2020 Gard Rouge “Célas”Ludovic Engelvin
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
$39
Producers
If you’re like me, a glass of Corsican Muscatellu sparks visions of evening cheese plates laden with Marcona almonds and gemlike fruits. This rosy-hued bottle from Antoine-Marie Arena is no exception with aromas of baked peaches and wild honey. It is decadent enough for dessert on its own but imbued with a vibrant joie de vivre that’s only heightened by good company—bring on the bleus and bloomy rinds, please!
—Allyson Noman
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2019 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Muscatellu |
Appellation: | Vin de France |
Country: | France |
Region: | Corsica |
Producer: | Antoine-Marie Arena |
Winemaker: | Antoine-Marie Arena |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1982, 1992, and 1995; 1 ha |
Soil: | Clay, limestone, schist |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 15% |
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica | Patrimonio
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica | Patrimonio
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica | Patrimonio
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica | Vin de France
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica | Patrimonio
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.
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica | Vin de France
Yves Leccia France | Corsica | Patrimonio
Domaine de Marquiliani France | Corsica
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica | Ajaccio
Domaine Giacometti France | Corsica
Yves Leccia France | Corsica | Vin de Pays de l’Île de Beauté
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica | Vin de France
Domaine de Marquiliani France | Corsica
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica | Vin de France
Yves Leccia France | Corsica | Patrimonio
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica | Vin de France
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
Drinking distilled spirits, beer, coolers, wine and other alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk, and, during pregnancy, can cause birth defects. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/alcohol
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