Corvina - Grape Variety

Corvina Veronese (to give it its full name) is an Italian red grape variety. It is the staple grape of Veneto red wines Valpolicella and Bardolino, where it is blended with the inferior Rondinella (one of its offspring) and Molinara. Corvina is perhaps named for its colour, being that of the feathers of a crow (corvo), or from the word cruina, meaning unripe (relating to the late-ripening characteristic of the variety). Corvina's thick skins ensure it is well-suited to the  apassimento process of air-drying grapes, used to make Amarone. This grape variety is part of the Refosco group: it is a child of Refosco dal Pedunculo Rosso, ergo related to Marzemino, Teroldego and Lagrein.