Corvina
The most important red grape in Valpolicella and Amarone, from the Veneto around Verona.
About the grape
Corvina (more properly corvina Veronese) is considered the most important red grape in the blends behind the Veneto's most widely known reds — Valpolicella, Bardolino and, above all, Amarone. It probably originated around Verona; the name may derive from corvo ('crow'), a reference to the dark colour of the grapes. It is usually blended with smaller amounts of rondinella (its progeny) and molinara. In Amarone the grapes are dried by the appassimento method, concentrating their sugars into a powerful, Portlike wine of 15–16 percent alcohol with deep bitter-chocolate, mocha and dried-fig flavours.
