Corvina is an
Italian wine grape variety that is sometimes also referred to as Corvina Veronese or Cruina. The total global wine-growing area in 2010 was , all of which is grown in the
Veneto region of northeast
Italy, except for planted in
Argentina.
Corvina is used with several other grapes to create the light red regional wines
Bardolino and
Valpolicella that have a mild fruity flavor with hints of almond. These blends include
Corvinone,
Rondinella, and
Molinara
Molinara is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Benevento in the Italian region Campania, located about 80 km northeast of Naples and about 20 km northeast of Benevento.
Molinara borders the following municipalities: Foian ...
, and
Rossignola
Rossignola is a red Italian wine grape variety that is grown in the Veneto wine region of northeast Italy. The variety was first mentioned growing in the province of Verona in the early 19th century and today is a permitted blending variety in seve ...
for the latter wine. It is also used for the production of
Amarone and
Recioto.
Wines
Corvina produces light to medium
body wines with a light crimson coloring. The grapes' naturally high
acidity can make the wine somewhat tart with a slight, bitter almond note.
The
finish is sometimes marked with sour-cherry notes. In some regions of Valpolicella, producers are using
barrel aging
A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container with a bulging center, longer than it is wide. They are traditionally made of wooden staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. The word vat is often used for large containers for liquids, u ...
to add more structure and complexity to the wine.
The small berries of Corvina are low in
tannins and color extract but have thick skins that are ideal for drying and protecting the grape from rot.
Viticulture
The Corvina vine ripens late and is prone to producing high
yields which can harm wine quality.
During the
growth cycle of the grape vine, the first few buds do not produce fruit. The vines need to be
trained along a
pergola
A pergola is most commonly an outdoor garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway, or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are trained. The ...
which allows for a long
cane that can produce more buds.
Relationship to other grapes
Historically in the Veneto region Corvina was often confused with
Corvinone, a similar larger red grape that ripens later, but
DNA profiling
DNA profiling (also called DNA fingerprinting) is the process of determining an individual's DNA characteristics. DNA analysis intended to identify a species, rather than an individual, is called DNA barcoding.
DNA profiling is a forensic tec ...
has shown that they are two distinct varieties. In 2005, DNA evidence showed that Corvina was a parent variety to the Venetian grape
Rondinella.
References
{{wines
Red wine grape varieties
Wine grapes of Italy
Wine grapes of Veneto