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Bonarda: Argentina’s Second Most Planted Grape

Bonarda: Argentina’s Second Most Planted Grape

Most people are familiar with Argentinian wines made from the Malbec grape. Did you know that the second-most-planted grape in Argentina is Bonarda? The grape was brought to Argentina in the 19th century and was thought to be the Bonarda del Piedmont grape, from Italy. DNA studies in 2009 changed that thought, when it was discovered that the Bonarda in Argentina is actually the Corbeau Noir—a grape from Savoie in the French Alps. The name Argentina was placed behind the name Bonarda, to differentiate it from the Italian variety of the same name. Other synonyms for Bonarda, in addition to Corbeau Noir, include Charbono and Douce Noir.