Rondinella

Also known as: Rondinella Veronese (Verona)

The name means „little swallow“ – perhaps because of the pointed leaf shape. Rondinella is the second force in Valpolicella, always in the slipstream of Corvina. But without it, the blend would be incomplete: Rondinella brings colour, tannin and a certain rustic spice that gives substance to the elegant Corvina. During the appassimento drying process for Amarone and Ripasso, it holds up particularly well.

In Valpolicella Classico, Ca‘ La Bionda and Fidora both rely on traditional cuvées with a substantial proportion of Rondinella. Both show what the variety can do when it’s not just treated as filler material: earthy depth and a tart-fruity character that ages well.