Corsican wine, an ancient history full of twists and turns..
It was in the 6th century BC, when the Phocaeans landed on the island, that vine cultivation began. The land's mild climate and generous sunshine enabled vines to flourish effortlessly, and the first Corsican wines were born, whose production was later encouraged by the Romans. Virgil himself is said to have praised "the ruby color and pleasant taste of Balagne wine". With the fall of the Roman Empire, viticulture came to a halt, but vines survived until the return of winegrowers in the 11th century under Pisan rule, a culture that continued to flourish under Genoese and then French domination. In the 19th century, Corsican wine was exported internationally and began to enjoy a certain reputation in capital cities, before crops were ravaged by two tragic epidemics. The economic crises and wars of the 20th century further destabilized production, which was almost nil by the end of the Second World War.
Following Algeria's independence and the arrival of many repatriates in search of work, wine production resumed, but this time on an industrialized scale. Huge estates sprang up, using methods that contrasted with Corsican winegrowing traditions, both in terms of quantity and quality. Prices are unbeatable and competition is fierce for small producers, who are going out of business. The icing on the cake was a scandal that broke in 1974: hectoliters of "fake" Corsican wine, made without grapes, were discovered by the fraud control department. The scandal led to a boycott of Corsican wines, which lumped small farmers and intensive producers together. The final blow? No, after a few decades of hard work, and the arrival of new generations of winegrowers attentive to quality as much as to respect for their land, sweet production is relaunched and Corsican wines once again have the notoriety they deserve. Today, you don't have to look far to find nuggets with wild and surprising colors. By supporting small producers and enjoying their wines, you're adding your stone to the battle to rebuild and keep this age-old vineyard alive!
Eight vineyards with a registered designation of origin for a variety of flavours
Corsican wines are now classified into eight AOCs, a good number given the size of the island. If you haven't already tried one of them, we'd like to give you a brief overview to give you an idea of their character.
The Ajaccio AOC is made up of a dozen highly fragmented vineyards covering 239 hectares, including some of the island's oldest and most renowned estates. This is the birthplace of sciaccarellu, a high-quality grape variety with a strong character! This is a vineyard typical of Corsican tradition. Sciaccarellu gives the wines their distinctive aromas of almond, blackcurrant and spices. The harmonious, full-bodied reds have great finesse and exceptional ageing potential. The rosés are full-bodied and remarkably distinctive. As for the whites, they perfectly express the floral aroma and character of vermentinu.
Balagne wines are grouped under the AOC Corse Calvi appellation (266 hectares). Balagne is one of the island's gentlest regions, with well-ordered terroirs and superb villages perched between the sea and the peaks. Today, they offer some fine successes, with fleshy, bouquet-filled reds, fresh, sunny rosés and fine whites.
The vineyards of the AOC Muscat du Cap Corse (103 hectares) and Coteaux du Cap Corse (36.5 ha) are suspended in slender, vertiginous terraces, seemingly inaccessible to ordinary mortals... but not to the Corsican winegrower. On this finger proudly planted in the Mediterranean, Muscat is a rare and delicate wine. To the north of the island, the slopes of Cap Corse produce long-keeping reds and elegant whites.
The vineyards of AOC Corse Figari (128.5 hectares) are the most southerly in France, and also the oldest, since the first vines appeared here as early as the 6th century BC. Traditional Corsican grape varieties, including Carcajolu Neru, thrive on the windy, particularly dry, ancient granite plateau. They produce fine, full-bodied red, rosé and white wines.
Corsica's best-known wines are produced in the lively, rich little region of the Gulf of Saint-Florent (Haute-Corse), well sheltered from the wind and with a remarkable western exposure, under the AOC Patrimonio (409 hectares). This is the island's oldest appellation. The vineyards are divided into small estates where the know-how of the men involved has enabled the expression of noble wines. Niellucciu reigns here, producing warm, powerful reds and sunny, fruity rosés. Vermentinu also expresses itself, with dry, bouquet-filled whites of remarkable aromatic richness.
Medieval walls of pink porphyry, a magnificent harbor: Portus Syracusanus, founded in 383 B.C., today Porto-Vecchio, is at the heart of a lively and active region, home to the AOC Corsican appellation Porto-Vecchio vineyards (89 hectares). Small coves on the coast, umbrella pines, cork oaks and, above all, some beautiful vineyards perched on impressive hillsides. Here, niellucciu and sciaccarellu combine with grenache to produce elegant, round reds and fine, aromatic rosés. As for the vermentinu whites, they are dry and very fruity, a perfect accompaniment to fish and seafood.
The capital of the south-west is a proud and magnificent city, which watches over the oldest local grape varieties from its high rock, grouped together under the AOC Corse Sartène (143 hectares). They produce full-bodied wines with remarkable personality and smoothness. The reds are well-structured, the rosés full-bodied and the whites ample and full-bodied.
Finally, on the slopes of the eastern coast and in the inland valley of the Golo, lies the cradle of Corsica's traditional vineyards, the Corsican AOC (143.9 hectares), quite simply. Backed by rocky ridges rising to 1,200 m, it occupies the first slopes. Here you'll find an uncommon range of rich terroirs producing wines of the highest quality. Niellucciu produces supple, well-balanced reds, while the often pale rosés are racy and lively, and the vermentinu whites are fruity and full-bodied. The appellation boasts a large number of cooperative wineries.
On the Corsican wine route: a journey as instructive as it is exhilarating
Corsican vineyards are first and foremost visited for their wines. However, the interest of such a journey is not only gustatory: it is also based on the landscapes crossed, their history, and the passion and hospitality of those who make them live. Vineyards can be found all around Corsica, covering a wide variety of landscapes.
Each of these environments is shaped by the grapes it shelters, and to which it gives its unique flavor. In Porto-Vecchio, for example, the vines nestle between the beach and the pine forest, while those of Cap Corse grow on steep terraces overlooking coastal villages. Between the scents of the maquis, sea spray and breathtaking views, a visit to the vineyards is also a way of discovering a different territory, in contact with its terroir and passionate craftsmen.
The Corsican wine route may be a bit of a rugged adventure to undertake on foot, but it lends itself perfectly to a chic road-trip. Numerous estates welcome visitors, not only for tours and tastings, but also for stays in gîtes or chambres d'hôtes. The setting is often idyllic and the welcome, sometimes upscale, is always discreet and unpretentious. For travelers looking for an authentic experience away from the hordes of tourists, without giving up a certain level of comfort, this is the ideal equation! To give just a few examples, we'd like to mention the Domaine de Pero Longo between Propriano and Bonifacio, with its hacienda-like vineyard house, or the Domaine Saint-Armettu in Sartène, with its sea views and olive groves.
Reinventing the Corsican terroir with biodynamics
Biodynamics is much more than respecting organic specifications and banning chemicals: it's working with the lunar calendar and solar rhythms, reappropriating the know-how of the ancients by pampering the vines with natural restorative concoctions, organic or mineral matter, or using horses to work the land. It's a philosophy that is revolutionizing winegrowing culture by placing the balance of plants and their environment at the heart of the wine-making process. This is reflected in the taste of biodynamic wines, which are gaining in popularity thanks to their authentic flavours. The use of indigenous grape varieties is also interesting from a practical point of view, as it improves the resilience of production, as these ancient varieties are better adapted to the local climate and its hazards, which, as we know, can be quite harsh - and even more so with climate change. As a result, a growing number of winegrowers in Corsica have adopted these methods. In Ajaccio, you'll find Domaine Comte Abatucci and Domaine U stiliccionu, in Sartène Domaine Pero longo, in Patrimonio Domaine Giudicelli and finally Clos Canarelli in Figari. Many of them offer tours, all the more fascinating as these winegrowers are both the guardians and modernizers of a heritage dating back over 2,000 years.
