Corsica’s Most Storied Wine Family
A Featured Selection from the Trip to Corsica Collection
by Chris Santini
Corsica’s Most Storied Wine Family
A Featured Selection from the Trip to Corsica Collection
by Chris Santini
Deep in the hills of Corsica, near the isolated village of Zicavo, lies a house unlike any I’ve ever known. Built and fortified six hundred years ago, handed down over seventeen generations through a single family of nobles, the house has survived Corsica’s darkest and most turbulent days. It has held at bay Barbary pirate raids, columns of invading Genovese soldiers, and feuding rival Corsican families, and it serves as a monument and gathering point for the Abbatucci family, whose bonds remain strong to this day. Entering the main room of the house, you can see what seventeen generations look like on a family tree, as a tapestry ten feet tall traces the lineage from 1450 to today. And what a family it is, each generation peppered with its share of diplomats, high counsels, government ministers, and top military brass.
Today the Abbatuccis, led by Jean-Charles, are less concerned with international affairs and have taken a weather eye to the vast swath of land they own and manage in this neck of the woods of Corsica: vineyards, pasture for native Saïnata cows, sheep, horses, brush and forest, and even a small restaurant, all managed biodynamically with a negative carbon footprint. While much of Corsica faces growing pressure to develop and pour concrete over pristine land, no one dares encroach on the Abbatuccis’ turf. It’s probably safe to say that their holdings will remain unspoiled for another seventeen generations.
From the heart of this land and the heart of this family come truly special cuvées. Today we offer all three wines from the “Faustine” collection—red, white, and rosé, named after Jean-Charles’s daughter, and ideal entry points into the island’s unique and sublime indigenous varieties. Additionally, we have bottlings inspired by the family’s noble past, produced from their best vineyard parcels, with the rare native varieties, and vinified in small batches with great care and attention.
Wines In The Collection
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica
A lovely apéritif or the ideal match to Mediterranean-inspired antipasti.
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica
Rich, exotic, and appealing—a monument to the grandeur of the forgotten Corsican varietals.
France | Corsica
A lovely apéritif or the ideal match to Mediterranean-inspired antipasti.
France | Corsica
Rich, exotic, and appealing—a monument to the grandeur of the forgotten Corsican varietals.
More Collections
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Like a portal to another dimension, December is the time of year when our cellar doors open. And this year, the stars have aligned for them to open not just for a few days, but the entire month. Yes, all month long we’ll release aged wines from across our portfolio, including Domaine Tempier, Les Pallières, Vieux Télégraphe, Mas Champart, Quintarelli, and Robert Chevillon, to name just a few…
Holiday Gift Shop
As is tradition here at Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, we’ve made it easy to celebrate together—whether in person or in spirit!
Annual Dessert Wine Sale
Gingerbread cookies, yule logs, pumpkin pies…Sauternes, Banyuls, Muscat…Whether you prefer your treats baked or fermented, no holiday meal is complete without the final flourish of dessert. Now through the end of December, 20% off per bottle!
Champagne & Sparkling Sale
Now through the end of the year, take 20% off all Champagne & Sparkling Wine. Whether your bubbly of choice is a luxurious and elegant Champagne, a rich yet mineral Vouvray Brut, a versatile Italian Prosecco, or an aromatic Alsatian Crémant, our annual Champagne & Sparkling Sale offers all of these and many more toast-worthy bottles for every occasion.
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It had been many years since we introduced you to a new selection of ours from the Champagne region—not for lack of trying! In 2023, we finally found what we had been looking for in the small Champagne village of Écueil, on the Montagne de Reims, in the cellars of Nicolas Maillart…
New Arrivals
Here is a collection of recent arrivals. Every week, we’ll be adding a dozen or more new arrivals, so check back often for your favorite classics or new discoveries!
Samplers for the Holidays
If you find yourself especially busy this time of year, without an abundance of time to carefully study every bottle before you buy, our latest collection of curated sampler packs offers a quick and easy way to discover new wines in categories that you already know and enjoy...
The Carpe Vinum Collection
An ever-changing offering of wines that are just about to sell out; one last opportunity to seize a range of selections before they disappear from our shelves forever.
50th Anniversary Merchandise
When the esteemed French wine artist Michel Tolmer created beautiful artwork for our 50th anniversary, we knew right away that we had to feature it on a few select items of merch. After spending maybe a little too much time researching the options, we landed on a classy, leather-strap cap, a comfortable t-shirt made from 100% cotton, and a tote made with incredibly sturdy, fair-trade, and organic cotton by a certified B corp that invests in the livelihoods of women and farmers of India, featuring three wine sleeves and two other compartments for all of your other needs!
Recent Wine Club Selections
Our five wine clubs feature our best values from France and Italy as well as complex and cellar-worthy wines.