Corsican wine and its clichés
Four stubborn clichés, and what they are worth
Corsican wine gets a few labels stuck to it that rarely survive contact with the facts. Here are four of them.
“Corsican wines are…”
As in every wine region in the world, nothing can be generalised about the style of the wines. Corsica has nine appellations, countless grape varieties, varied terroirs, microclimates and aspects, and some 130 winemakers producing a great diversity of wines. A single winemaker often makes several styles, from light to powerful.
“They are heavy and full of alcohol”
Given the southern location and Corsican Julys and Augusts, you might compare the style to that of the Languedoc or the Roussillon. But Corsica sits at an average altitude of 450 metres and enjoys both a mountain and a maritime climate. That tempers the Mediterranean position considerably.
“Corsican wine is expensive”
That depends what you compare it to: expensive next to Bordeaux, next to Burgundy? Corsican growers import their dry goods from the mainland; corks, bottles and cases cost more. The best growers work by hand, with limited yields and a manual harvest. And there are of course cooperatives on the island selling their wine at four euros a bottle.
“There are no great wines in Corsica”
When we think of the great wines of France we mostly think of Bordeaux, Burgundy or the Rhône, for their prestigious appellations, their grands crus or their legendary châteaux. It is easy to forget a few regions along the way. Today the best Corsican wines are on the tables of the better restaurants in Brussels, Paris, New York and London. Look at the lists of Michelin-starred restaurants and you will come across the names Abbatucci, Arena, Vaccelli and Giudicelli.
Can Corsican wines age well?
As in every wine region, only a relatively small part of total production is made to improve with the years. Corsica is no exception — but in certain cuvées from the best growers the wines age beautifully.
Vermentinu grows ever more complex, with almond, honey and candied lemon, and then ranks among the best Mediterranean whites. Sciaccarellu takes on a Pinot character after a few years and keeps as well as great white Burgundy. And Niellucciu certainly deserves ageing: truffle notes arrive with the years.