Clos Fornelli
Corse AOP · Tallone · Bravone valley
The sixteen-hectare vineyard, in a single block, sits at the heart of a 45-hectare family property on the eastern foothills of the Castagniccia massif, in the valley of the Bravone.
From IBM to the Bravone
Josée Vanucchi grew up in the area and worked for several years at IBM in Paris with her husband Fabrice. Set on changing their lives, they took over the estate of Josée’s father in 2005 and produced their first vintage in 2006.
They inherited the family cellar with it. They restructured it completely while keeping a fine winemaking facility.
Indigenous varieties on clay and schist
The plantings consist of indigenous varieties — Vermentinu, Bianco Gentile, Genovese, Sciaccarellu and Niellucciu — whose oldest plots were planted more than forty years ago. The soil is clay mixed with gravel from the Bravone and schist from the erosion of the Castagniccia.
The microclimate created by sea and mountain is ideal for ripening the grapes in a region of hot dry summers and mild winters. All the wines are fermented with indigenous yeasts; they show fine fruit and gain in precision every year.
The estate at a glance
| Appellation | Corse AOP — Tallone |
| Vineyard | 21 ha in a single block — 14.2 ha red, 6.8 ha white |
| Family property | 45 ha |
| Production | ± 60,000 bottles a year |
| Harvest | By hand and by machine |
| Vine age | 23 years on average |
| Red varieties | Sciaccarellu 53%, Niellucciu 35%, Minustellu 12% |
| White varieties | Vermentinu 80%, Biancu Gentile 12%, Genovese 8% |
