Wine tourism enthusiasts, head to Corsica to discover some of the finest vineyards in the Mediterranean! An authentic journey into the heart of Corsican lands, meeting passionate winemakers deeply attached to their vines.
From Cap Corse to Bonifacio and along the entire Corsican coastline, endless vineyards will be part of your daily scenery. Viticulture was first introduced by the Greeks and later developed by the Romans. During the Middle Ages, vine cultivation flourished again thanks to religious orders. As Ignazio Danti once said:
“Corsica has received four major gifts from nature: its horses, its dogs, its proud and courageous men, and its wines.”
With the creation of the Corsican Wine Union and the Interprofessional Committee of Corsican Wines, Corsica has significantly improved the quality of its vintages and now enjoys a place on the world’s finest tables.
Corsican wines: characterful wines with unique aromas
Corsican wines are mainly produced from traditional grape varieties, including:
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Sciaccarello: mainly found in the south of the island, covering 15% of the vineyards. It produces very fine, peppery wines with good structure, though sometimes lacking body.
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Vermentino: a white grape variety related to Malvasia, producing highly aromatic white wines.
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Nielluccio: a red grape similar to Tuscany’s Sangiovese and the main grape of the Patrimonio appellation in the north. It represents 35% of Corsica’s vineyards. On great terroirs like Patrimonio, it produces remarkable wines, though elsewhere it may lack personality.
(Source: Wikipedia)
Other varieties include Malvasia with large berries, Carcajolo grapes, and more.
From these grape varieties, Corsica produces excellent wines and award-winning vintages renowned for their exceptional quality. White, rosé, red wines and Muscats: be sure to enhance your meals with Corsican wines. Many restaurants across the island will always suggest excellent bottles, often available for tasting. Corsican wines are also traditionally enjoyed with Corsican cured meats at aperitif time.
Wine tourism in Corsica: discovering Corsican wines
Would you like to explore the most beautiful vineyards and confidential wine cellars of Corsica? An excellent idea! Corsica boasts an exceptional terroir not to be missed.
In Corsica, the wine route stretches from the hills of Cap Corse to the vineyards of Porto-Vecchio and Figari in the south, passing through Calvi and Ajaccio. Simply follow the coastline to tour Corsica’s vineyards!
This itinerary allows you to taste great wines at estates open to visitors and to share in the daily life and values of Corsican winemakers. Notably, a large number of Corsican vineyards are run by women.
A salute!