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2017 Vin de France Rouge “Tarra di Sognu”

Clos Canarelli
Discount Eligible $89.00
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This is the second vintage produced from Canarelli’s “land of dreams,” the incredible white limestone terroir of Bonifacio. Planting this land, where there are only three vignerons currently working, has long been a dream of Canarelli’s, and he has spent years clearing by hand the land he purchased of trees, scrub, and massive amounts of rock in order to plant it to both white and red. His confidence in the results despite lack of proof in bottle elsewhere was inspiring, and I waited patiently and excitedly to be able to finally taste the first wine, after following the preparation, planting, plowing, and nurturing of the vineyards over the last five years. A blend of Sciaccarellu, Carcaghjolu Neru, and Minustellu, it is a red with a character unlike any other in Corsica. Each variety brings something interesting to the table: Sciaccarellu is Chambolle-like in its delicacy, while the Carcaghjolu brings the growl and brawn of Gevrey, and the Minustellu the silky seductiveness of Vosne. A wine of towering finesse and ethereal beauty, this new creation from Yves Canarelli emphatically reinforces the potential of Corsican wine to compete with the best from anywhere for your interest and attention.

Dixon Brooke


Technical Information
Wine Type: red
Vintage: 2017
Bottle Size: 750mL
Blend: 2/3 Carcaghjolu Neru, 1/3 Sciaccarellu
Country: France
Region: Corsica
Producer: Clos Canarelli
Vineyard: 2 ha, Planted in 2013
Soil: Limestone, Chalk
Farming: Biodynamic (certified)
Alcohol: 13.5%

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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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Where the newsletter started

Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch

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