🍇 Croatina

Croatina is a red wine grape from northern Italy. In the Oltrepò Pavese zone of Lombardy it is made into Bonarda dell'Oltrepò Pavese. The technical file of this appellation calls Croatina a symbol of the area. In 2000 the variety covered 3,280 ha in Italy.

The confusion over names is old: VIVC lists 42 synonyms of Croatina, among them Bonarda and Bonarda di Rovescala. That is why in Oltrepò a wine from Croatina is called "Bonarda". The parents are unknown, but an offspring is known: according to VIVC, DNA markers confirm that Ruchè is a cross of Malvasia Aromatica di Parma with Croatina.

Bonarda dell'Oltrepò Pavese became a separate appellation in 2010. The main grapes in the file are Croatina, Uva Rara and Vespolina; Croatina, the file says, grows throughout the area and gives both light sparkling wines and great wines. The wine is an intense ruby colour and can be dry, off-dry or medium sweet, sometimes lightly sparkling (vivace) or frizzante; the minimum strength is 12 % vol., and 11 % for frizzante.

The area under Croatina is shrinking: VIVC records 4,428 ha in 1990 and 3,280 ha in 2000.

Why it matters to you. Bonarda from Oltrepò Pavese is the name of a wine made from Croatina; the word frizzante on the label means lightly sparkling. A grape named on an EU wine guarantees at least 85 % of that grape. Red wines are served at 15–18 °C.