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Croatina is a traditional red grape variety from Northern Italy (the Lombardy and Piedmont regions). It produces very juicy, fruity, and deeply colored red wines, surprising with soft tannins. Smelling of dark cherries, plums, and light earth tones, Croatina wines are a perfect, unpretentious choice for an everyday table and cozy evenings.
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Italy
This variety is very rarely seen on a label under its true name. Most often, it is sold under regional names or hides in traditional blends.
In Lombardy (in the Oltrepò Pavese zone), a popular 100% Croatina wine is produced, but on the label, it is called Bonarda dell'Oltrepò Pavese. This wine is often lightly sparkling (Frizzante) and has a small amount of residual sugar that highlights the cherry jam flavor. In Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna, Croatina is mostly blended with Barbera or Nebbiolo varieties to soften the blend's acidity and provide it with more roundness and color intensity.
Due to its bright fruitiness and softer structure, Croatina is a highly flexible food partner. Lightly sparkling Bonarda style wines pair fantastically with traditional Italian meat snacks (salami), pork sausages, and richer pasta dishes. Dry, still versions will perfectly match pizza, roasted poultry, and light stews.
In Italian wine history, names often cause confusion. In the 19th century, winemakers in Lombardy noticed that the Croatina variety closely resembled another famous regional variety—Bonarda Piemontese. Because of this similarity and for commercial reasons, Croatina wines started being called Bonarda. Today, Bonarda dell'Oltrepò Pavese is an official DOC wine made from Croatina berries.
Usually not. The charm of this variety is its youthful, deep, and juicy fruitiness. Both lightly sparkling and still versions are best when drunk within 1–3 years of the harvest. Long aging in barrels or bottles is not typical for this variety, as it naturally lacks the tannin structure that guarantees longevity.
