| Happy to Offer two Kermit Lynch Selections from Corsica! |
| | 2015 Abbatucci Frais Impérial Rouge $35 bottle |
| 100% Sciaccarellu
Granite Soil
Age of vines: 20 years average. Vines are planted at a density of 3,500 vines per hectare, natural grass ground cover between each vineyard row, biodynamic practices have been followed since 2000, all fruit is harvested by hand. Grapes are fully de-stemmed, short maceration period with light punching down, short aging period in cement and stainless steel.
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ABOUT THE PRODUCER: Abbatucci
In the colorful, picturesque city of Ajaccio, capital of Corsica, you can’t get very far without seeing the name Abbatucci. There are streets, monuments and plazas that carry the name, which is normal given that General Jean-Charles Abbatucci from Ajaccio was a hero of the French Revolution and comrade in arms of another local hero, Napoléon Bonaparte. Step into a wine bar or a restaurant there, chances are these days they’ll pour you a glass of Domaine Abbatucci. Corsicans are proud defenders of their traditions and environment, and with Abbatucci they indulge guilt-free. His wines are certified biodynamic (The estate has been cultivated biodynamically since 2000, with Demeter certification following in 2003.) and he believes in following even the most far-out biodynamic practices to the letter. On his large estate south of Ajaccio he keeps a pristine poly-culture ecosystem in place, complete with herds of sheep foraging through his vines, groves of olive trees on ancient terraces, and large swaths of untouched forests. His vines come from cuttings of indigenous grapes, sourced decades ago high up in the isolated and mountainous interior of the island from elderly peasant farmers, effectively saving several native varieties from extinction. To keep his vines happy, he’s known to drive his tractor out to his vineyards and play traditional Corsican polyphonic songs over loudspeakers for their benefit. After the harvest he’ll treat his cellar to the same music as his grapes ferment and come of age.
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| | | 2014 Giacometti Patrimonio Rouge Cru des Agriate
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| 97% Niellucciu 3% Grenache
Vine Age: 10-45 years. Hand-harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tank. Aged for 10 months on fine lees in stainless steel tank.
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| | ABOUT THE PRODUCER: Domaine Giacometti
Corsicans are no strangers to rugged landscapes and isolated areas, yet there is only one spot on the island that has earned the name of “Desert” among Corsicans. The Agriate Desert is a large, rugged, empty and arid swath of land between the Cap Corse and Calvi on the northern end of the island. There are no cities nor towns, only one small paved road, and only one hamlet, with a dozen or so inhabitants. It’s swept year round with the Libecciu, a hot and dry wind that rolls down off the Italian coast, and it’s been an empty area for nearly a century. The wind combined with the clay-granite soils makes growing anything here extremely laborious, with the vines requiring constant plowing to allow the roots to forage deep for water and nutrients. The Giacometti family boldly moved here in 1987, taking over vines that had been planted in 1966. The appellation authorities granted Patrimonio appellation status to these vines, even though the estate is several miles from the village of Patrimonio and other vineyards. Given the isolation of the domaine, word of the wines and the estate haven’t travelled far, though an important and loyal Corsican clientele has permitted the domaine to thrive. The Giacomettis have long made a generous, approachable style of Patrimonio, similar to what has traditionally been served by the pitcher at the Corsican dinner table. The terroir here provides conditions that allow the Niellucciu vines to forage deep into the granite rock for nutrients and to ripen without excess.
To find the estate one needs to venture far from the one paved road of the region, and a good 4x4 vehicle is essential. The founder, Christian Giacometti, has gradually been handing over the reins to his daughter Sarah and son Simon after 25 years of constant and heroic labor to make wine in an inhospitable land. The kids are all right, as they say, continuing on with their unique and eminently drinkable style of Patrimonio, all the while experimenting with Sciaccarellu plantings (extremely rare for Patrimonio) and offering a glimpse of great things to come.
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