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2016 Vin de France Blanc “Général de la Révolution”

Domaine Comte Abbatucci
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Consider the world’s greatest white wines: grapes like Chardonnay, Riesling, Chenin Blanc, or Sauvignon have proven to be capable, in the right terroir and in the hands of the right vigneron, of creating pure magic. Well-vinified Marsanne on the hill of Hermitage is equally suited to yielding world-class whites, as is Pinot Gris from the sloping greens of Alsace. But what about a blend of Carcajolu Biancu, Paga Debbiti, Riminese, Rossola Brandica, Biancone, and Vermentinu?
    One must travel to the rugged granite hills inland of Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica, to find such an unusual, and, at first glance, perplexing white wine. Here, Jean-Charles Abbatucci is vinifying a piece of local history from the museum-like vineyard of heirloom Corsican varieties his father planted in the early 1960s.
    These indigenous grapes became all but extinct in an era when highly productive, ‘commercially viable’ grapevines largely replaced those that Corsicans had been farming for countless generations. In addition to salvaging this important aspect of the island’s heritage, Jean-Charles’s father also logged each cultivar in a sort of secret playbook, recording the vines’ every characteristic including appearance, vigor, disease resistance, and, crucially, olfactory qualities.
    The cuvée Général, named for an ancestor of Jean-Charles who heroically fought and died in the French Revolution, is farmed with Abbatucci’s trademark biodynamic zeal, fermented naturally, and aged in oak demi-muids. Broad-shouldered yet fine-grained, it is a resplendent translation of the herb- and flower-studded interior of the Ile de Beauté, with a sea-breeze freshness to contrast the fleshy, sun-imbued voluptuousness on the palate. More than a nod to the island’s rich history of viticulture, the Général is simply a stunning bottle of white wine, undoubtedly on par with France’s established greats.

**Extremely limited quantities, maximum two bottles per purchase.**

Anthony Lynch

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Technical Information
Wine Type: white
Vintage: 2016
Bottle Size: 750mL
Blend: 25% Carcajolu Biancu, 25% Paga Debbiti, 20% Riminese, 15% Rossola Brandica, 10% Biancone, 5% Vermentinu
Appellation: Vin de France
Country: France
Region: Corsica
Producer: Domaine Comte Abbatucci
Winemaker: Jean-Charles Abbatucci
Vineyard: Planted from 1960-1962, 2 ha
Soil: Granite
Aging: Aged in older 600-L demi-muids
Farming: Biodynamic (certified)
Alcohol: 13%

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About The Region

Corsica

map of 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.

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Sampling wine out of the barrel.

When buying red Burgundy, I think we should remember:

1. Big wines do not age better than light wine.
2. A so-called great vintage at the outset does not guarantee a great vintage for the duration.
3. A so-called off vintage at the outset does not mean the wines do not have a brilliant future ahead of them.
4. Red Burgundy should not taste like Guigal Côte-Rôtie, even if most wine writers wish it would.
5. Don’t follow leaders; watch yer parking meters.

Inspiring Thirst, page 174

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