Grape Glossary

Corvina accounts for the majority of the blend in Valpolicella and Bardolino, with Rondinella, Molinara and Negrara making up the balance. In the typical versions, these are fresh, forward wines to be drunk young. The finest expressions of this grape are in the Recioto and Amarone versions. For Amarone, the best bunches are dried on mats until winter, and the resulting semi-raisins are slowly fermented to yield a perfumed and richly concentrated, full-bodied dry wine that is among Italy’s greats.

Corvina is a vigorous vine that flowers late, matures moderately early and resists the cold well. It performs best in volcanic, chalky or alluvial soils on hillsides and can overproduce if yield is not restricted. The berries are small with thick, rot-resistant skins. However, the bunches are compact and can trap humidity.

Corvina Veronese originated in the Veneto in the Valpolicella zone, near the city of Verona.