Pasqua 'Hey French' – The Italian White Wine That Does Things Its Own Way

There are plenty of decent white wines on the shelf. There are far fewer that actually make you pause mid-sip, try to figure out what you're tasting, and immediately pour another glass to work it out.

Pasqua's Hey French is firmly in that second category.

This is not your typical Veneto white. It isn't trying to be Soave, it isn't chasing Sauvignon Blanc territory, and it certainly isn't attempting to imitate Burgundy. If anything, it's doing the complete opposite, and that's precisely what makes it worth talking about.

The Idea Behind the Name

The name alone tells you everything about the attitude of this wine. "Hey French, you could have made this... but you didn't." It's a playful but pointed nod to the long-standing dominance of French white wine, from Burgundy to the Loire to the Rhône, and a bold statement from an Italian producer that the rules don't have to apply here.

Pasqua essentially asked the question: why does serious white wine have to follow the same tired blueprint? Then they went ahead and built something entirely on their own terms.

What Goes Into the Bottle

The blend itself is genuinely interesting. It brings together Garganega, which provides the backbone, texture and Italian identity; Pinot Bianco, which adds weight and roundness; and Sauvignon Blanc, which lifts everything with freshness and aromatics.

But the most distinctive thing about Hey French isn't the grape varieties. It's the fact that it's non-vintage, and not because it has to be. Pasqua deliberately selects fruit from multiple top vintages, often as many as five different years, vinifies each one separately, then blends them together to create the final wine.

The logic is simple but clever. Younger vintages bring freshness and energy. Older vintages bring depth, texture and complexity. Blending them together gives the winemaking team a full palette to work with, and the end result is something far more layered than any single vintage wine could deliver on its own.

Where the Fruit Comes From

The grapes are sourced from Monte Calvarina in the Soave area, grown on volcanic soils at altitudes of up to 600 metres, with significant day-to-night temperature swings that help preserve freshness and build natural acidity.

This matters because underneath all the richness and winemaking craft, there is a genuine mineral backbone running through the wine. The terroir is doing real work here, not just the blending table.

How It's Made

Each vintage parcel is handled separately throughout the process. They're fermented individually, then aged in a combination of oak barriques, larger tonneaux and stainless steel tanks, with extended lees ageing adding further texture and complexity. Only then are the components blended together.

That layered, patient approach is what gives Hey French its distinctive character: rich and structured on one hand, lifted and fresh on the other.

What It Actually Tastes Like

This is not a one-note wine. On the nose you'll find citrus, peach and hints of tropical fruit alongside chamomile and white flowers. On the palate there's almond, gentle spice and a slightly waxy texture, all underpinned by that characteristic smoky, mineral edge.

It's rich without being heavy. It's fresh without being sharp. That balance is what makes it genuinely compelling rather than just another wine with a clever label.

Critical Recognition

Hey French isn't just a good concept. It consistently delivers in the glass, which is why it keeps picking up serious scores across multiple releases. Ratings across different editions include 92 points from James Suckling, 92 points from the Robert Parker Wine Advocate, 91 points from Decanter World Wine Awards and 94 points from Luca Maroni. It has also taken home Gold medals at the WOW! Italian Wine Competition and been named Best Veneto White at Italian competitions.

Scoring in the 92 to 94 point range consistently across multiple releases is not a fluke. It's a track record.

The Label

Even the packaging is worth a mention. The label was designed by Cuban artist CB Hoyo and is deliberately expressive, a bit chaotic, and nothing like traditional fine wine branding. It's not trying to look expensive or established. It's trying to stand out, which is exactly what the wine itself does.

Why It's Worth Your Attention

There are plenty of "interesting" wines out there that end up being more hard work than enjoyable. Hey French isn't one of them. It hits a rare sweet spot: different enough to be genuinely exciting, structured enough to feel serious and considered, but ultimately easy to just sit back and enjoy.

It's the kind of wine that appeals to people who've grown a little tired of the usual suspects but still want something with real substance behind it.

Pasqua have taken decades of experience, serious vineyard sites and proper winemaking knowledge, and used all of it to build something that answers to nobody. Not to French tradition, not to Italian convention, and not to anyone's expectations. And that's exactly why it works.