2022 ChevernyDomaine du Salvard
France | Loire
$22
Producers
As the name implies, this vineyard is part of a large series of southerly exposed grottoes that capture the sun’s rays fully throughout the day. The site has produced many of the Arena family’s finest Nielluccius over the years. Jean-Baptiste’s 2020 effort is a serious wine of deep structure and intensity. Think classic, spirited Sangiovese with a wilder, slightly darker-fruited, herb-singed character from the ancient seaside maquis-studded limestone. This bottling will be good for many years to come.
—Dixon Brooke
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Niellucciu |
Appellation: | Vin de France |
Country: | France |
Region: | Corsica |
Producer: | Jean-Baptiste Arena |
Winemaker: | Jean-Baptiste Arena |
Vineyard: | 60 years, 1 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica | Vin de France
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica | Vin de France
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica | Vin de France
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica | Vin de France
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica | Vin de France
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 Giacometti France | Corsica | Patrimonio
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica | Vin de France
Domaine Maestracci France | Corsica | Calvi
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica | Corse Figari
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica | Vin de France
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica | Patrimonio
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica | Vin de France
Yves Leccia France | Corsica | Patrimonio
Domaine de Marquiliani France | Corsica
Domaine Giacometti France | Corsica
Antoine Arena France | Corsica | Patrimonio
Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
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
Many food and beverage cans have linings containing bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical known to cause harm to the female reproductive system. Jar lids and bottle caps may also contain BPA. You can be exposed to BPA when you consume foods or beverages packaged in these containers. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/bpa