The Croatina Grape

(Synonyms: Bonarda, Bonarda di Rovescala, Crovattina, Crovettina, Crovattino, Nebbiolo di Gattinara, Neretto, Spanna di Ghemme, Spanna-Nebbiolo, Uga del Zio, Uva Vermiglia)

Background

Croatina is a red-wine grape originating in Italy, where it is today grown in several regions, primarily Lombadry, but also including the Emilia Romagna, the Piedmont, and even the Veneto (where small amounts are allowed in Amarone). As “Oltrepò Pavese Bonarda” from the Lombardy, it can be a monovarietal, and must in any event be at least 85% Croatina; it can also appear as a monovarietal in Piemontese wines—as “Colli Tortonesi” (usually but not always 100%), “Cisterna d’Asti” (80% - 100%), or “Colline Novaresi Croatina” or “Coste della Sesia Croatina” (85% - 100%); in the various other Italian blends in which it occurs, the percentage is lower, often fairly small. (Its ultimate origin is probably, as the name suggests, Croatia, but Italy is where it is now established.)

The wines from Croatina are generally described as dark in color, fruity, and (as Jancis Robinson puts it), “with a certain bite” to them. Sources seem to differ on its ageworthiness, some saying it can benefit from bottle aging, others that it is intended to be drunk young; chances are that it depends on the particular bottling (riserva wines are aged 24 months minimum, and are probably the more likely candidates for further cellaring). Comparisons with Dolcetto are sometimes made. Croatina is as yet a minor player on the world stage, but it can make some quite satisfactory wines and is well worth attention.

Note that some Croatina wines are vinified somewhat off-dry, and even frizzante (sparkling); examine any potential purchase with care to avoid surprises.

Factoid: Croatia is also the probable source of such distinctively "Italian" wines as Primitivo (Zinfandel), the path from Croatia to northern Italy being relatively short.

Some Descriptions of Croatina Wines

Wikipedia
“Croatina has characteristics similar to the Dolcetto grape in that it tends to produce fruity, deeply colored wines that are mildly tannic and can benefit from bottle aging. Such is the case with the wine Oltrepò Pavese Bonarda DOC which contains from 85% to 100% Croatina (under its local name of ‘Bonarda’). However Croatina is often blended with Barbera, as in Gutturnio, a wine from Emilia-Romagna containing 30.0% – 45.0% Croatino. It may also be employed as a very minor part of a blend, as is the case with some examples of Amarone.”
Approach Guides, wine
“The mid- to late-ripening grape delivers wines with dark color, gushing fruit, low acidity and soft tannins, often resembling montepulciano or dolcetto in expression.”
Tradizione Italia
“The wine produced from this grape has a low tannin content; the result is a wine with a lack of ‘body’, but with intense aromas of red fruit.”
Wine Making Talk
“Croatina grape variety offers attractive wines at good value for money. Croatina wines are dark in color, spurting fruit, low acidity and soft tannins, similar to montepulciano or dolcetto varieties in aromas and flavors.”
Wein-Plus.eu
“The late-maturing, high yielding varieties provides tannic, fruity and rather young to be drinking red wine.”
Answers.com
“These DOC wines are soft and round, yet lively and fruity with characteristics of plums and cherries; they generally have a bitter finish.”
avvinare
“It is deep in color, not too acidic and slightly tannic. It is usually blended with other local grapes, depending on the region, either Barbera or Nebbiolo as well as some minor grapes such as Uva rara and Vespolina.”

Some Croatinas to Try

While Croatina wines are not actually rare in the U.S. market, the offerings—at least according to the leading wine-search engines—comprise a good variety of makers each of whose wines is available at a very limited number of retailers (usually just one is shown). In fact, we could only locate a couple in our price/quality range that seem available at all, and those we present below; but if you keep an eye open when wine shopping, or ask in well-run wine shops, you can probably locate a bottle or two to try. There are also few writeups of these wines, since Croatina is not [yet] well-known outside Italy; but, since the reviews that are out there are rather enthusiastic, it looks like this is a good varietal awaiting discovery. Be a pioneer!

For a Splurge

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This page was last modified on Saturday, 30 October 2021, at 11:26 pm Pacific Time.

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