Dare to Try Wines From Corsica?

LATE EXPANSION

Corsica's vineyards stretch along the island's entire coastline. It is a Mediterranean land where the vine grew wild and was domesticated by the Greeks in the 6th century BC, then developed more intensively by the Romans. In the Middle Ages, it was the religious orders that gave a new impetus to vine growing. If in the 18th and 19th centuries, Corsican wines were imposing on Europe, the island being able to export easily to the continent thanks to the arrival of the railway in Sète, the dreaded phylloxera, oidium and the world wars collapsed the production. It took almost a century to regain its reputation, until the 1960s: the arrival of many repatriates from North Africa and the possibility of chaptalizing the wines led to a six-fold increase in the area planted and the massive introduction of grape varieties from the continent. Viticulture was relaunched with the planting of high-yielding grape varieties. New vineyards in the east and south of Corsica were planted by winegrowers from Algeria in the 1960s. The old vineyards are recognisable as covering narrow terraces on flat hills.

THE ISLAND OF FORTY GRAPE VARIETIES

The region is divided into 9 appellations of controlled origin from which the most famours are Ajaccio AOC, Corse AOC, Figari AOC, Muscat du Cap Corse AOC, Patrimonio AOC. There is also a protected geographical appellation called Île de Beauté IGP. The area of wine production covers the whole island, however most of the wines are produced along the eastern plain or on the edge of the mountains, at the foot of the hilltop villages.

The Corsican style is halfway between the influence of the French mainland (only 300 km away) and an Italian touch, notably through common grape varieties, such as Vermentìnu and Niellùciu.

For the rest, the vast majority of Corsica's grape varieties are Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Merlot, Carignan (for red wines), Vermentino, Muscat, Chardonnay, Ugni Blanc (for white wines), but also indigenous varieties: Sciaccaréllu, Carcaghjòlu Nèru, Aleàticu, Minustellu or Barbaròssa (red varieties), Carcaghjòlu biancu, Cudivèrta, Pagadèbiti, Biancone, Biancu Gentile, Genovese, or even Riminese (white varieties).

Some of these indigenous grape varieties are still confidential and do not enter into the making of the AOC, but they are real stars in the making and they will ensure a promising future for the prestige of Corsican wines.

Sciaccaréllu, in particular with Niellùciu and Vermentìnu are the grape varieties that make Corsica proud. Sciaccaréllu, which means "crunchy", reigns supreme in the granite parts of the island, particularly around Ajaccio and Sartène. It gives an authentic wild fruitiness with a peppery bouquet. It gives fine red and rosé wines, recognised for their high quality and typicity.

Niellùciu contributes to the reputation of Patrimonio wines. The magic of Patrimonio is the alchemy between a terroir sheltered from the vagaries of the sea and a dark and rich grape variety with accents of Italian nobility, Niellùciu. The grape variety is originally from Tuscany where it is called Sangiovese, famous for making Chianti wines. Niellùciu produces red wines with an alcohol content between 13.5 and 15%, with a very deep colour and a dense bouquet of red fruits, violets and a woody note that evolves into aromas of spices and maquis flowers. The red wines from Patrimonio are known for their very good ageing potential. These are noble wines, with a strong emphasis on fruit and flesh. Fans of powerful wines will be delighted.

Vermentìnu offers dry white wines of very high quality. A real explosion of floral, apple and almond aromas on the palate.

As you can see, the grape varieties rhyme with heritage and constitute a strong local identity.