The likely first quotation of Cardìn in historical documents is the sentence "Cardino dà buon vino." (“Cardino gives good wine.") by Count Nuvolone in 1787 (reference: Almanacco Agronomico). The same author indicated in 1798 a synonym of Cardìn (precisely the 'Montanera' from the area of Saluzzo) in a list of second-quality grapes from Piedmont. Some more information about this variety are reported in the eleventh issue of the Bulletino ampelografico (Di Rovasenda, 1879) where it is argued that "Montanera also serves as a table grape, mainly for its precocity; it also gives a colored and structured wine, but perhaps not so sturdy and long-living as the one made from Neiretta.".

A first reference description is published in the text "Vitigni del Piemonte" (Schneider et al., 2006).

Cardìn is the name used in Mondovì and ​​Dronero surroundings to indicate this variety, which shows many synonyms alongside the foot-alps of Piedmont: in Cuneo district is called Borsé, in the western Roero Matinera, near Pinerolo Neirano (to be not confused with another Neirano spread in the Langhe), in the Susa Valley Barbera du ciorniu and in the area of Canavese Cavajera or Dousèt vej (i.e.: ‘Old Dolcetto’ because like Dolcetto displays an early grape ripening and was cultivated there before Dolcetto’s introduction. The most common synonym, however, is the one of  Montanera, name used for Cardìn in the area of Saluzzo. Montanera is also called a different grape variety grown in the mountain part of Pinerolo territory, which must not been mistaken for Cardìn.

Except for several experimental trials, there are no commercial wine production from Cardìn. Its early ripening grapes (about a week earlier than Dolcetto) give wines of moderate acidity, provided with intense and potentially stable color.