Hereâs an affable late bloomer that is completely misunderstood. Few people including the vintners who grow this grape know what they have their hands on. Most insist their vines are the cherished Bonarda Piemontese. Others are pretty sure theirs are another Piemontese varietal, the Bonarda Novarese. While nobody wants to admit they grow the lesser Bonarda Oltrepo Pavese (aka the ordinary Croatina of Lombardy), some ampelographers insist that these hopeful growers are all mistaken. One thing is certain: the world thirsts after Argentine Bonarda. Carried by the wave of Italian immigrants in the 19th century, Bonarda was at one time the most widely planted varietal in all of Argentina and has had enjoyed a devoted following ever since. An aromatic varietal often cursed for its small bunches and low yields, Bonarda has a propensity to show a pleasant depth without much effort. It can be made to be light and fruity or matured to stentorian depth with a little help from barrel maturation. Bonardaâs milder ...
