THURSTQUEEN WORLD TOUR: CORSICA

I discovered Corsican wine when I was a broker, working with three small portfolios at the time. As a lover of both French and Italian wines, the wines of Corsica felt like the captured the best of both worlds — and they still do today.

Corsican wines possess a mixture of French finesse and racy Italian acidity. As a region, Corsica is still relatively obscure - especially within the states. Corsican wines beg for warmer weather, and this is largely due to the Mediterranean climate of the Island. The wines just taste like they’re from some place hot, you know?

If you’re a fan of regions like Provence, Etna, the Languedoc and Alto Adige, I’d suggest giving Corsican wines a shot. Corsica also is known for producing beautiful rosé that absolutely SLAYS, so if you want to level up your pink game — consider purchasing some from this region.

THE HISTORY OF CORSICAN WINEMAKING

You could divide Corsica’s history into two parts. Corsica was estimated to have been home to more vineyards than Bordeaux in the Middle Ages. The Island was settled by the Phocean traders after founding Massalia on the Southeastern coast of France. The Phoceans were active wine growers, and eventually Corsica came under Islamic rule, which limited wine production in the island.

In the Middle Ages, Corsica became a part of the Republic of Genoa, and Italian varietals were introduced to the Island. The Genoese made wines in what was referred to as a “Greek style,” at the time. These wines were high acid, relatively low alcohol quaffers meant to be enjoyed during hot Summer days.

During Napoleon Bonaparte’s reign, Corsican vintners were allowed to export wine and tobacco duty-free across the French empire. This made sense, since Napoleon himself was from Corsica. But the region’s success was short-lived. Corsica, like the majority of the rest of the world, got its ass handed to it during the Phylloxera Epidemic at the turn of the Century.

Winemakers are a stubborn, resilient sort of group all over the world, and the folks in Corsica were no exception. They continued making wine in on this sleepy little island and Corsica got its first AOC, Patrimonio, in 1968. In the ‘80s, the EU gave a lot of subsidies to wine growers so they could remove high yielding vines and focus more on quality. Today, there’s definitely an emphasis on smaller production wines and boutique wineries. So if you’re a person who likes eclectic, smaller production stuff - Corsica will be your jam!

In my travels, the most affordable wines I’ve seen are from the Vin de Corse AOC, which is the regional AOC for the entire island of Corsica. If you’re looking to get more specific, check out some of the top Corsican Wine regions below:

TOP CORSICAN WINE REGIONS

PATRIMONIO

LOOK FOR: VERMENTINU, GRENACHE, NIELLUCIO, & SCIACARELLO

The Patrimonio AOC is the oldest out of all the Corsican AOCs. And it’s probably the one you will most likely run into on your wine journey, simply because it has that “prestige factor.”

Patrimonio’s production zone is on the north coast of Corsica, and the vines grow on steeply sloping hills. In Patrimonio, if a white wine is classified under the AOC, that means it exclusively contains 100% Vermentinu. Vermentinu is the local dialect for Vermentino, a varietal that is most closely associated with the Italian Island Sardegna. Vermentino is floral, high in acid, and has loads of lemony qualities. It’s the ultimate Summer white, and if you like other high acid wines like Chenin Blanc, or aromatic wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino should be on your list!

In addition to Vermentino, you’re likely to find Grenache, Niellucio (Sangiovese) and another indigenous, very dark and perfum-y red grape called Sciacarello.

PORTO-VECCHIO & FIGARI

LOOK FOR: RED WINES & ROSÉ

Porto-Vecchio and Figari are known for producing red wines and rosé. In these two Corsican regions, be sure to look for wines containing Grenache, Nielluccio (Sangiovese) in addition to other traditional Corsican grapes like Barbarossa - a fruity grape that makes killer rosé, Aleatico - a fruity red grape often used in dessert wines, and Carcajolo Nero, an intensely colored red grape that produces wines with good acid. You’ll also be able to find varietals like Carignan, Mourvèdre and Cinsault.

COTEAUX DU CAP CORSE

LOOK FOR: VERY SMALL PRODUCTION WHITE WINES

The Coteaux du Cap Corse is a tiny appellation that only has 40-hectares of vines. It’s the furthest North of the appellations, and is subject to cooler climates. The Coteaux du Cap Corse is definitely the perfect place for aromatic white grapes, like Vermentino.

MUSCAT DU CAP CORSE

LOOK FOR: DESSERT WINES FEATURING MUSCAT GRAPES

Muscat du Cap Corse is a an appellation known for its sweet wines. In this region, Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains - the same grape that is used in Moscato - is the most common grape.

Winemakers in this region will let the Muscat grapes dry out in the sun, then pick them at 14-15% potential alcohol and make wine from them. These wines are very decadent, and are a great way to spice up your after dinner drinking.

PICK OF THE WEEK: TERRA SANTA ILE DE BEAUTE 2021 $9.99 @ K&L

Fans of pink Provençal potions - stop everything that you’re doing, head over to K&L and buy yourself a bottle of this stuff. Now. The Terra Santa Ile de Beauté is composed of 100% Sciaccarellu, one of Corsica’s indigenous red grapes and would give any wine from Provence a run for its money. This bottle of pink is super fresh, with loads of melon and white jasmine aromas yet clean and direct on the palate. A fantastic weeknight rosé wine.

Finding a wine from Corsica under $30.00 is definitely a challenge, and finding one within the sub $20.00 category is even harder. This wine is just fresh, clean and pure - like a crisp ocean breeze. It’s incredibly versatile and would go with anything ranging from a cheeseburger and fries to Ethiopian cuisine.