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The grape Coda di Volpe (Fox tail) is an old white variety from Campania and there are specific historical references about this vine since the time of ancient Rome. Pliny the Elder had made mention in his “Naturalis Historia” a vine “Cauda Vulpium” suitable for building a pergola. Its name derives from the characteristic shape of the bunch, reminiscent of the fox tail. It is cultivated in Naples at the foothill of Vesuvius, and in Benevento, both in the area of Sannio and Taburno.
Until a few years ago it was considered a minor grape variety and was used mostly in blends with other varieties in the area. Vinified alone, and through the efforts of wine growers from Campania it has however shown that it can achieve very attractive levels.
Coda di Volpe has white small, regular, sub-round berries with yellow and waxy skin. The bunch is large, sparse, sometimes dense, and pyramidal with large, five-lobed, light green in color leaf.
This grape requires rich soil and good exposure, because of its low vigor.
The vine Coda di Volpe gives wines of pale straw gold color, with good acidity, medium-bodied and spicy and salty sensations on the palate.
The Corbina vine should not be confused with the Corvina, or rather the “Corbine” should not be confused with “Corvine”, although it is cited in many texts that in reality the two groups of varieties are united.
In the 19th century, the Corbina (or “Corbino”) was widespread throughout the Veneto, and at the end of the century the Lampertico cited at least nine varieties, divided into 3 groups. Only in the early 20th century, thanks to Marzotto, the difference between Corbine and Corvine was made clear, but, as already seen, the confusion still reigns today.
In Verona at the time both families of vines were cultivated, although Corvine were (as they are) spread in the territories of Bardolino and Valpolicella, while Corbine could be found in the low-Verona, in the area of Legnago in particular. They are widespread today in the provinces of Vicenza, Padua and Treviso.
Following the advent of phylloxera and the subsequent destruction of the vines in the Veneto, the rough character and excessive staining of Cobine meant that they were excluded from the recommended varieties for replanting, which contributed significantly to the reduction in cultivation of these varieties.
The berry is black, medium, spheroid with waxy, thick, blue-black skin. The bunch is medium, of medium firmness with a medium, pentagonal, five-lobed leaf.
The Corbina vine has decent vigor, not very high production in the hills but abundant in lowland areas.
The Corbina vine gives an intense ruby red wine, of fruity scent with hints of black cherry. On the palate what stands out is the pretty rough acidity of tannins. The wine's acidity makes it suitable for sparkling wine, especially in the sweet version, where the residual sugar makes up for the rather marked tannins.
The Corinto Nero grape, as the name suggests, is a Greek native grape, but it is now common in many regions of Europe, Greece (where it is known as Patras Currant or Kourenti) and Turkey in particular. In France the grape is called Marine noir.
The Corinto Nero is a very ancient grape, mentioned by Gallo in 1595, who in turn cites Pliny the Elder, who had referred to Corinto Nero as “Red Marina Grape”. Molon in 1906 refers to the variety using the name of “Passerina nera.” There are also two other varieties, the Corinto bianco and Corinto rosa (white and rose), less used and not related to Corinto Nero, apart from the presumably Greek origin. In the area of Reggio Emilia, Reggiano, the grape is known as “Tarmarina”.
The Corinto Nero berry is black, small or very small, spheroid with very waxy, tender, red-violet skin. The bunch is medium-small, conical, elongated, sometimes with one or two wings, and a medium-small, pentagonal, five-lobed leaf.
The Corinto Nero grape has poor yield, with a mid-early maturing, and it is suited to harsh conditions.
The Corinto Nero grape produces a light ruby red wine with an intense, fruity nose with hints of plum and spicy, with strong hints of black pepper. The palate is fresh, tannic, persistent.
The Cornalin grape, considered native to valle d'Aosta. Until the first half of the '800 Cornalin was one of the most common vines in the region. More recently, many native varieties with low diffusion, including Cornalin, have risked extinction until, at the end of the 80s, the Institut Agricole Régional of Aosta launched a campaign aimed to the recovery of native grape varieties, until then Cornallin survived only in a very few centuries-old vineyard. Thanks to the campaign, Cornalin has returned to be an integral part of the Aosta Valley wine heritage.
Cornalin is a vine of medium and high vigor, ripening very late. Its leaf is medium large and pentagonal in shape and the bunch of medium size and pyramidal shape, sometimes winged, with thin and pruinous skin, with a color, which in the ripening phase, tends to blue.
The wines produced with Cornalin have a ruby red color with an intense and complex nose, fruity and floral, with notes of wild strawberry and cherry and black pepper. On the palate the wine is warm, with a good structure with a pleasant acidity.
The Cortese grape, known locally in the Piedmont dialect as “corteis” and meaning “polite” in Italian, is a historic native white grape variety that has been cultivated in Piedmont since the 18th century. This noble varietal thrives particularly well in the southern part of the Alessandria province, stretching from Ovada to the Tortona hills, but it reaches its highest expression in the area surrounding Gavi, a charming village located southeast of Alessandria. It is here that Cortese is used to produce the region’s most celebrated white wine: Gavi DOCG.
Renowned for its refined character and natural balance, the Cortese grape consistently delivers high-quality white wines that are fresh, crisp, and vibrant. These wines are appreciated for their elegance, floral and citrus aromas, and clean mineral finish, making them a perfect match for seafood and delicate dishes. While Cortese wines are often enjoyed young for their lively freshness, the grape has also proven its ability to age gracefully, developing more complex and layered flavours over time when matured in the bottle.
In recent years, winemakers have explored the versatility of the Cortese grape, experimenting with both oak ageing and sparkling wine production. Particularly through the Charmat method, Cortese has shown promising results in creating fresh and aromatic sparkling wines that maintain the grape’s signature finesse and purity.
The increasing interest in the ageing potential and adaptability of Cortese confirms its importance not only as the backbone of Gavi but also as one of Italy’s finest white grape varieties.
The Corvina grape has unclear, although recent origins (the first references are of 1600) that suggest it is a native variety of the Valpolicella region. It owes its name probably to the intense color of the berries, very dark, almost black.
The Corvina grape is spread all over the Verona province, but is also present in Lombardy in the Garda area. Rarely it is vinified alone, even if in recent years, the trend is changing, the grape is part of the grapes allowed in one of the greatest Italian wines, Amarone della Valpolicella, but also the other wines of the Valpolicella and Bardolino appellations.
The Corvina berry is black and of medium size with thick, blue-violet colored skin, covered with abundant bloom. The bunch is medium, cylindrical pyramidal, compact, often equipped with a wing and with a medium, pentagonal and five-lobed leaf.
The Corvina grape adapts to different forms of training and pruning, it is a delicate grape, and produces deep red wine with fruity noses, slightly tannic and rich in acidity.
In the past, the variety Corvinone was mistakenly considered a biotype of Corvina and got its independence only recently (1993), making now obsolete the term ”Corvine” that was used to indicate the whole “family” of vines. The grape Corvinone is widely grown in Veneto and used in the Valpolicella blends.
The name Corvinone may have come from the almost black colour that recalls the plumage of the raven, or from “corba”, the basket in which the grapes were transported, a name that is common in various local synonyms (“corbina”).
The Corvinone berry is black, big, bigger than the Corvina, ellipsoidal with waxy, blue-black skin. The bunch is large, pyramidal, with one or two wings, medium compact with a large, elongated pentagonal, five-lobed leaf. The vine prefers alluvial soils, stony, hilly and ventilated, with good exposure.
The Corvinone grape creates wines of ruby red colour, with deep flavours, fruity, sometimes spicy and smoot, with body and tannins.
The Croatina grape is a lesser-known yet highly distinctive red grape variety, originally believed to have roots in Croatia, although it has found its true home in northern Italy, particularly in regions such as Lombardy, Piedmont, and Emilia-Romagna. This variety is often compared to Dolcetto, due to its ability to produce deeply coloured, fruit-forward wines with noticeable tannins and good ageing potential. Wines made from Croatina tend to exhibit rich flavours of dark berries, plum, and spice, along with a robust structure that makes them ideal for both blending and single-varietal expressions.
In the Roero region, Croatina is sometimes referred to as Bonarda, though it should not be confused with the unrelated Bonarda Piemontese grape. This synonym has caused some confusion, but true Croatina retains its own unique identity and style. Its firm tannins and vibrant acidity make it a great component in various blends, particularly when winemakers aim to enhance a wine’s complexity and ageing ability.
Croatina is also used in the production of Amarone, where it contributes to the wine's deep colour, intensity, and structure. Whether vinified on its own or as part of a blend, Croatina offers a compelling balance of fruitiness, body, and character, making it a hidden gem among Italian red grape varieties.
Ideal for wine lovers who appreciate bold, flavourful reds with ageing potential, Croatina wines pair beautifully with hearty dishes such as roasted meats, aged cheeses, and rich pasta sauces. As interest in indigenous and lesser-known grape varieties continues to grow, Croatina stands out as a grape worth discovering.
The Damaschino grape has ancient and uncertain origins, even if the name could refer to the city of Damascus, and we could assume a Syrian origin. Supposedly, it came to Sicily, and in particular in the area of Trapani, during the Arab domination.
This vine is mentioned for the first time in 1868 by Mendola, a famous ampelographer from Agrigento.
The Damaschino grape was used in the reconstruction of vineyards in Marsala affected by phylloxera, and its wine was particularly sought as an ideal pairing with seafood.
But the Damaschino was gradually replaced with the Catarratto, more resistant to mildew and rot. We still find it among the varieties suitable for the production of Marsala DOC.
The berry is white, medium or medium-large, spheroid with waxy, not very consistent, greenish yellow skin with brown spots where most exposed to the sun. The bunch is large or very large, pyramidal or conical-pyramidal, winged, usually compact with a large, orbicular, sometimes kidney-shaped or wedge-shaped leaf with 5, 7, 9 or 11 lobes.
The Damaschino vine has high vigor and abundant production.
Its wine is of straw-yellow color. The scent is very intense, with fruity notes. The flavor is of little body and easy to drink.
The Dindarella vine is a red grape variety, present in the Veronese, but with very limited diffusion. Another variety typical of the area, the Pelara, has recently been classified as a biotype of Dindarella.
Acerbi in 1825 cited the Dindarella and Pelara (at the time marked varieties) as present in the Veronese, in particular in the Valpolicella. Genetically speaking, Dindarella has considerable affinity with the Rondinella and a little less with the Corvina.
In the ‘70s the Experimental Institute for Viticulture in Conegliano effected a recovery attempt, after which in 1987 the Dindarella entered in the National Register of Grapevine Varieties.
The berry is black, medium, and irregular, with obvious navel and with waxy, solid, red-blue skin. The bunch is large, medium compact, pyramidal, with one or two wings and with a pentagonal, medium-large, five-lobed leaf.
The Dindarella vine has good vigor and also good production.
The Dindarella vine gives a deep ruby red wine. The scent is fruity with hints of underbrush and more obvious hints of stewed fruit and spices.
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