioned a wine meant to surprise, accompany, and be shared freely," said Carole Bouquet. "It doesn't ask to be defined, but to be experienced. I love how it evolves alongside food, and seeing it paired in many unexpected ways is deeply moving, it's in those moments that the wine truly finds its freedom."

With the Sangue d'Oro project, Pasqua reaffirms its commitment to reinterpreting Italy's great wines through a contemporary lens, one that respects their identity while engaging new generations of wine consumers.

About Carole Bouquet

A legendary figure in film and fashion, Carole Bouquet rose to international fame as the face of Chanel in the 1980s and 1990s, later starring in more than 40 films with renowned directors such as Buñuel, Risi, and Scorsee. Her performances have earned her multiple nominations and a César Award at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2002, at the height of her career, Bouquet discovered Pantelleria, an island of dramatic landscapes and deep-rooted traditions. There, she acquired a small estate that eventually expanded through the purchase of 60 neighboring parcels and founded her Passito estate Sangue d'Oro. An unusual journey for an actress, full of challenges and rewards, which gradually led her to achieve the goal she had set for herself. With the guidance of renowned winemaker Donato Lanati, she transformed her artistic sensibility into a passionate commitment to winemaking.

Pasqua Vigneti e Cantine, founded in 1925, is a Veronese wine company owned by the Pasqua family, celebrating its first 100 years of activity. Internationally recognized as a producer and ambassador of prestigious wines from Italy's Veneto region, the company's ambition is to carry forward a century of winemaking expertise into the future through a renewed stylistic vision. Today, President Umberto Pasqua leads the company alongside his sons: Riccardo Pasqua, CEO, Alessandro Pasqua, Vice President North America, and Andrea Pasqua, Head of Business Development. With the third generation actively involved in the company, Pasqua has evolved into the House of the Unconventional - a research-driven laboratory and a space for dialogue, where quality and creativity take center stage. In its centenary year, Pasqua has been selected by winemaker Charles Smith as the global distributor of the House of Smith portfolio, including K Vintners, Sex, and Real Wine, in which Pasqua also holds a minority stake. Also in 2025, the Veronese winery invested in the Pantelleria-based wine project of actress and international style icon Carole Bouquet, acquiring a 70% ownership stake and combining enological vision with the preservation of the island's cultural heritage.