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2019 Vin de France Rouge “Sempre Azezzu”

Domaine Giacometti
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Simon and Sarah Giacometti's father, Christian, always had an affinity for the big, bold wines of the Rhône Valley, so it is only natural he planted Syrah in the arid granite Corsican wilderness they farm called the Désert des Agriates. Since it is not a permitted grape in the Patrimonio AOC, Simon vinifies it separately, creating a this dense and chewy pure Syrah whose Corsican name translates to "always angry" (the counterpart to the domaine's Sciaccarellu, "Sempre Cuntentu"). Not quite Rhône-like and not quite Corsican, this has the best of both worlds, with plenty of palate-staining black fruit to boot.

Anthony Lynch

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Technical Information
Wine Type: red
Vintage: 2019
Bottle Size: 750mL
Blend: Syrah
Country: France
Region: Corsica
Producer: Domaine Giacometti
Winemaker: Christian Giacometti
Vineyard: 7 years
Soil: Clay, granite
Aging: Aged for 12 months on fine lees in 500L barrels
Farming: Organic (practicing)
Alcohol: 14.5%

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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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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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