Red grape variety
Corvinone
A separate Veneto variety long assumed to be a clone of Corvina, with larger berries that dry well.
What is Corvinone?
Corvinone was long treated as a Corvina clone and was confirmed as a distinct variety by DNA analysis. Its larger, looser bunches dry particularly well for appassimento.
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 2864 under the prime name CORVINONE VERONESE, with berry skin colour noir and country of origin italy. Checked 2026-08-17.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of Corvinone, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low-medium | Some variation | |
| Acidity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Tannin | medium | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Body | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium | Consistent | |
| Oak influence | low | Consistent | |
| Savoury character | low-medium | Consistent | |
| Floral character | low | Consistent | |
| Herbal / green character | low | Consistent | |
| Spice | low | Consistent | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | medium | Consistent | |
| Texture | medium | Consistent |
Common flavours
Wines made from it
The same grape in different places and different hands. These are where the wide ranges above resolve into something specific.
Italy
Amarone della Valpolicella
Dried-grape red of enormous concentration: 15–16% alcohol, dried-fruit intensity, and technically dry.
Italy
Valpolicella
Light, high-acid, sour-cherry red from the hills north of Verona — the fresh counterpart to Amarone.
Italy
Valpolicella Ripasso
Valpolicella re-passed over the drained skins of Amarone, gaining body, alcohol and dried-fruit character.
Italy
Recioto della Valpolicella
The sweet original from which Amarone accidentally descended — dried Corvina grapes, fermentation stopped early.
Where it grows
- Valpolicella — Italy
If you like Corvinone, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Valpolicella Ripasso
Both are made from corvinone, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.
Expect it to be spicier, and more oaky.
Rondinella
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.
Ciliegiolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be lighter, and drier.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
Rondinella
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more restrained in fruit.
Valpolicella
Both are made from corvinone, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.
Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.
Colorino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be drier, and more restrained in fruit.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Valpolicella
Both are made from corvinone, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.
Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.
Dornfelder
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more floral, and lighter.
Grolleau
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be lighter, and lighter in alcohol.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Amarone della Valpolicella
Both are made from corvinone, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.
Expect it to be spicier, and more oaky.
Primitivo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.
Alicante Bouschet
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more oaky, and drier.
What to eat with it
Ranked by WineHQ's pairing engine, which reasons from the structure of the dish.
Fillet steak
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Turkey
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Roast chicken
Works because a substantial dish needs a wine of matching weight.
Pork
Works because a substantial dish needs a wine of matching weight.
Asparagus
Works because ripe fruit counterbalances bitterness where more bitterness would not.
Mushroom pasta
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
What to avoid with it
Dishes the pairing engine scores badly, and the principle that explains why. A short list: most things are fine.
Tuna
Noticeable tannin is a risk with fish even where the wine is otherwise a reasonable weight.
Thai salads
High alcohol will make the dish taste noticeably hotter.
Salmon in a cream sauce
Noticeable tannin is a risk with fish even where the wine is otherwise a reasonable weight.
Bacalhau
Noticeable tannin is a risk with fish even where the wine is otherwise a reasonable weight.
How to serve it
Temperature
15–17°C
59–63°F · Cellar cool
Most modern rooms are warmer than this. Twenty to thirty minutes in the fridge before serving usually gets a red into range.
Decanting
Optional — it will not hurt, and may help a little
Dense, full-bodied wines tend to open up and show more aroma after time in a decanter.
Glass
Universal wine glass
A medium tulip-shaped glass handles almost everything well. If you own one set of glasses, this is the set to own — the difference between a good universal glass and a grape-specific one is far smaller than the difference between a good glass and a bad one.
Ageing
Most wines made from this grape are for drinking now, but certain styles reward keeping.
Distinct from Corvina despite the name, and one of the varieties dried for Amarone. In fresh Valpolicella it is for early drinking; in Amarone and Recioto the concentration from drying, not the grape itself, is what supports decades.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof