Trip to Corsica
by Tom Wolf
Take 20% OFF wines in the collection below, now through the end of the month.
Click to apply this promo code to your order
Click to apply: CORSICA20 Valid through Saturday, February 1stPromo code terms
For all the regions Kermit has become closely associated with after more than five decades in business, Corsica might, surprisingly, be the one where we work with the greatest concentration of “stars” today. And yet, as rich as our Corsican selection has become, Kermit almost came up empty on his first scouting trip to the island. After his first visit in 1980, he wrote:
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. I was with Jean-Marie Peyraud from Domaine Tempier. His father helped research and define the wine appellations of Corsica back in the sixties, so we arrived armed with Lucien Peyraud’s leads.
It was work, dangerous, unsatisfying work. Dirt roads were carved into mountain sides, and there were no barriers between the car and a long plummeting dunk in the ocean. Wine after wine was uninspiring plonk, most of them cooked before they could be put into bottle. Then, our final day, our last, late-at-night appointment, we poked our tired beaks into glasses of, of all things, a white wine. Jean-Marie and I looked up at each other, eyes sparkling—we knew we’d found a rare gem.
I sometimes wonder what it would have meant for Kermit’s ensuing devotion to the island’s wines if he’d come back without tasting that gem. Fortunately, he did, and in the decades since, we’ve discovered many more gems from every corner of Corsica. From Patrimonio in the north to Figari in the south, the island’s whites, reds, and rosés are thrillingly distinct from the wines of mainland France.
Trip to Corsica
by Tom Wolf
Take 20% OFF wines in the collection below, now through the end of the month.
Click to apply this promo code to your order
Click to apply: CORSICA20 Valid through Saturday, February 1stPromo code terms
Wines In The Collection
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
If you’re like me, a glass of Corsican Muscatellu sparks visions of evening cheese plates laden with Marcona almonds and gemlike fruits.
Antoine Arena France | Corsica
Golden ripe Vermentinu berries are responsible for this fleshy, succulent dry white.
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
See why Cap Corse’s famous Muscat tastes like no other dessert wine in the world.
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
Think classic, spirited Sangiovese with a wilder, slightly darker-fruited, herb-singed character from the ancient seaside maquis-studded limestone.
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica
Rich, exotic, and appealing—a monument to the grandeur of the forgotten Corsican varietals.
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
Lightly golden in color, it conjures up a day spent in the sun: seabreezes and ripe honeydew, including its subtle, savory rind.
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
It has a purity and seamlessness—no angles or edges—and a feeling of weightlessness despite its broad, full-bodied, golden flesh.
Domaine Giacometti France | Corsica
Not quite Rhône-like and not quite Corsican, this has the best of both worlds, with plenty of palate-staining black fruit to boot.
Domaine de Marquiliani Corsica
From a tiny mill in Corsica’s eastern mountains, Douce is soft and tender.
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
This brooding amphora-aged red is a tribute to ancient Corsican wines, as they were produced in Roman times.
Domaine Giacometti France | Corsica
An aromatic mix of roasted, smoking herbs with plenty of tannins to chew on, Cuvée Sarah goes down with pleasure.
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
A beautiful example of Biancu Gentile, an heirloom white grape revived from near-extinction by Arena in the 1990s.
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
August Club Bianco ~ What about real-deal vanilla aromatics? I’m talking cured Madagascar bourbon seed, lightly crushed, delicate and discreet.
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
Leccia's earthy, delicious island-mountain wine is fun, accessible and pairs with anything from fish stew to pasta to lounging in the park.
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
Harvested early and fermented in stainless steel tanks to maintain a vibrant quality, balanced by lush notes of flowers, spice, and citrus that will pair well with any number of foods.
France | Corsica
If you’re like me, a glass of Corsican Muscatellu sparks visions of evening cheese plates laden with Marcona almonds and gemlike fruits.
France | Corsica
Golden ripe Vermentinu berries are responsible for this fleshy, succulent dry white.
France | Corsica
See why Cap Corse’s famous Muscat tastes like no other dessert wine in the world.
France | Corsica
Think classic, spirited Sangiovese with a wilder, slightly darker-fruited, herb-singed character from the ancient seaside maquis-studded limestone.
France | Corsica
Rich, exotic, and appealing—a monument to the grandeur of the forgotten Corsican varietals.
France | Corsica
Lightly golden in color, it conjures up a day spent in the sun: seabreezes and ripe honeydew, including its subtle, savory rind.
France | Corsica
It has a purity and seamlessness—no angles or edges—and a feeling of weightlessness despite its broad, full-bodied, golden flesh.
France | Corsica
Not quite Rhône-like and not quite Corsican, this has the best of both worlds, with plenty of palate-staining black fruit to boot.
Corsica
From a tiny mill in Corsica’s eastern mountains, Douce is soft and tender.
France | Corsica
This brooding amphora-aged red is a tribute to ancient Corsican wines, as they were produced in Roman times.
France | Corsica
An aromatic mix of roasted, smoking herbs with plenty of tannins to chew on, Cuvée Sarah goes down with pleasure.
France | Corsica
A beautiful example of Biancu Gentile, an heirloom white grape revived from near-extinction by Arena in the 1990s.
France | Corsica
August Club Bianco ~ What about real-deal vanilla aromatics? I’m talking cured Madagascar bourbon seed, lightly crushed, delicate and discreet.
France | Corsica
Leccia's earthy, delicious island-mountain wine is fun, accessible and pairs with anything from fish stew to pasta to lounging in the park.
France | Corsica
Harvested early and fermented in stainless steel tanks to maintain a vibrant quality, balanced by lush notes of flowers, spice, and citrus that will pair well with any number of foods.
More Collections
The Extraordinary Hospitality of Punta Crena
Behind the postcard-worthy image of Punta Crena’s vines, which toe the cliffs over a glassy blue sea, is the story of a family without pretense, a little yellow house in Varigotti, and an extraordinary sense of hospitality that is undeniably genuine…
A Spring Quartet of Buzzworthy Arrivals
It seems like every day over the last few weeks, we’ve been greeted at the Port of Oakland by dozens of thrilling new wines from France and Italy. After making the short trip from the port to KLWM headquarters, these bottles have queued up for our weekly staff tastings, and among the many standouts, four wines in particular have unanimously wowed our staff…
Pairing Pinots in Spring
Coming upon Chris Lee’s Wild Salmon Baked in Fig Leaves with Rosé Butter, I thought, what could be more appropriate right now? The recipe appears a few times across our sixteen-year archive, and the suggested pairings change every time, ranging from lush whites to juicy, light reds, and crisp, mineral rosés in between. For such a simple dish, the possibilities seemed endless. In revisiting, I wanted that same versatility in the glass, and only one word came to mind: Pinot…
Arthur Ostertag
Arthur’s wines were the revelation of the trip. For months after, in the group chat with everyone on the tour, my screen would light up with shots of his wines—those incomparably elegant bottles with the stunning labels—standing tall atop the tables of every restaurant the other growers were dining in, in their hometowns or around the world. Arthur was officially the breakout star of the trip...
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!
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.