Vitis vinifera Croatina - Grapevine

Vitis vinifera 'Croatina' is a variety of wine grape. It is an old "red" grape variety, cultivated in the regions of Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, but also in certain parts of Piedmont and Veneto, but very little known in other wine-growing countries. It has similar characteristics to 'Dolcetto' in that it tends to produce fruity wines, deep in colour and slightly tannic that benefit from bottle ageing. It is also a blending grape, especially with Barbera. Its fairly large clusters are composed of berries with a chalky, fairly thick, blackish-blue skin. This vine ripens late, in late September or early October. It particularly likes deep, clay-loam or clay-limestone soils.

The wine grape (Vitis vinifera) grew wild over 5000 years ago. Many hybrids have been created to vary colours, flavours, and uses. The 'Croatina' vine is a very old Italian variety. Its synonym 'Bonarda' leads to confusion with the Bonarda from Piedmont, with which it has no parentage. In Italy, it is both vinified alone as a dry, sweet, or even sparkling wine; or blended with other varieties such as black Barbera or Nebbiolo.

Croatina is a vigorous climbing shrub which can reach up to 5m. Its final shape will depend on the pruning practised. The sun-loving vine attaches itself to its support (trellis, espalier...) thanks to its tendrils. It has a semi-erect to horizontal habit. It is advisable to train it on wire and support it well. It is indifferent to the nature of the soil and undemanding, but it still prefers clay-loam or clay-limestone soils. It will require careful bud pruning. Its deeply cut foliage is a deep green in summer, with the edges of its leaves turning red in autumn. It flowers in clusters in May, with very small greenish flowers. Its medium-sized clusters of grapes ripen in October, depending on the region. The fairly large, cylindrical-conical, compact, winged clusters, with thin and long peduncles, are composed of medium-sized, spherical, short or slightly ellipsoidal berries, with a fairly thick and tough chalky skin. The flesh is juicy and the juice is colourless with a simple flavour. This grape variety produces a tannic, supple wine with moderate acidity and a very slight bitterness when young. It reveals aromas of charcoal, black tea leaves, smoke, wild berries (blackcurrant, cherry, blackberry), undergrowth, and old leather.

The 'Croatina' vine is vigorous and productive, but it has a tendency to alternate, so it is best to prune it to a medium length. It is sensitive to winter cold, quite resistant to powdery mildew and grey rot except in very rainy years. It is slightly less resistant to downy mildew, drought, and stem desiccation.

Grapes are consumed as wine after vinification.