Notify me
2020 Patrimonio Rouge “Grotte di Sole”
Jean-Baptiste ArenaAs 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% |
More from this Producer or Region
Vin de France Rouge “Grotte di Sole”
France | Corsica
A full-throttle Niellucciu from a sun-soaked limestone vineyard in Patrimonio.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil “Fruité Douce”
France | Corsica
From a tiny mill in Corsica’s eastern mountains, Douce is soft and tender; Sauvage is wildly peppery and herbaceous.
2019 Muscat du Cap Corse “Grotte di Sole”
France | Corsica
See why Cap Corse's famous Muscat tastes like no other dessert wine in the world.
2022 Huile d’Olive Vierge Extra
France | Corsica
Fruity nose with a hint of black olive; mild yet richly textured with a soft, peppery finish.
2022 Corse Calvi Rouge “Clos Reginu”
France | Corsica
This bottle is benchmark Corsica at a weeknight price.
2019 Vin de France Rouge “Costa Nera”
France | Corsica
A grandiose monument to the power of Corsica’s heirloom grapes.
2020 Île de Beauté Rouge
France | Corsica
Highly aromatic (wild berries), velvety structured palate with striking freshness and mineral finish. This Corsican beauty, predominantly Grenache based with a splash of Niellucciu, is your next perfect companion for anything on the grill. At this price, we are giving it away!
2020 Vin de France Blanc “Hauts de Carco”
France | Corsica
It’s like Corsican Chablis: pure Vermentinu planted in seashell-encrusted limestone.
2021 Patrimonio Blanc “Grotte di Sole”
France | Corsica
Golden ripe Vermentinu berries are responsible for this fleshy, succulent dry white.
About The Producer
Jean-Baptiste 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
2021 Patrimonio Rouge “Carco”
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
2017 Corse Figari Rouge “Amphora”
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
2020 Vin de France Rosé “Valle di Nero”
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica
2018 Île de Beauté Rouge “O Bà”
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2020 Île de Beauté Rouge
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2017 Patrimonio Rosé
Antoine Arena France | Corsica
2021 Corse Calvi Rouge “E Signurine”
Domaine Maestracci France | Corsica
2020 Vin de France Rouge “Ministre Impérial”
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica
2022 Île de Beauté Rosé “E Croce”
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2021 Corse Figari Blanc
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
2018 Patrimonio Rouge “Carco”
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
2021 Île de Beauté Rouge
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2021 Patrimonio Rouge “Carco”
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
2017 Corse Figari Rouge “Amphora”
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
2020 Vin de France Rosé “Valle di Nero”
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica
2018 Île de Beauté Rouge “O Bà”
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2020 Île de Beauté Rouge
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2017 Patrimonio Rosé
Antoine Arena France | Corsica
2021 Corse Calvi Rouge “E Signurine”
Domaine Maestracci France | Corsica
2020 Vin de France Rouge “Ministre Impérial”
Domaine Comte Abbatucci France | Corsica
2022 Île de Beauté Rosé “E Croce”
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
2021 Corse Figari Blanc
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
2018 Patrimonio Rouge “Carco”
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
2021 Île de Beauté Rouge
Yves Leccia 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