Grape Variety: Cornalin

Colour:

Red

An powerful red grape traditionally used in the Swiss Valais and the northern Italian enclave of Valle d’Aosta and blended with other indigenous red grapes in the area, particularly in the wines of Torrette - of which ourTorrette ‘Clos de Chateau Feuillet’ from Cantina di Barro ( Stefania Rini, Villeneuve, Valle d’Aosta) is such a sterling example yoking together some local eccentrics such as Petit Rouge with Vien de Nus, Neblou, Mayolet, Cornalin and Fumin. 

But what exactly is Cornalin? This following piece of research should help to elucidate the origins of this Alpine grape variety:

Microsatellite analysis of ancient alpine grape cultivars: pedigree reconstruction of Vitis vinifera L. ‘Cornalin du Valais’
Auteur(s) / Author(s)

VOUILLAMOZ J ; MAIGRE D ; MEREDITH C. P.

Ancient and closely related grape cultivars from the Alps were analyzed with 50 microsatellite markers: ‘Comalin’, ‘Humagne Rouge’ and ‘Goron’ from Valais (Switzerland); ‘Cornalin’, ‘Petit Rouge’ and ‘Mayolet’ from the Aosta Valley (Italy). Our results confirmed previous studies showing that the ‘Cornalin’ cultivars from Switzerland and Italy are distinct, and that ‘Humagne Rouge’ is identical to ‘Cornalin’ from the Aosta Valley. We propose the nomenclature ‘Cornalin du Valais’ and ‘Cornalin d’Aoste’ in order to prevent further confusion.

Consider this paean to the grape: “Cornalin gives grudgingly of its fruit, demanding the sites best exposed to the sun, and is late-ripening and capricious; it has broken the hearts of generations of winegrowers. It owes its return to centre stage alongside the great varieties to its supremely aristocratic character. With its violet robe, it offers a deliciously complex bouquet and a perfect body, a turbulent but splendid youthfulness, that age transcends in accumulated finesse.”