[Corvina](/grapes/corvina) is the main grape of Valpolicella, Bardolino, Ripasso and Amarone. Here is how its wines
Corvina is the main grape of Valpolicella, Bardolino, Ripasso and Amarone. Here is how its wines differ, what to pair and what to buy.
Corvina grows almost only in the hills and valleys east of Lake Garda in Veneto. It is a thick-skinned grape with high natural acidity and medium tannins. Its wines range from light and easy to deeply concentrated. It all depends on what happens to the grapes after harvest.
The key is a method called appassimento. After harvest, the grapes are dried on bamboo racks or in wooden crates for weeks or months. This concentrates the sugar, acid and aromas, and turns a good grape into something special.
A fresh Corvina blend and a wine made from dried Corvina are clearly related. But they taste like very different wines. Knowing this range is the first step to finding your way around Veneto.
Corvina is almost always blended. Producers usually add Corvinone (a close relative), Rondinella and sometimes Molinara or Oseleta. The mix varies by producer and denomination, but Corvina leads. The rules usually require it to make up 45% to 95% of the blend, depending on the area.
Valpolicella DOC is the easiest style of Corvina to drink. Made from fresh, not dried, grapes, it is a medium-light red. It tastes of sour cherry, red plum and dried herbs, with a light bitter finish typical of northeast Italy.
Alcohol is around 11–12.5%, which makes it one of Italy's most food-friendly reds. Drink it with weeknight pasta, pizza or at a summer table outdoors. Serve it lightly chilled, at about 14–16°C, to bring out its freshness.
The Valpolicella Classico area covers the original hillside vineyards in the towns of Negrar, Marano, Fumane, Sant'Ambrogio and San Pietro in Cariano. Classico wines usually have more structure and more complex aromas than those from the wider area.
Bardolino DOC lies on the eastern shore of Lake Garda. It uses the same grapes as Valpolicella. But its sandy, alluvial soils give a much lighter, more delicate style.
Bardolino reds are pale ruby, often as light as a serious rosé. They taste of fresh cherry, rose petal and light spice. Bardolino Chiaretto, the rosé version, is one of Italy's finest rosés and a great warm-weather wine.
Ripasso means "passed over again." Valpolicella wine is fermented a second time on the grape skins left over from making Amarone or Recioto. The result has much more body, color and tannin than regular Valpolicella. It also picks up dried fruit and spice from the skins.
Ripasso is priced between Valpolicella and Amarone. That is why it is called "Baby Amarone," though local producers find the nickname limiting.
Ripasso wines usually show cherry jam, dark plum, chocolate, tobacco and sometimes a hint of dried fig. They go well with braised meats, aged cheeses and hearty pasta with meat ragu.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG is the peak of Corvina winemaking. It is one of Italy's most powerful and expensive red wines.
The grapes dry for 90 to 120 days, sometimes longer, in drying lofts called fruttai. They lose up to 30–40% of their weight in water. The concentrated juice is then fermented until almost dry. The wines reach 15–17% alcohol and have great depth.
Amarone has a wide range of aromas: black cherry, dried plum, figs, dark chocolate, espresso, leather, tobacco, dried violets and bitter almond. The finish can last a minute or more.
These wines are made for the cellar. Young Amarone (under 10 years) can be tight and hard. At 15–20 years, it opens into something remarkable. For more on aging, see Best Italian Wines to Cellar, which covers Amarone and other long-lived Italian reds.
As with Valpolicella, the Classico area carries the most prestige with producers and critics.
Recioto is Amarone's sweet ancestor. The grapes are dried the same way. But fermentation is stopped before all the sugar turns into alcohol. The result is a rich, sweet red wine with about 50–80 g/L of sugar.
Recioto goes with dark chocolate desserts, blue cheese and dishes with dried fruit and nuts. In the Veneto, it was made long before Amarone. Amarone is really a Recioto that fermented until dry, a "mistake" that winemakers came to embrace.
Tasting the styles in order, from fresh to dried, makes the grape easier to understand:
Corvina's tannins are finer than those of Nebbiolo or Sangiovese at the same quality level. This gives even powerful Amarone a soft, plush feel. The acidity is real, though. It is what stops Amarone from feeling heavy despite its alcohol.
Corvina wines cover a huge price range:
When buying Amarone, check the vintage. 2016, 2015, 2012 and 2006 are widely seen as great years. Avoid the youngest releases unless you are patient, or own a large decanter. An hour in a decanter opens up young Amarone a lot.
For everyday drinking, don't overlook Valpolicella Classico from small producers. Look for growers in Fumane or Negrar who don't also make Amarone. They often put more care into the fresh style, and their wines are great value.
Production rules and official information from the consortia of the wines in this guide: