The “Ile de Beauté” (“Beautiful Island”) multiple differences of soils and grapes make wines for every palate but also for every moment: Muscat for the aperitif, red with the famous wild boar and white with goat cheese, mostly to be drunk young and fresh. This is also the island I have spent many of my summer holidays as a kid. In the middle of mountains and grapes, I was able to experiment the Corsican culture and unique food tradition but haven’t been allowed to sip a single drop of their wonderful wines. Luckily, there are a few Corsicans in Paris that like to share their passion for wine, so I can take revenge on my very frustrating childhood.

The wonderful and diverse nature makes the particularity of Corsica’s wines. Full of sun, west Corsica is the most enlighten part of France. Indeed, the island is a natural paradise with mountains going until 2000 meters, which dive into the sea bordering the coasts. These unique geographical conditions allow the heat to cool down and create multiple tempered climates perfect for the traditional 30 grapes’ varieties planted on Corsica’s different soils.

Corsican wines are not born yesterday – 2500 years ago, the Greek already voted the island as the most beautiful of the Mediterranean Sea, the Romans continued to grow vines and so did all the diverse inhabitants until today. In the 60s, Algerian colonials moved to Corsica and broke the tradition by planting new vines that gave more fruits that the previous ones in order to produce their daily table wine. This was the high pick of the Corsican viticulture in terms of quantity– more than 32 000 hectares (86 720 acres) – but unfortunately not quality. The low popularity of table wine in the 70s lead the island to bankruptcy.

Fortunately, wine makers changed mentality, they understood the importance of traditions and replanted the specific varieties of grapes that was first planted and naturally grown in the region. Corsica is now the third producing island in the Mediterranean sea behind Sardinia and Sicily The production is now reduced to not much mor e than 7000 hectares, , 9 millions US Gallons with an emphasis on quality that is drastically changing the bad reputation of their wines. The “vin de pays” is today at its best with very advantageous prices and represent three quarters of the production.

Even though Corsican saying tells “Omu di vinu un vale un quatrinu” (The man that drink doesn’t worth anything), today the quality freshness and fruitiness of Corsican wines is the trade mark of the “Ile de Beauté”. It is well known in the metropolitan France that Corsicans are proud of their culture as a general way of being, they are also especially proud of their grapes diversity, originality, and rarity. For a reason: their unique wines keep traditions up, they are on the best restaurants’ tables and play hard to get as the small quantity and transport difficulties don’t allow much exportation. As a result, Corsican wines are very little known around the globe. Even when producers put an emphasis on exportation, they don’t sale to everyone and carefully chose their clients. This is the example of Domaine Sant’Armettu wine maker, that has very diverse wines suited for all palates but who prefers to know the restaurateur before selling the wine from his 25 hectares.

Grape varieties are perfectly suited to the climate but also very little known, not to reassure the clients and make it easier to commercialize. Transmitted from a generation to the other, 3 grape varieties are mainly used:

Nielucciu: the Sangiovese from Italy (Tuscany). Dark red wines with much tannin. Makes wines that you can keep for a long time mostly found in Patrimonio where it is monocepage, also in other appellation where it is mixed with sciacarellu.

Sciacarellu: meaning “crunchy” is also a table grape– it gives very delicate wine, lightly colored and very fruity. You will also find spices and flowers. Used for red and rosé it is found in Ajaccio and Sartène.

Vermentinu (Malvoisie) is the main white grape of the island also found in Spain and Portugal where the climate is also dry and warm. Although white wine is made in less quantity in the island, wines made of Vermantinu are becoming increasingly popular. The quality of the wine, will depend upon the soil that can vary from very flowery and mineral flavors in Patrimonio to citrus and eucalyptus on the Balagne.

This Three main variety are found in 9 different appellations with the best wines on the coast:

local AOC:

• Ajaccio – Vines 500 high and above – the highest wine region in France
• Patrimonio – Patrimonio is the most famous appellation for Corsican wines.

regional AOC:

• Vin de Corse

Vin doux naturel:

• Muscat du Cap-Corse: also recognized for its uniqueness; sweet to dry depending on the soil.Muscats are found next to the Cap Corse on the North point of the Island.

Appellations Corse with a land or village name:

• Coteaux-du-cap-corse – very rare whites, the best of Corsica
• Calvi
• Porto-vecchio – and its famous Conte Peraldi
• Figari
• Sartène – fruity and warm.

Discovery from my Envoyé Spécial, connoisseur and citizen of Corsica – Laurent in direct from the island:

• Red Pumonte from Pierre Aquaviva in Balagne (near Calvi). It is made from a land of old Vementinu vines protected from the summer heat. This a dense, complex and fresh wine.
• Richard Spurr, new vine grower in Balagne is making the Clos des Anges that will mostly please women. His Irish and British blood didn’t mislead him and he is making a powerful and generous red.
• Crush of the Summer: Domaine Vecchio (Florence Giudicelli) white Chardonnay (vin de pays). Yes you must think this makes no sense but even though Chardonnay is not characteristic of Corsica, this wine made in a Californian way with grapes raised under the Corsican heat reveals the best of the grape. Original and fantastic wine!

Word of Mouth – Corsicans in Paris:

• Try the natural red from domaine Arena in Patrimonio. They also have good rosé, white and Muscats. You will find them in Paris in La Villa Corse, where you will also be able to taste some of the best recipes. Lavinia, and the two wine bars “Le Vin vole” in Paris will also be typical wine bars where you will find them.

• Still, my favorite place to drink Corsican wine is the new restaurant “Chez Vous” in the 9th district of Paris, at the foot of Montmatre, where you will find a red and a rosé from the Domaine Santamaria in Patrimonio at 15 Euros a bottle: the best quality to price ratio in town and a wonderful staff with good, simple and traditional cuisine.

Don’t hesitate if you are in need of sunlight and holiday flavors come visit Corsica and experiment the aromatic and multiple savors of original Corsican wines. You can’t be disappointed!

À a saluta (Cheers!)

Drink in Paris:

• “Chez Vous” (At Home), rue Choron, 75009 Paris

• “Le Verre volé” (The stolen glass), 67 rue Lancry 75010 Paris

• “La Vila Corse” 141 avenue Malakoff 75016 Paris

• “le Balbuzard” 54 rue René Boulanger – 75010 Tél: 01 42 08 60 20

Map from Wikipedia