2014 Patrimonio Rouge

Now is a good time to pay close attention to Corsican reds. The island’s rosés and whites need no further introduction, as they have shown remarkably consistent quality for the last several vintages. At times, however, Corsican reds have veered toward plummy and overripe—which is not surprising, given that temps in the summer can regularly top a hundred for several days straight. Regardless of the heat, one trend I’ve noticed these past few years is our growers’ increasing ability to harness the elements that can counter the sun and limit overripeness. All of our Corsican producers, for example, live close to the sea and their vines lie under a constant sea breeze, which many consider to have cleansing powers that ward off disease and allow grapes to stay cool. Yves Leccia deserves a medal for making elegant and soft reds since day one, long before others cracked the code. Through cool fermentations in stainless-steel tanks, his Patrimonio reveals huge depth and complexity, yet with the smoothest of tannins. It is the ideal Corsican rouge for aging. Open up any of these and consider it your window to what Corsica smells and tastes like. Each has a subtle bouquet of its surroundings: mixed notes of juniper, wild olive tree, sea fennel, pine, thyme, rosemary, chestnut, immortelle de corse, myrtle, saline breezes, and brush smoke... to name just a few.  –Chris Santini

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

• Vintage 2014
• Bottle Size 750mL
• Blend 90% Niellucciu, 10% Grenache
• Appellation Patrimonio
• Country France
• Region Corsica
• Vineyard 20 to 40 years, 7.1 ha
• Soil Clay, Limestone, Schist
• Winemaker Yves Leccia
• Aging All red grapes are de-stemmed, then placed in stainless steel cuves for 12 to 15 days with daily pump-overs, then aged for 12 months
• Farming Lutte Raisonnée
• Alcohol 13.5%