Between Heart And Rationality Paula Pacheco Talks About The 2020 Harvest

by Maria Carla Magni

There is one person who represents heart, soul and mind in the Ômina Romana team: she is Paula Pacheco, Argentinean-born, agronomist and Technical Director since 2007, the year the winery was founded.

What we can see and taste today is also the result of his endless research, dedication and tireless work, lavished year after year on the constant growth of Ômina Romana.

Paula, who defines herself as the "mother" of this company, has bet right from the start on the strong wine-growing potential of the Lazio region, which until recently had not been well explored, and also thanks to the farsightedness of the entrepreneur Dr Anton F. Bōrner, has focused on the possibility of producing quality wine.

Today, with a modicum of pride, we can say that the challenge is almost won, even as we keep our daily commitment and despite the fact that shattering certain prejudices which focus on areas of Italy that are by definition the exclusive home of "noble wines" is still not easy.

Through persistence and study, but most of all by broadening our horizons and setting our minds towards a new path, it has been possible to restore some splendor to an area that maybe "oenologically younger", but very ancient in its origins, such as Latium, where, on the other hand, there are wineries of excellence that deserve to be explored.

Year after year, the results of applied research in viticulture together with the collection of technical data on the vineyard's production cycle as well as the continuous training of field staff have made it possible to raise the bar of quality ever higher for the "first grape", interpreting and outlining the style and identity of Ômina Romana.

Concerning our last harvest, the one held in 2020, although it was carried out during an unpredictably dramatic year all over the world, the vine production cycle gave impressive responses, because while the lockdown held sway over the world, the budding and ripening of the vine took place producing surprising results, never to be taken for granted.

Paula, always full of emotion, verified once again how much nature continuously reserves important surprises for man: the rains, arrived in time to provide water in the first phase of growth, were very important to face the dry climate that followed, although always ventilated, thanks to the fresh air coming from the sea.

In fact, it is worth mentioning the strategic position in the Velletri area where the Ômina Romana vineyards are located, characterised by a particular microclimate that has allowed the growth of grapes that are healthy from a phytosanitary point of view.

Paula trains her group of collaborators with extreme care, guiding them in the scrupulous selection of the grape harvest – down to the essential –in order to guarantee the quality level of each variety. It should be pointed out that the selection does not only concern the harvesting phase, but that it starts with the first buds at the beginning of spring and continues with the "green shearing", which is decided according to the specific climate conditions that must be considered until the final maturation phase. In short, vine cultivation is the interpretation of every single vintage.

The warm weather in July and August, the typical differences in temperature - which became more evident during the final stages of ripening - and the few rains since mid-September, meant that the 2020 harvest featured perfectly healthy grapes having the best aromatic synthesis possible.

The late red grapes, such as Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon were very favored by the climate, as they showed excellent phenolic maturity; indeed, as they were sensorially tasted, the grape seeds gave velvety and crisp tannins, without any astringency. The typical microclimate of the area allows the late red grapes to reach this state of particular aromatic consistency, avoiding over-ripening, which would compromise the qualitative result in turn.  

The harvest date is decided individually for each grape variety and each clone according to the oenological objective that Simone Sarnà, Ômina Romana's oenologist, assesses for each label that will be made with the chosen grapes in the perfect state of ripeness and therefore ideal for guaranteeing the Ômina Romana style. It is important to emphasise that at the base, the harvest assessments are different for what will be used to compose, for example, a structured and complex Viognier of the Ars Magna Line compared to a fresher Viognier a fresher one that will be used to compose theblend of a Hermes.

The evaluation of the harvest date does also change whenever red and white grapes are concerned; generally speaking, white grapes are early while red grapes are late. However, there can sometimes be an overlap in the harvesting of late white and early red grapes depending on the oenological objective one wishes to achieve. The latter element is always dictated by the rhythm of nature in the end, as it indicates the right time and is what makes one vintage variable from another.

Last but not least, what Paula cares deeply about is coordinating the work with her team to achieve a result that is the harmonious fruit of what nature offers and what is achieved in the "thought" work of man. The Ômina Romana team plays a fundamental role during the harvest and becomes an indispensable element with the final result.

The 2020 harvest required double the processing capacity, which necessarily led to an extension of the workforce that could guarantee both the precise timing of the harvest and the qualitative selection of the grapes, with an eye on solidarity.

And for the very special harvest of 2020, Paula Pacheco specifically turned her gaze towards solidarity and sustainability, two values which have always been cornerstones of Omina Romana's production concept, involving also the non-profit organization Mato Grosso alongside the winery's stable staff members, aimed at helping the destitute populations in Central and South America, with the addition of an all-Italian workforce.  

Paula has personally selected and trained the staff members using the company's professional method with the aim of creating a dynamic context, with a great sense of sharing and aimed towards solidarity. The perfectly integrated team faced the work in the vineyard with positivity and great harmony, as well as with a spirit of service, an ethical sense and the sharing of values . The proceeds from the working activities were entirely donated to the Association in favor of needy villages in Colombia, Peru and Mexico.    

Ômina Romana is exactly "Mens et Manus", knowledge but also manual skill and feeling and - despite everything that happened in 2020 - it must be acknowledged that this challenge was also a great success for Ômina Romana... and this is what the phoenix, symbol of the winery, teaches us every day!