Douce noir

Douce noir is a red grape with a French history in Savoie and a much wider life under other names. Corbeau is another French name, Charbono is familiar in California, and Argentina's Bonarda is the same variety. Following those names connects wines that might otherwise look like unrelated discoveries in different parts of a shop.

The word Bonarda needs particular care. Argentine Bonarda is Douce noir, while Bonarda Piemontese is a separate Italian grape; the Bonarda wine of the Oltrepò Pavese usually involves Croatina, another distinct variety. Neither a similar name nor a shared Italian association is enough to establish identity. The country, complete label and producer's grape information make the distinction useful in practice.

The wine can offer deep colour and generous berry fruit while retaining a fresh outline, but a Californian Charbono and an Argentine Bonarda need not have identical weight or oak influence. Choose a dry, fruit-led example with grilled meat, mushrooms or roast vegetables. If the aim is an easier dinner red, check the actual tannin and maturation rather than assuming that the grape's dark colour promises either power or softness.