Notify me
2019 Vin de France Blanc “B.G.”
Antoine-Marie Arena
Antoine spearheaded the resurrection of this nearly lost varietal back in the ’90s. Today his son Antoine-Marie is leading the way on its path to the pantheon of noble grapes, now that the vines are a bit older and the domaine has more experience with the varietal under its belt. There is something exotic here, something herbal, quite serious with great tension.
—Chris Santini
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2019 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Bianco Gentile |
Appellation: | Vin de France |
Country: | France |
Region: | Corsica |
Producer: | Antoine-Marie Arena |
Winemaker: | Antoine-Marie Arena |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1997 |
Soil: | Clay, limestone |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2019 Vin de France Muscatellu “Morta Maió” Non Muté
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.

2022 Patrimonio Rouge “Carco”
France | Corsica
Aromas of black fruit, graphite, wild herbs, and game over firm, stony tannins. Saturated with flavors of the Île de Beauté.

2023 Vin de France “Le Vin Coule Dans Nos Veines”
France | Corsica
Reminiscent of ripe wild blackberries crushed on a hot stone, “Le Vin Coule” is utterly gulpable—give it a light chill and revel in this unique Corsican rouge.

2021 Vin de France Blanc “Général de la Révolution”
France | Corsica
A nod to the island’s rich history of viticulture, the Général is simply a stunning bottle of white wine.

2020 Vin de France Rouge “Sempre Azezzu”
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.

2020 Vin de France Muscatellu “Morta Maió” Non Muté
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.

2021 Patrimonio Rouge “Mémoria”
France | Corsica
The only Arena cuvée to see barrel-aging features the domaine’s oldest vines.

2023 Patrimonio Blanc “San Giovanni”
France | Corsica
A thirst-quencher with uncommon pedigree.

2022 Vin de France Blanc “B.G.”
France | Corsica
A beautiful example of Biancu Gentile, an heirloom white grape revived from near-extinction by Arena in the 1990s.

2019 Vin de France Rouge “Costa Nera”
France | Corsica
A grandiose monument to the power of Corsica’s heirloom grapes.

About The Producer
Antoine-Marie Arena
About The Region
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.
More from Corsica or France
2023 Bonifacio Blanc “Tarra di Sognu”
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Monte Bianco”
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica
2023 Vin de France “Le Vin Coule Dans Nos Veines”
Domaine Giacometti France | Corsica
2023 Ile de Beauté Rouge
Domaine de Marquiliani France | Corsica
2021 Vin de France Blanc “Morta Maio”
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
2020 Vin de France Rouge “Sempre Azezzu”
Domaine Giacometti France | Corsica
2022 Patrimonio Rouge “Grotte di Sole”
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
2022 Patrimonio Rouge “E Croce”
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2023 Vin de Corse Rosé “Gris de Marquiliani” MAGNUM
Domaine de Marquiliani France | Corsica
2021 Corse Figari Blanc “Amphora”
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
2022 Patrimonio Rouge “Carco”
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
2022 Vin de France Blanc “Grotte di Sole”
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
2023 Bonifacio Blanc “Tarra di Sognu”
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Monte Bianco”
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica
2023 Vin de France “Le Vin Coule Dans Nos Veines”
Domaine Giacometti France | Corsica
2023 Ile de Beauté Rouge
Domaine de Marquiliani France | Corsica
2021 Vin de France Blanc “Morta Maio”
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
2020 Vin de France Rouge “Sempre Azezzu”
Domaine Giacometti France | Corsica
2022 Patrimonio Rouge “Grotte di Sole”
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
2022 Patrimonio Rouge “E Croce”
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2023 Vin de Corse Rosé “Gris de Marquiliani” MAGNUM
Domaine de Marquiliani France | Corsica
2021 Corse Figari Blanc “Amphora”
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
2022 Patrimonio Rouge “Carco”
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
2022 Vin de France Blanc “Grotte di Sole”
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
Vintage Chart Mentality

Vintage Chart Mentality
Trust the great winemakers, trust the great vineyards. Your wine merchant might even be trustworthy. In the long run, that vintage strip may be the least important guide to quality on your bottle of wine.—Kermit Lynch