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2016 Vin de France Blanc “Grotte di Sole”

Jean-Baptiste Arena
Discount Eligible $45.00
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We love a light, crisp, lemony Vermentino, but the great terroirs of Patrimonio, where Jean-Baptiste Arena plies his trade, yield an altogether different expression of the grape locally known as Malvasgia. Grotte di Sole, or “grottoes of sun,” is an imposing south-facing limestone slope that soaks up the fierce rays of Corsican sunshine from morning to nightfall, giving a substantial white with a plump, creamy, mouth-filling presence on the palate. Now picture the little quaffers Vermentino makes in lesser sites—this wine eats them for breakfast.

Anthony Lynch


Technical Information
Wine Type: white
Vintage: 2016
Bottle Size: 750mL
Blend: Vermentinu
Appellation: Vin de France
Country: France
Region: Corsica
Producer: Jean-Baptiste Arena
Vineyard: 60 years, 1 ha
Soil: Clay, limestone
Farming: Organic (certified)
Alcohol: 14%

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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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Vintage illustration of men rolling barrels.

We only import wine we drink and enjoy ourselves, directly from the source.

Our wine tastes the same in your home as it did where it was bottled in Europe.

Like the long-term relationships we build with growers, we build long-term relationships with our clients. Have a question? Need wine advice? Just give us a call—510-524-1524.

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