Notify me
2017 Patrimonio Blanc “Carco”
Antoine ArenaAs Antoine slowly and methodically passes the torch to his two able sons, Antoine-Marie and Jean-Baptiste, he continues to make a few wines from his favorite parcels under his own label. Carco is made from Vermentino grown on the principal geological feature of Patrimonio, an enormous cresting wave of limestone that separates the village from the ocean. We here at KLWM don’t know of a better terroir for Vermentino anywhere in the world.
—Dixon Brooke
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2017 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Vermentinu |
Appellation: | Patrimonio |
Country: | France |
Region: | Corsica |
Producer: | Antoine Arena |
Winemaker: | Antoine Arena |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1987, 1 ha |
Soil: | Chalk, Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | Natural fermentation, low doses of sulfur, cement cuve, no wood; long fermentations, then wines are aged for 6 to 8 months on fine lees |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region
2019 Patrimonio Rouge “Morta Maio”
France | Corsica
A vibrant tonic akin to a savory brew of muddled stone, wild herbs, and salty sea air.
2017 Patrimonio Rosé
France | Corsica
Just when I think I’ve seen it all, this wine comes along and surprises me! It’s not a typical rosé, nor is it a typical light red wine. Instead, it occupies a wonderful space between the two!
2022 Ile de Beauté Rouge
France | Corsica
A Corsican Red from a Rosé Specialist
2021 Patrimonio Blanc
France | Corsica
It’s beautifully ethereal, with pillowy fruit that tastes so sublime it would be limiting to attempt a description, although quince and verbena jump to mind.
2021 Corse Figari Rouge “Amphora”
France | Corsica
This brooding amphora-aged red is a tribute to ancient Corsican wines, as they were produced in Roman times.
2021 Corse Calvi Rouge “E Signurine”
France | Corsica
This red, a 50/50 blend of Niellucciu and Sciaccarellu, has the wild, peppery aromas we love in Corsican reds.
2019 Vin de France Rouge “Costa Nera”
France | Corsica
A grandiose monument to the power of Corsica’s heirloom grapes.
2016 Muscat du Cap Corse
France | Corsica
Ravishing perfume of miel du maquis, wildflowers, and resinous herbs.
2020 Patrimonio Rouge “Cru Des Agriate”
France | Corsica
Bright red fruit, Corsican herbs, and smooth tannins make this a unique, but no less terroir-driven, Patrimonio.
About The Producer
Antoine Arena
About The Region
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.
More from Corsica or France
2021 Patrimonio Blanc
Domaine Giudicelli France | Corsica
2022 Île de Beauté Rosé “E Croce”
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2016 Muscat du Cap Corse
Antoine Arena France | Corsica
2020 Patrimonio Rouge “Cru Des Agriate”
Domaine Giacometti France | Corsica
2022 Île de Beauté Rosé
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2018 Île de Beauté Rouge “O Bà”
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2017 Patrimonio Rosé
Antoine Arena France | Corsica
2021 Corse Figari Rosé
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
2021 Vin de France Rouge “Monte Bianco”
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica
2016 Patrimonio Rouge “Carco”
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
2022 Vin de Corse “Le Rosé de Pauline”
Domaine de Marquiliani France | Corsica
2019 Vin de France Muscatellu “Morta Maió” Non Muté
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
2021 Patrimonio Blanc
Domaine Giudicelli France | Corsica
2022 Île de Beauté Rosé “E Croce”
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2016 Muscat du Cap Corse
Antoine Arena France | Corsica
2020 Patrimonio Rouge “Cru Des Agriate”
Domaine Giacometti France | Corsica
2022 Île de Beauté Rosé
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2018 Île de Beauté Rouge “O Bà”
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2017 Patrimonio Rosé
Antoine Arena France | Corsica
2021 Corse Figari Rosé
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
2021 Vin de France Rouge “Monte Bianco”
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica
2016 Patrimonio Rouge “Carco”
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
2022 Vin de Corse “Le Rosé de Pauline”
Domaine de Marquiliani France | Corsica
2019 Vin de France Muscatellu “Morta Maió” Non Muté
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236