Corvina is an

Italian wine Italian wine is produced in every region of Italy. Italy is the world's largest producer of wine, with an area of under vineyard cultivation, and contributing a 2013–2017 annual average of 48.3 million hl of wine. In 2018 Italy accounted for ...

grape variety This list of grape varieties includes cultivated grapes, whether used for wine, or eating as a table grape, fresh or dried (raisin, currant, sultana). For a complete list of all grape species including those unimportant to agriculture, see Vit ...

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

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region of northeast

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, except for planted in

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. Corvina is used with several other grapes to create the light red regional wines Bardolino and

Valpolicella Valpolicella (, , ) is a viticultural zone of the province of Verona, Italy, east of Lake Garda. The hilly agricultural and marble-quarrying region of small holdings north of the Adige is famous for wine production. Valpolicella ranks just after ...

that have a mild fruity flavor with hints of almond. These blends include Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara, and Rossignola for the latter wine. It is also used for the production of Amarone and Recioto.

Wines

Corvina produces light to medium

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wines with a light crimson coloring. The grapes' naturally high

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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 to add more structure and complexity to the wine. The small berries of Corvina are low in

tannin Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids. The term ''tannin'' (from Anglo-Norman ''tanner ...

s 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. ...

which allows for a long

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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 t ...

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