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2022 Patrimonio Blanc “Hauts de Carco”
Antoine-Marie Arena
Gazing up at the lofty incline Arena calls “Hauts de Carco,” which climbs a towering limestone ridge littered with fossilized seashells, inspires awe on every occasion. If the rocky white soil is comparable to that of Chablis, the wine is certainly as chalky, and drinking it provides the same thrill I feel when I look up at that impossibly steep slope, with the glistening Mediterranean lurking just over the hills. It is both lusciously creamy and tightly coiled, striking an impeccable balance achievable only by the most skilled vignerons in very top terroirs.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2022 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Vermentinu |
Appellation: | Vin de France |
Country: | France |
Region: | Corsica |
Producer: | Antoine-Marie Arena |
Winemaker: | Antoine-Marie Arena |
Vineyard: | Planted in 2003, 1 ha |
Soil: | Limestone, chalk, clay |
Aging: | 12 months in neutral 300-L barrels |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

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2024 Patrimonio Blanc “Cru des Agriate”
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Notes of herbs and sea salt further distinguish this dry and refreshing Corsican elixir, which shines served cool with grilled fish or summery salads.

2023 Patrimonio Blanc
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It’s beautifully ethereal, with pillowy fruit that tastes so sublime it would be limiting to attempt a description, although quince and verbena jump to mind.

2021 Patrimonio Rouge “Mémoria”
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2020 Vin de France Muscatellu “Morta Maió” Non Muté
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If you’re like me, a glass of Corsican Muscatellu sparks visions of evening cheese plates laden with Marcona almonds and gemlike fruits.

2020 Vin de France Rouge “Sempre Azezzu”
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Not quite Rhône-like and not quite Corsican, this has the best of both worlds, with plenty of palate-staining black fruit to boot.

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.

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.
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Our Guarantee

Our Guarantee
We only import wine we drink and enjoy ourselves, directly from the source.
Our wine tastes the same in your home as it did where it was bottled in Europe.
Like the long-term relationships we build with growers, we build long-term relationships with our clients. Have a question? Need wine advice? Just give us a call—510-524-1524.