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2019 Vin de France Rouge “Costa Nera”

Clos Canarelli
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Corsica boasts a wealth of rare, indigenous grape varieties, but many of these fell out of favor over the latter half of the twenty-first century as the French government went on a crusade of sorts to replace them with varieties from the mainland—Grenache, Carignan, Syrah, etc. This sort of vinous colonialism neglected to account for the fact that the Corsican grapes were perfectly adapted to the local terroir, whereas grapevines from the Rhône or Provence thrived under completely different conditions; ultimately, it led to the loss of many unique wines. Thanks to a proud group of Corsican vignerons, led by Antoine Arena, Jean-Charles Abbatucci, and Yves Canarelli, dozens of heirloom grape varieties have been identified and brought back from the brink of extinction in a valiant effort to reproduce what might resemble the traditional wines of Corsica’s past.
     One such grape, Carcaghjolu Neru, is endemic to southern Corsica, and has now been replanted by a handful of vignerons across the island. Canarelli’s Costa Nera is riveting proof that this grape belongs on the granite slopes of Figari. Deep, dark, powerful, and mineral-driven, this is Corsica’s answer to Cornas—loaded with pepper, graphite, wild fruit, and herbaceous maquis nuances, full of drive and freshness. This is truly a grandiose monument to the power of Corsica’s heirloom grapes.

Anthony Lynch

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Technical Information
Wine Type: red
Vintage: 2019
Bottle Size: 750mL
Blend: Carcaghjolu Neru
Country: France
Region: Corsica
Producer: Clos Canarelli
Vineyard: 1 ha, Planted in 2007
Soil: Granite
Farming: Biodynamic (certified)
Alcohol: 13.5%

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About The Region

Corsica

map of Corsica

I first set foot on the island in 1980. I remember looking down from the airplane window seeing alpine forest and lakes and thinking, uh oh, I got on the wrong plane. Then suddenly I was looking down into the beautiful waters of the Mediterranean. Corsica is a small, impossibly tall island, the tail of the Alp chain rising out of the blue sea.—Kermit Lynch

Kermit’s first trip to the island proved fruitful, with his discovery of Clos Nicrosi’s Vermentino. More than thirty years later, the love affair with Corsica has only grown as we now import wines from ten domaines that cover the north, south, east, and west of what the French affectionately refer to as l’Île de Beauté.

Corsica is currently experiencing somewhat of a renaissance—interest has never been higher in the wines and much of this is due to growers focusing on indigenous and historical grapes found on the island. Niellucciu, Sciarcarellu, and Vermentinu are widely planted but it is now common to find bottlings of Biancu Gentile and Carcaghjolu Neru as well as blends with native varieties like Rossola Bianca, Minustellu, or Montaneccia.

As Kermit described above, Corsica has a strikingly mountainous landscape. The granite peaks top out above 9,000 feet. The terroir is predominantly granite with the exception of the Patrimonio appellation in the north, which has limestone, clay, and schist soils.The wines, much like their southern French counterparts make for great pairings with the local charcuterie, often made from Nustrale, the native wild boar, as well as Brocciu, the Corsican goats milk cheese that is best served within 48 hours of it being made.

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Sampling wine out of the barrel.

When buying red Burgundy, I think we should remember:

1. Big wines do not age better than light wine.
2. A so-called great vintage at the outset does not guarantee a great vintage for the duration.
3. A so-called off vintage at the outset does not mean the wines do not have a brilliant future ahead of them.
4. Red Burgundy should not taste like Guigal Côte-Rôtie, even if most wine writers wish it would.
5. Don’t follow leaders; watch yer parking meters.

Inspiring Thirst, page 174

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