Domaine Antoine-Marie Arena
Patrimonio AOP · Corsica · imported exclusively for Belgium since 2017 by Vin de Corse
In the world of Corsican wine, the Arenas are pioneers. Pioneers of what? Of the revival of Corsican grape varieties, of healthy viticulture and of a great deal of hand work — no artifice, in the vineyard as much as in the cellar. They have been winegrowers from father to son for generations, in a corner of the island called Patrimonio.
Patrimonio, the first AOC in Corsica
Patrimonio was recognised in 1968 as the very first AOC in Corsica. The appellation takes its name from the village overlooking the valley. The vines grow in the shadow of a limestone cliff; higher and lower on the slope lie the Carco and Les Hauts de Carco plots.
Limestone, clay and a strong maritime influence: that combination gives the wines of Patrimonio their salinity, their tension and their length.
From father to son
It was Antoine and Marie who really put the estate on the map in the 1970s and 80s, before handing over — not entirely — to their two sons: Jean-Baptiste, the elder, and Antoine-Marie, the younger. Since 2014 there have been three labels at the Arenas: the parents’, who carry on, and one for each of the two sons.
This page presents the wines of Antoine-Marie. We have imported them exclusively for Belgium since January 2017.
His own cellar, his own style
Antoine-Marie worked at the family estate for a good ten years. Having started on the ground floor of the family house, he has been making wine since 2019 in his own cellar, right across the road. With the experience gained at the estate, the knowledge passed on by his father and the encounters with his parents’ friends — sommeliers, chefs, winegrowers — he has found his own way.
His wines rest on fine acidity, expressive fruit and a constant search for balance between Mediterranean ripeness and freshness. The fruit of the local varieties comes through with an elegance and a finesse that are worth the detour.
The estate at a glance
| Appellation | Patrimonio AOP |
| Vineyard | 4.6 ha — 2.24 ha red, 2.36 ha white |
| Production | ± 20,000 bottles a year |
| Harvest | By hand |
| Vine age | 30 years on average |
| Red varieties | Niellucciu 60%, Carcaghjolu Neru 20%, Morescone 20% |
| White varieties | Vermentinu 50%, Bianco Gentile 30%, Muscat à petits grains 20% |
