Corsica September 2022
By Kate Cornelius-Schecter, Illinois Sales Manager
How does one get to Corsica? The answer, as far as I am concerned, is by boat. If you are departing from Genova (recommend), the boat that will take you to the island is run by a company called Moby. Moby has a contract with Warner Bros and the ferries are all former cruise ships that are painted with Looney Tunes characters. Moby Dada was the name of the ship on which we embarked. It is a boat built in 1981 and originally used for cruises from Helsinki to Stockholm. Moby Dada is decorated like a Tiffany lamp and an Abba music video had a baby. I want to have my Bat Mitzvah there. I love it.
We arrived in Bastia in the evening, and the sun was just setting behind the dramatic mountains that compose the spine of the island. It is, what NASA refers to as, “A Mountain in the Sea.” One of those things you have to see to believe; so dramatic it feels prehistoric and mirage-like. Bastia, the port city, is on the East side of the island. Corsica is divided by its mountainous spine and on the East side you have “Alpine” terrain, which is more green and tropical feeling. On the West side, where one finds Patrimonio and all the winemakers, you have a granite, limestone, and iron-laden soil i.e. peak vine terroir.
When we first arrived in Bastia, my initial impression was that it was a small Paris by the sea. Of course as we got to know the place a bit, I realized it was entirely its own thing. This is appropriate, given that Corsicans are famously independent. One of the first graffiti pieces you see as the boat arrives in the harbor is a large “Corsica is not French” painted on the wall leading up to the lighthouse. There are many more such as you explore, “Basta Bastia” was another good one. The Corsican language is more similar to Italian than it is to French and many people there speak all three languages. This independence translates into the food and wine culture as well. Much of the nationalistic pride comes through in the burgeoning slow food movement. The Marfisis had even collaborated with a local brewery, Ribella, to put on a local food, wine, and beer festival that we happened to be there for called Ribellazione! There is definitely a divide between the tourist-oriented Corsica, which caters to people looking for (often overpriced) French seafood and pizza, and those developing the local and sustainable—and often more traditional—dishes that date back to an earlier time. I do have to mention one thing you must explore in Bastia. Go to the medieval city on the hill that overlooks the harbor. Victor Hugo lived here for several years and it is enchanting. There is a small restaurant called Coude en Coude (elbow to elbow) that we ate at twice. The wine list is a bit more conventional, but still fiercely local. And the tapas-style food is just to die for. Plus the setting in a picturesque courtyard doesn’t hurt either. Make reservations everywhere you go, even if it’s for lunch.
I digress. To get from Bastia to Patrimonio, one must drive over the mountain. That’s right—can’t go through it, can’t go around it, must go over it. Some of the best driving I’ve done in my life: serpentine roads that should really be one way but are two way and on cliffs. NBD. The views are spectacular, and as you pull into the towns that comprise Patrimonio, you immediately get a sense that you are in wine country. Tasting rooms dot the road and you might begin to see names you recognize. Across from Arenas, for instance, you will find Clos Marfisi.
We arrived in Bastia in the evening, and the sun was just setting behind the dramatic mountains that compose the spine of the island. It is, what NASA refers to as, “A Mountain in the Sea.” One of those things you have to see to believe; so dramatic it feels prehistoric and mirage-like. Bastia, the port city, is on the East side of the island. Corsica is divided by its mountainous spine and on the East side you have “Alpine” terrain, which is more green and tropical feeling. On the West side, where one finds Patrimonio and all the winemakers, you have a granite, limestone, and iron-laden soil i.e. peak vine terroir.
When we first arrived in Bastia, my initial impression was that it was a small Paris by the sea. Of course as we got to know the place a bit, I realized it was entirely its own thing. This is appropriate, given that Corsicans are famously independent. One of the first graffiti pieces you see as the boat arrives in the harbor is a large “Corsica is not French” painted on the wall leading up to the lighthouse. There are many more such as you explore, “Basta Bastia” was another good one. The Corsican language is more similar to Italian than it is to French and many people there speak all three languages. This independence translates into the food and wine culture as well. Much of the nationalistic pride comes through in the burgeoning slow food movement. The Marfisis had even collaborated with a local brewery, Ribella, to put on a local food, wine, and beer festival that we happened to be there for called Ribellazione! There is definitely a divide between the tourist-oriented Corsica, which caters to people looking for (often overpriced) French seafood and pizza, and those developing the local and sustainable—and often more traditional—dishes that date back to an earlier time. I do have to mention one thing you must explore in Bastia. Go to the medieval city on the hill that overlooks the harbor. Victor Hugo lived here for several years and it is enchanting. There is a small restaurant called Coude en Coude (elbow to elbow) that we ate at twice. The wine list is a bit more conventional, but still fiercely local. And the tapas-style food is just to die for. Plus the setting in a picturesque courtyard doesn’t hurt either. Make reservations everywhere you go, even if it’s for lunch.
I digress. To get from Bastia to Patrimonio, one must drive over the mountain. That’s right—can’t go through it, can’t go around it, must go over it. Some of the best driving I’ve done in my life: serpentine roads that should really be one way but are two way and on cliffs. NBD. The views are spectacular, and as you pull into the towns that comprise Patrimonio, you immediately get a sense that you are in wine country. Tasting rooms dot the road and you might begin to see names you recognize. Across from Arenas, for instance, you will find Clos Marfisi.
Clos Marfisi
Thursday, 09/22/22 10:30am
We drove out in the morning to meet Mathieu at the cave in Patrimonio. Julie was there doing cellar work as well. The whole family was busy preparing for Toussaint (their father)’s birthday lunch. All the same, Mathieu took the time to show us around.
The House
Toussaint Marfisi grew up next to the church higher up in the mountains, with his five siblings, and moved down to the current place in the ‘50s. At that time it was just the smaller house (see picture) with the Clos Marfisi sign and all the wine was vinified directly next to the house. It was in this house that Toussaint took over the winemaking. One of his brothers, Virgile, was called an “Américain,” because he was part of the group of Corsicans that left to find prosperity in America. Many “Américains” came back and built grand houses with their newfound wealth in Patrimonio. Virgile was not one of these lucky few, and he moved back in with his parents (Mathieu and Julie’s grandparents) until he died when Mathieu was about 7. In the ‘70s, Toussaint built the larger house, which is where he raised his family. It is also the home to the winery on the first floor. Toussaint was turning 86 on the day we visited.
The Vineyards
After he removed one of his two sons’ carseats (2 and 5? Julie has two the same age I believe), Mathieu drove us to see the vines:
Gritole- planted by Toussaint in 1985. With about four meters of earth before hitting soft limestone, the vineyard is divided between red (Nielluciu) and white (Vermentinu). They use Gobelet training to shade the grapes. Right next to these are the grapes that go into Uva Blanc—Rinenese. Rinenese is an old Corsican white varietal that is acidic and doesn’t get too alcoholic, which is why it’s fallen out of style. But it’s now making a resurgence! It is more orange in color than Vermentinu and 2018 was the first year for the Uva Blanc (see tasting notes).
There is also a parcel across the way that’s been abandoned since the ‘70s that they are replanting this year with more climate-resistant grapes like the ones that go into Uva Blanc.
At this point, we ran into Toussaint, who was mucking through the goat manure they had just spread to fertilize the vines with a bag of dog food. “I’m going to feed my hunting dogs.” We regretfully did not get to meet any dogs on this trip. He stopped to chat for a moment and very charmingly asked us if we spoke any English. When we said yes he said “Oh well, what about Spanish?” I bashfully wished him a happy birthday and he explained that he hates birthdays and it’s only the kids and his wife who make a big fuss about it.
Turns out you need hunting dogs in this region for many of the same reasons as you do in St. Julien: Sangliers! Wild boars are a huge problem in this part of the country. And unlike in the Rhone where, according to Martin, “if you shoot one that pretty much scares the rest of them away,” they are pretty much fearless here. Pinelli has put up electric fences all around her vineyards, but the Marfisis haven’t and they’ve lost a lot of grapes as a result.
There are 14 ha of vineyards total: Ravagnola-9, Grotta di Sole- 2.5, Gritole- 2.5
Ravagnola- Muscat is here. 30-60m down close to water. Argilo-calcaire. More topsoil (argile/clay), but still only about 6 inches (see photo with Mathieu’s hands for scale). There is a North-South wind, but also a western wind, so very little mildew. The limestone is soft and retains water and chill very well, which is why the draught was not such a huge problem here. Nonetheless, they harvested early on August 5th.
As you can see from the photos, the parcel is very close to the water. Even closer, Marie Charlotte has started leasing some vines from a friend. Although she says she will probably stop working with this vineyard in the next year or so (more on that later).
Tilling- they use a small tractor in March or April to go under the vines, but let the grass grow between rows. In May, they’ll cut the grass. In June, there’s another plowing.
Fun Fact: Farinole, where these two vineyards are situated, is named as such because Far (fer in French means iron) used to be mined here. There are still small iron deposits further up on Grotta di Sole. Farinole is technically its own AOP.
We didn’t have time to go see Gritole, because birthday lunch. So instead, we went back to the cave to taste.
We drove out in the morning to meet Mathieu at the cave in Patrimonio. Julie was there doing cellar work as well. The whole family was busy preparing for Toussaint (their father)’s birthday lunch. All the same, Mathieu took the time to show us around.
The House
Toussaint Marfisi grew up next to the church higher up in the mountains, with his five siblings, and moved down to the current place in the ‘50s. At that time it was just the smaller house (see picture) with the Clos Marfisi sign and all the wine was vinified directly next to the house. It was in this house that Toussaint took over the winemaking. One of his brothers, Virgile, was called an “Américain,” because he was part of the group of Corsicans that left to find prosperity in America. Many “Américains” came back and built grand houses with their newfound wealth in Patrimonio. Virgile was not one of these lucky few, and he moved back in with his parents (Mathieu and Julie’s grandparents) until he died when Mathieu was about 7. In the ‘70s, Toussaint built the larger house, which is where he raised his family. It is also the home to the winery on the first floor. Toussaint was turning 86 on the day we visited.
The Vineyards
After he removed one of his two sons’ carseats (2 and 5? Julie has two the same age I believe), Mathieu drove us to see the vines:
Gritole- planted by Toussaint in 1985. With about four meters of earth before hitting soft limestone, the vineyard is divided between red (Nielluciu) and white (Vermentinu). They use Gobelet training to shade the grapes. Right next to these are the grapes that go into Uva Blanc—Rinenese. Rinenese is an old Corsican white varietal that is acidic and doesn’t get too alcoholic, which is why it’s fallen out of style. But it’s now making a resurgence! It is more orange in color than Vermentinu and 2018 was the first year for the Uva Blanc (see tasting notes).
There is also a parcel across the way that’s been abandoned since the ‘70s that they are replanting this year with more climate-resistant grapes like the ones that go into Uva Blanc.
At this point, we ran into Toussaint, who was mucking through the goat manure they had just spread to fertilize the vines with a bag of dog food. “I’m going to feed my hunting dogs.” We regretfully did not get to meet any dogs on this trip. He stopped to chat for a moment and very charmingly asked us if we spoke any English. When we said yes he said “Oh well, what about Spanish?” I bashfully wished him a happy birthday and he explained that he hates birthdays and it’s only the kids and his wife who make a big fuss about it.
Turns out you need hunting dogs in this region for many of the same reasons as you do in St. Julien: Sangliers! Wild boars are a huge problem in this part of the country. And unlike in the Rhone where, according to Martin, “if you shoot one that pretty much scares the rest of them away,” they are pretty much fearless here. Pinelli has put up electric fences all around her vineyards, but the Marfisis haven’t and they’ve lost a lot of grapes as a result.
There are 14 ha of vineyards total: Ravagnola-9, Grotta di Sole- 2.5, Gritole- 2.5
Ravagnola- Muscat is here. 30-60m down close to water. Argilo-calcaire. More topsoil (argile/clay), but still only about 6 inches (see photo with Mathieu’s hands for scale). There is a North-South wind, but also a western wind, so very little mildew. The limestone is soft and retains water and chill very well, which is why the draught was not such a huge problem here. Nonetheless, they harvested early on August 5th.
As you can see from the photos, the parcel is very close to the water. Even closer, Marie Charlotte has started leasing some vines from a friend. Although she says she will probably stop working with this vineyard in the next year or so (more on that later).
Tilling- they use a small tractor in March or April to go under the vines, but let the grass grow between rows. In May, they’ll cut the grass. In June, there’s another plowing.
Fun Fact: Farinole, where these two vineyards are situated, is named as such because Far (fer in French means iron) used to be mined here. There are still small iron deposits further up on Grotta di Sole. Farinole is technically its own AOP.
We didn’t have time to go see Gritole, because birthday lunch. So instead, we went back to the cave to taste.
Domaine Pinelli
Thursday, 09/22/22 2pm
After some miscommunication about google maps and dropped pins, and getting distracted by really cute Australian shepherds on the side of the road, I made it to meet Marie-Charlotte Pinelli. Pinelli’s estate has 8 hectares total, all within the bounds of Patrimonio: 4 in Casta, 2 in Oletta and 2 that she rents in Ferinole. The three producers: Marfisi, Pinelli, and Santamaria form a triangle geographically, with St. Florent on the hypotenuse. Pinelli is the farthest west and, from what I observed, the most mountainous estate. The first thing one notices driving off the steep road to the cave is the grade of the vineyards and the stunning view of the ocean. The second is the state of the art cave that Marie-Charlotte and her father are putting the finishing touches on.
The new winery is next to a church her family built in the early 20th century. The family always made wine to a certain degree and there was a small cellar next to the church. Her dad stopped in the '90s to pursue more lucrative work as a contractor. When Marie-Charlotte finished her internship with Bindi, he helped her build the new cellar and is helping her make the wine as well. They are now converting the small cave attached to the house near the church into a tasting room. It will still house large foudres for aging certain cuvées. Marie-Charlotte lives in Bastia and commutes to the property.
Vendange finished the Saturday before we met and it had started on August 16th. There were issues with heat this year, but then the storms mitigated some of the damage done. Sangliers are a huge issue here as well and there are electric fences to keep them out. These are only effective to a point. I asked Marie-Charlotte about Martin Texier’s theory that if you kill one boar and leave it out it scares the rest of them away. She laughed and said, no that isn’t the case and she has to hunt them pretty relentlessly at night. I guess the sangliers in the Rhone are a milder species than in Corsica?
P.s. Marie-Charlotte recommended this amazing beach and small town called Nonza. The plage de Nonza is all black volcanic rocks and the water is divine. Lots of bees in September though.
The Wines
Saint-Pancrace VDF 2021- Named after the church her great grandpa built, this wine is more Cacciarellu, some Niellucciu. One month in concrete. Marie-Charlotte explained that concrete is complicated because it lowers acidity. The wine goes through alcoholic fermentation in concrete and then malolactic fermentation in stainless. Bottled in May.
Campo Vecchio 2020- aged for one year in large foudres, 100% Nielluciu (Patrimonio)
Muscat 2021- No Muscat last year because of disease in the vines. It’s vinified the same as the white wine, guarded from oxygen, pressed and then straight to tank.
After some miscommunication about google maps and dropped pins, and getting distracted by really cute Australian shepherds on the side of the road, I made it to meet Marie-Charlotte Pinelli. Pinelli’s estate has 8 hectares total, all within the bounds of Patrimonio: 4 in Casta, 2 in Oletta and 2 that she rents in Ferinole. The three producers: Marfisi, Pinelli, and Santamaria form a triangle geographically, with St. Florent on the hypotenuse. Pinelli is the farthest west and, from what I observed, the most mountainous estate. The first thing one notices driving off the steep road to the cave is the grade of the vineyards and the stunning view of the ocean. The second is the state of the art cave that Marie-Charlotte and her father are putting the finishing touches on.
The new winery is next to a church her family built in the early 20th century. The family always made wine to a certain degree and there was a small cellar next to the church. Her dad stopped in the '90s to pursue more lucrative work as a contractor. When Marie-Charlotte finished her internship with Bindi, he helped her build the new cellar and is helping her make the wine as well. They are now converting the small cave attached to the house near the church into a tasting room. It will still house large foudres for aging certain cuvées. Marie-Charlotte lives in Bastia and commutes to the property.
Vendange finished the Saturday before we met and it had started on August 16th. There were issues with heat this year, but then the storms mitigated some of the damage done. Sangliers are a huge issue here as well and there are electric fences to keep them out. These are only effective to a point. I asked Marie-Charlotte about Martin Texier’s theory that if you kill one boar and leave it out it scares the rest of them away. She laughed and said, no that isn’t the case and she has to hunt them pretty relentlessly at night. I guess the sangliers in the Rhone are a milder species than in Corsica?
P.s. Marie-Charlotte recommended this amazing beach and small town called Nonza. The plage de Nonza is all black volcanic rocks and the water is divine. Lots of bees in September though.
The Wines
Saint-Pancrace VDF 2021- Named after the church her great grandpa built, this wine is more Cacciarellu, some Niellucciu. One month in concrete. Marie-Charlotte explained that concrete is complicated because it lowers acidity. The wine goes through alcoholic fermentation in concrete and then malolactic fermentation in stainless. Bottled in May.
Campo Vecchio 2020- aged for one year in large foudres, 100% Nielluciu (Patrimonio)
Muscat 2021- No Muscat last year because of disease in the vines. It’s vinified the same as the white wine, guarded from oxygen, pressed and then straight to tank.
Santamaria
Friday, 09/23/22 11am
Thomas Santamaria was born in 1990. He is a sixth-generation Corsican winemaker. The estate is nestled exactly in between Oletta and Olmeta, just south of St. Florent on the west coast of northern Corsica. It's part of the Patrimonio appellation, which is helmed by Matthieu Marfisi (AOC president) who introduced us to Thomas, Nicolas Mariotti Bindi, and Marie-Charlotte Pinelli.
Thomas' father was the one who converted everything to organics and Thomas has taken it a step further by using select biodynamic treatments as well as following the lunar cycle for all vineyard work. His emblem is the bird of prey that circles the property, as alluded to by his Boutanche caricature. We saw that bird quite a bit during the visit and it was very beautiful. In French, it’s called a Milan Royal, which is apt given how regal a creature it is. In English, the bird is known as a Red Kite.
Right now, it's just Thomas, his 24 y-o brother Mathys, and their father who work in the cellar. We happened to arrive on red wine pressing day; Thomas had hurt his shoulder from working out, so Mathys was doing all of the pressing of the red grapes. They had just finished harvest the previous week, with a team of 20 including family members.
He was excited that day because, despite his shoulder, he was going to pick up a new motorcycle. Thomas, like Marie-Charlotte, lives in Bastia most of the time and commutes to the vineyards/ winery every day.
The Wines
The Patrimonio Rouge is 100% Nielluciu from the lake that one crosses over to get to the estate. The lake creates a microclimate, which insulates the grapes from some of the harsher coastal weather, including a very serious storm that hit Corsica after a prolonged drought in August of this year. It is pressed in September via pneumatic press into stainless tanks and bottled the following July. The grapes are macerated slowly, like an infusion of tea. Natural yeasts. The wine can take a long time to finish fermenting, but the result is a smooth and elegant red, not hyper-tannic, with great potential for aging.
La Dilemme d’Achille- 100% Nielluciu. More like a light red, with maceration for only one day before pressing, Thomas says this was inspired by L’Anglore. There is a story behind this cuvée—a dilemma, if you will. Thomas is a reader and is obsessed with this story from the Iliad. Achilles says that faced with the choice of having a long uneventful life full of meaning and small things vs. a life filled with glory on the battlefield and an early death, he wish he could have chosen the less glamorous life. What Thomas gleans from this is a question more appropriate for a 32-year-old winemaker: is it possible to have both personal and professional satisfaction? What does it mean to “make it?” The dilemma speaks too to the choice to live on the island, to embrace a slower pace of life. I just really love the wine.
Montre tes Yeux ’22- 100% Grenache, named after a quote from Par les Villages by Peter Handke
“Joue le jeu. Menace le travail encore plus. Ne sois pas le personnage principal. Cherche la confrontation. Mais n'aie pas d'intention. Evite les arrière-pensées. Ne tais rien. Sois doux et fort. Sois malin, interviens et méprise la victoire. N'observe pas, n'examine pas, mais reste prêt pour les signes, vigilant. Sois ébranlable. Montre tes yeux, entraîne les autres dans ce qui est profond, prends soin de l'espace et considère chacun dans son image. Ne décide qu'enthousiasmé. Échoue avec tranquillité. Surtout aie du temps et fais des détours. Laisse-toi distraire. Mets-toi pour ainsi dire en congé. Ne néglige la voix d'aucun arbre, d'aucune eau. Entre où tu as envie et accorde-toi le soleil. Oublie ta famille, donne des forces aux inconnus, penche-toi sur les détails, pars où il n'y a personne, fous-toi du drame du destin, dédaigne le malheur, apaise le conflit de ton rire. Mets-toi dans tes couleurs, sois dans ton droit, et que le bruit des feuilles devienne doux. Passe par les villages, je te suis.”
Which is pretty abstract stuff, but suffice it to say “Montre tes yeux,” means show your eyes—ie. Don’t look away.
Thomas Santamaria was born in 1990. He is a sixth-generation Corsican winemaker. The estate is nestled exactly in between Oletta and Olmeta, just south of St. Florent on the west coast of northern Corsica. It's part of the Patrimonio appellation, which is helmed by Matthieu Marfisi (AOC president) who introduced us to Thomas, Nicolas Mariotti Bindi, and Marie-Charlotte Pinelli.
Thomas' father was the one who converted everything to organics and Thomas has taken it a step further by using select biodynamic treatments as well as following the lunar cycle for all vineyard work. His emblem is the bird of prey that circles the property, as alluded to by his Boutanche caricature. We saw that bird quite a bit during the visit and it was very beautiful. In French, it’s called a Milan Royal, which is apt given how regal a creature it is. In English, the bird is known as a Red Kite.
Right now, it's just Thomas, his 24 y-o brother Mathys, and their father who work in the cellar. We happened to arrive on red wine pressing day; Thomas had hurt his shoulder from working out, so Mathys was doing all of the pressing of the red grapes. They had just finished harvest the previous week, with a team of 20 including family members.
He was excited that day because, despite his shoulder, he was going to pick up a new motorcycle. Thomas, like Marie-Charlotte, lives in Bastia most of the time and commutes to the vineyards/ winery every day.
The Wines
The Patrimonio Rouge is 100% Nielluciu from the lake that one crosses over to get to the estate. The lake creates a microclimate, which insulates the grapes from some of the harsher coastal weather, including a very serious storm that hit Corsica after a prolonged drought in August of this year. It is pressed in September via pneumatic press into stainless tanks and bottled the following July. The grapes are macerated slowly, like an infusion of tea. Natural yeasts. The wine can take a long time to finish fermenting, but the result is a smooth and elegant red, not hyper-tannic, with great potential for aging.
La Dilemme d’Achille- 100% Nielluciu. More like a light red, with maceration for only one day before pressing, Thomas says this was inspired by L’Anglore. There is a story behind this cuvée—a dilemma, if you will. Thomas is a reader and is obsessed with this story from the Iliad. Achilles says that faced with the choice of having a long uneventful life full of meaning and small things vs. a life filled with glory on the battlefield and an early death, he wish he could have chosen the less glamorous life. What Thomas gleans from this is a question more appropriate for a 32-year-old winemaker: is it possible to have both personal and professional satisfaction? What does it mean to “make it?” The dilemma speaks too to the choice to live on the island, to embrace a slower pace of life. I just really love the wine.
Montre tes Yeux ’22- 100% Grenache, named after a quote from Par les Villages by Peter Handke
“Joue le jeu. Menace le travail encore plus. Ne sois pas le personnage principal. Cherche la confrontation. Mais n'aie pas d'intention. Evite les arrière-pensées. Ne tais rien. Sois doux et fort. Sois malin, interviens et méprise la victoire. N'observe pas, n'examine pas, mais reste prêt pour les signes, vigilant. Sois ébranlable. Montre tes yeux, entraîne les autres dans ce qui est profond, prends soin de l'espace et considère chacun dans son image. Ne décide qu'enthousiasmé. Échoue avec tranquillité. Surtout aie du temps et fais des détours. Laisse-toi distraire. Mets-toi pour ainsi dire en congé. Ne néglige la voix d'aucun arbre, d'aucune eau. Entre où tu as envie et accorde-toi le soleil. Oublie ta famille, donne des forces aux inconnus, penche-toi sur les détails, pars où il n'y a personne, fous-toi du drame du destin, dédaigne le malheur, apaise le conflit de ton rire. Mets-toi dans tes couleurs, sois dans ton droit, et que le bruit des feuilles devienne doux. Passe par les villages, je te suis.”
Which is pretty abstract stuff, but suffice it to say “Montre tes yeux,” means show your eyes—ie. Don’t look away.