Vineyards, Corsica is popular

Jérôme Peleyras | 8/23/22, 10:00 AM

Vermentino, sciaccarello or niellucio... sound familiar? Yet these endemic Corsican grape varieties are invading our tables. The hype surrounding Corsican wines is perfectly justified: not only are they interesting to taste, but they also provide an answer to the challenges posed by global warming.

Enhancing the value of indigenous grape varieties

Vines have been grown on the Isle of Beauty since ancient times, but the phylloxera crisis in the 19th century almost wiped out the vineyards here, as it did in mainland France. It was not until the 1960s that it rose from the ashes, reaching a surface area of 27,000 ha in 1976. At that time, the Corsicans, like many others, opted for high-yield, production-oriented viticulture. This strategy led to a major crisis in the vineyard - 20,000 ha were grubbed up with the support of Europe, which paid premiums in compensation.

In the 1980s, Corsica turned to quality production, with a simple but new idea: to promote endemic grape varieties such as sciaccarello, vermentino and niellucio, which today account for 73% of Corsica's PDO grape varieties. This dynamic was supported by the creation of the Centre de Recherche Viticole de Corse (CRVI) in 1982. In 2009, six endemic grape varieties with lilting names - aleatico, minustello, carcajolo noir, biancu gentile, codivarta, genovese - were introduced into the Corsican PDO specifications by this center. And the CRVI is currently carrying out research on some fifty grape varieties.

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Grape varieties outside standardization

While Merlot, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can be found in every corner of the globe, the strength of Corsica's vineyards lies in their ability to make the most of grape varieties with a real taste for their identity. Take sciaccarello, originally from Ajaccio, a grape variety with a rich aromatic palette. It generally produces wines of light color, with aromas of red fruits (blackcurrant, cherry, raspberry) combined with a bouquet of spices (pepper, garrigue, cinnamon) and a long, complex finish. What do the people want? A particularity that is exported far beyond France's borders. Corsican vineyards account for just 1% of French production, but export 20% of their volumes.

"It's crazy to start harvesting on August 7! Honestly, today, there are no more rules."

An early vintage for 2022

The summer of 2022 was extremely hot on the Isle of Beauty, with temperatures regularly climbing to around 39-40 degrees: "For the past three or four years, we've been seeing an acceleration in global warming, and we didn't think it would be so sudden. These high temperatures have got us thinking about the ripeness and acidity of our wines! The major issue is the lack of water. The lack of rainfall and our very old water reservoirs are a real problem! "says Éric Poli, President of the Conseil interprofessionnel des vins de Corse (CIVC).

Indeed, for several months now, water resources have been at their lowest, even if a few storms have accompanied the start of the harvest:"It's crazy to start harvesting on August 7! Honestly, today, there are no more rules. It all depends on the grape variety, exposure and whether the vines are irrigated," continues Éric Poli. Harvesting has begun on early grape varieties such as biancu gentile and muscats à petits grains and, despite the unusual temperatures, the vines seem to have suffered less than elsewhere: "The 2022 vintage promises to be of very good quality, even if yields will be down by around 10 to 15%. Nevertheless, some grape varieties are suffering from the heat, such as Sciaccarello, and are beginning to wilt," says our interviewee.

Global warming is a subject of concern to Corsican winegrowers: "Global warming means we have to adapt. We're looking atadapting our farming practices and replanting endemic varieties," concludes Éric Poli. So, native grape varieties still have a bright future ahead of them...

Want a taste? Here are our 5 favorite cuvées to discover these indigenous grape varieties.

AOC Corsica

Clos Fornelli

"La Robe d'Ange

2019

Dry white

At the foot of the Castagniccia massif, Josée Vanucci and her husband Fabrice produce highly accomplished wines. "La Robe d'Ange" is a 100% vermentino cuvée. It's a round, well-balanced wine that gives pride of place to floral and citrus aromas. A vermentino that goes perfectly with fish and seafood meals. Ideal for late summer.

Vin de France (Calvi)

Clos Culombu

"Storia Di e Signore

2020

Dry white

Clos Columbu has recently been experimenting with cuvées produced with indigenous grape varieties. The "Storia Di e Signore" cuvée is a blend of 25% vermentino and 75% brustianu, cualtacciu, biancu gentile, codiverta, riminèse and genovese. This atypical white offers a broad palette of aromas, from apple to apricot. The finish is saline and salivating. The second glass is long overdue.

AOP Ajaccio

Domaine Vaccelli

"Granit

2018

Red

The estate's iconic cuvée, "Granit" is a 100% gourmet sciaccarello. On the palate, we discover aromas of black fruits (blackberry, black raspberry, blackcurrant) and scents of garrigue. A powerful wine with silky tannins. A cuvée that should be served with a meal. Don't forget to decant it for an hour or two to allow all its aromas to develop. A great wine from the Isle of Beauty.

Wine from France

Clos Canereccia

"Amphora Carcaghjolu Neru

2018

Red

Clos Canereccia loves to magnify native grape varieties, and this 100% black carcajolo is no exception. As its name suggests, this cuvée has the particularity of being aged in amphora, and this results in a wine profile that's easy-drinking and elegant. In terms of aromas, we find both black fruits and spices. The aromas are clean and long-lasting. A curiosity to be discovered as soon as possible.

AOC Muscat du Cap Corse

Domaine Yves Leccia

2017

Sweet white

Generally shunned by consumers, Muscats du Cap Corse are well worth a detour. This cuvée produced by Domaine Yves Leccia is a 100% muscat petit grain. This golden-yellow sweet wine reveals aromas of white flowers, honey and spices. The finish is full of freshness. Enjoy as a dessert at the end of a meal.

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