Corvina wine guide

Have you heard of Corvina before? What about Valpolicella or Amarone? Corvina is an Italian grape that has drifted in and out of popularity over the years. This Italian black grape is used commonly in blends, although is becoming more popular as a single varietal. It has been relatively unappreciated in the past, but with winemakers experimentation, the quality and popularity of this grape variety is only increasing. If Italian red wines are your thing, this is one to try! In this Corvina wine guide, we dive into everything you need to know about this Italian grape variety.

Corvina wine guide

Sometimes referred to as Corvina Veronese, Cruina or Cassabria, Corvina is an Italian wine grape variety. Corvina is one of the main grapes used to produce Amarone, a popular wine produced by drying grapes on straw mats in the sun before fermentation. This produces intense prune and fruit flavours alongside its usual fruit notes.

Corvina has powerful flavours and extreme complexity, but it can be difficult to grow. To ripen properly, the buds require a lot of space and so have very inventive and unusual looking long canes in Italian vineyards.

Origin of Corvina

The origins of the Corvina grape are unclear. The earliest written record of Corvina is in 1627 when it was quoted in Alessandro Peccana’s paper titles ‘Problems of Cold Drinks’. Corvina most likely owes its name to the intense colour of the barriers which are almost black.

Corvina has dipped in and out of popularity due to excessive yields contributing to Valpolicella’s poor reputation in the 1980s. This has been rectified in recent years with producers experimenting with the grapes with barrel aging and longer maceration times to improve the quality.

Flavour profile of Corvina

Corvina has different flavour profiles depending on whether it is a single varietal, part of a blend such as Valpolicella or as an Amarone style wine.

As a single varietal, Corvina has a distinct flavour profile. It produces wines that are light-medium bodied with low tannins and high acidity. Flavour-wise most commonly you’ll find red fruits, in particular sour cherry, plum, strawberries and raspberries. Herbaceous flavours are also common, as well as spice and smoke. Despite having thick skins, the low tannins in this grape variety make it really easy to drink. For most of its history, this grape was drunk young and fresh, but now aging is used to soften the wine and reduce acidity. To reduce the herbaceous in the wine and create juicier wines, Corvina is also commonly blended with Rondinella and Molinara to produce Valpolicella and Bardolino.

The thick skins on Corvina grapes make it perfect for drying and therefore it is commonly used in Amarone della Valpolicella. Using the air-drying process apassimento, winemakers dry the grapes on straw mats after harvest (or these days drying chambers). After drying, crushed grapes go through fermentation followed by aging. The longer fermentation results in Amarone, a gorgeously rich, Italian dry red wine. If the winemaker stops fermentation while there are still sugars, it produces sweet Recioto della Valpolicella.

Where you’ll find Corvina

Corvina’s home is in the Veneto region in northeast Italy where it is used to produce Bardolino and Valpolicella. It has been grown in this area for many centuries. The environment here suits the grapes as it is a warmer climate, but is cooled by the altitude, promoting a long growing season.

This grape is not grown widely throughout the rest of the world, but here in Australia, we have begun to experiment with it. Freeman Vineyards in the Hilltops region of NSW are producing wines using Corvina and partial drying of the grapes. The Hilltops region is a good spot for growing Corvina due to its similar climate.

What to pair with Corvina

Depending on whether you’re drinking a blend, single varietal or Amarone style wine, Corvina pairs with plenty of dishes.

As a single varietal, Corvina pairs well with a number of dishes on the lighter side, such as salmon, poultry or slightly spicy dishes.

If looking at a blend such as Valpolicella, pasta and tomato-based sauces or stews that aren’t too heavy are perfect. Mid-weight dishes are a great option for these wines.

For Amarone wines, light acidity and flavours are a great option such as creamy risottos, or chocolates, parmesan and figs. On the sweeter side, Recioto della Valpolicella pairs beautifully with desserts, especially dishes with dried fruits, dark chocolate, and coffee.

Summary: Corvina wine guide

Although Corvina isn’t that well known, it is a great food wine with plenty of personalities. Whether it is as a single varietal, a blend or as part of the unique Amarone wine, there is so much to discover with Corvina. I hope this Corvina wine guide has helped to shed some light on this grape variety so you might try it out for yourself!