Monte del Frà, a family-owned estate spanning 140 hectares, centres on the 18-hectare Lena di Mezzo vineyard in Valpolicella Classico, east of Fumane near Lake Garda and the Alps. Primary grapes include Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, and Rondinella for Valpolicella styles, alongside those for Amarone and other Veneto classics.

Veneto, located in northeastern Italy, is one of the country’s most productive and diverse wine regions, known for both quantity and quality. Stretching from the foothills of the Alps to the Adriatic Sea, it benefits from a variety of microclimates and soil types, enabling the successful cultivation of numerous grape varieties.

The region’s climate is largely temperate, with warm summers and cold winters. The Alps provide shelter from harsh northern weather, while breezes from Lake Garda and the Adriatic Sea help to moderate temperatures and reduce disease pressure. These climatic influences support healthy ripening and maintain good acidity in the grapes.

Veneto is home to several renowned wine areas, including Valpolicella, Soave, and the Prosecco-producing hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. In Valpolicella, native red varieties such as Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara are used to produce a range of wines, from fresh Valpolicella Classico to powerful Amarone della Valpolicella. Soave focuses on white wines made primarily from Garganega, offering citrus, almond, and floral notes.

Prosecco, made mainly from the Glera grape, has become one of the world’s most popular sparkling wines. Other important grapes include Merlot, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay, reflecting the region’s balance of tradition and international appeal.

Corvina is a red grape variety native to Italy’s Veneto region, most famously used in the production of Valpolicella, Amarone, and Recioto wines. It is prized for its bright acidity, moderate tannins, and vibrant red fruit character, often showing notes of sour cherry, plum, herbs, and almond.

Corvina is a late-ripening grape with thick skins, which makes it well-suited to the appassimento process—where grapes are partially dried after harvest to concentrate sugars and flavours. This technique is essential in producing the powerful and age-worthy Amarone and the sweet, luscious Recioto della Valpolicella. In fresh styles like Valpolicella Classico, Corvina contributes brightness, freshness, and aromatic lift.

Corvina is typically blended with other regional varieties such as Rondinella and Molinara, though single-varietal examples are increasingly common. It thrives on well-drained hillside vineyards with calcareous or volcanic soils, particularly around Verona.

Outside Italy, Corvina is rarely planted but has small experimental holdings in countries like Australia and the U.S., where producers are exploring its potential in both dry and appassimento-inspired styles.