Ah, Corvina. A very much under-appreciated grape in my opinion. It’s the key grape in Amarone, which is probably how many people know it. That’s a shame. I have nothing against Amarone, but it is made from partially-dried grapes, and tends to be big and hearty. A winter wine that doesn’t really let the grape since, if you ask me. (And since you are reading this, we’ll pretend you did.)
Corvina, without being dried, makes a refreshing, light red wine. Or it can, assuming it’s been treated well. It’s the main grape not only in Amarone, but Valpolicella, which is the region the grape is best known for. Especially as the days get longer and the weather a bit warmer, I’ll probably pick up a Corvina wine when I see it. So, I did.
In the glass
Pale, ruby, clear. Or, ruby with a hint of strawberry. The colour, not the taste. It’s pretty, even if it does remind me of liquid Jello for some reason. Hopefully (and presumably) tastes better than liquid Jello. (At a posh dinner I was once served a sort of cold strawberry soup as the dessert. I’m still pretty sure it was just liquid Jello.)
The nose
Hint of bright red fruits and cherries. Hint of spice. Imagine, if you can, a summertime version of a Christmas pudding. That’s what I’m smelling. Or getting hints of, at any rate.
The palate
‘Oh, yum.’ Thus start my notes. Light body, medium-plus acidity. Bright. It tastes bright and cheerful. Light, fine tannins. Not picking up on the spices as much as I did on the nose, but I think there’s an even fainter hint. It’s mostly cherries on the palate for me.
It’s refreshing. After the initial tasting, I’m having it with some cheese and bresaola. I don’t have to debate with myself – the cork gets pulled on this one. It goes well with the food, but also quite easy to drink on its own.
Better slightly chilled, I think. ‘Bright’ keeps showing up in my notes, so I’ll mention it here again.
Rating
Yummy-plus overall, pretty on visuals. This is an easy wine to like. What a good Corvina should be, really. Would go well with friends. Maybe some day I’ll get some and see.
Sustainability
Organic grapes and wild / spontaneous fermentation
The technical info
100% Corvina, £13.49 from King Street Cellar