Corsican wines' insular beauty to conquer VINEXPO

Top Quote As part of the Corsican Pavilion, Corsican wines from seven estates - Clos Canarelli, Clos Culombu, Clos Santini, Domaine Cordoliani, Domaine de Tanella, Domaine Sant'Armettu, and Domaine Vico/Clos Venturi-will be showcased at the VINEXPO trade show in Bordeaux (in south-western France) between 19 and 23 June 2011. End Quote
  • (1888PressRelease) May 17, 2011 - CIVCORSE, the Corsican wine board, and its representative in Britain, Guillaume Rodet, will be in charge of the Corsican Pavilion at VINEXPO, Europe's leading wine-industry trade fair, to be held in Bordeaux from 19 to 23 June of this year.

    Agents, importers, distributors, journalists, editors, and wine writers from the UK and Northern Europe will be able to taste Corsican wines for themselves during VINEXPO, and will be welcomed warmly on the Corsican Pavilion.

    After the wine tasting, and in the purest Corsican tradition, lunch will be served on the stand: a free-range calf will be spit-roasted whole over a wood fire, using wood from wild olive trees native to Corsica. The food will be prepared and cooked by three chefs, two of whom are Michelin- star-rated.

    "Combined with local soil conditions, the grapes that make Corsican wine contribute towards a unique output with a Mediterranean flavour, which is the true reflection of the character of Corsica, known in French as the Ile de Beauté," explains Guillaume Rodet.

    Corsican wines are unique and original, and they include remarkable rosés, legendary Muscats, delicious white wines, and powerful reds which mature well, all made according to the principles of traditional agriculture, with many estates practising organic farming.

    The seven Corsican winegrowers showcased at VINEXPO have been offering a wide range of quality wines for many years, always striving to meet high standards while combining modernity, quality and tradition. Today, Corsica ranks among the great winegrowing regions, thanks to the originality and style of its wines.

    The estates that will be showcased at VINEXPO are listed below. More detailed data on each domaine is available on request.

    Clos Canarelli

    Clos Canarelli's vineyards receive excellent exposure to the sun and, in addition, frequent winds and mountain updrafts further improve the quality of the wine. These conditions enable Yves Canarelli, who runs the domain, to produce a range of wines of quality and distinction at his estate in Figari. His passion for the local soil, his meticulous approach and his ongoing research into Corsican grapes, biodynamic cultivation and indigenous yeast all help his estate create high-quality, original wines.

    Clos Culombu

    The Clos Culombu vineyard, which was founded in 1973 by Paul Suzzoni, takes up 60 hectares. In 1986, Etienne Suzzoni, Paul's brother, took over the management of the estate. The vines, which enjoy due south exposure between the 2,000-metre Monte Grosso and the Gulf of Calvi, are cultivated according to traditional methods - neither chemical fertilisers nor weed-killers are used. Typical Corsican grape varieties (Niellucciu, Sciaccarellu and Vermentinu) are grown, alongside Mediterranean-type grape varieties (Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault), which round off the rosé's composition.

    For further information, please go to: http://www.closculombu.fr/

    Clos Santini

    The Dominici and Santini families combined their respective estates when intermarriages brought them together. The vineyard is located in an exceptional environment, between sea and mountains, at the foot of the Cap Corse, in the St Florent Gulf. The mountainous terrain and the sea are strong thermal regulators, which make an optimal maturation of the grapes possible. The marine spin drift protects the vines from diseases. This exceptional terroir generates memorable and high-quality wines. The vines grow on the hillsides and are located in the area of the Patrimonio Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC), on chalky, clayey, shaly and siliceous soils.

    Domaine Cordoliani

    Since it was set up in 2003, Domaine Cordoliani has opted for a form of viticulture that respects the natural environment: soils are ploughed and vines are grown without the use of herbicides, chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and every task is undertaken manually. The estate covers about 12 hectares, most of it cultivated in Niellucciu, Carignan and Muscat. The Muscat du Cap Corse is a rare and delicate wine: the yields are very small, resulting in highly concentrated grapes. The Patrimonio AOC and its Niellucciu variety produce powerful and generous reds, together with fruity rosés.

    For further information, please go to: http://www.domaine-cordoliani.com/

    Domaine de Tanella

    The Domaine de Tanella, which is situated in the district of Porto Vecchio, covers 57 hectares. The vines were planted in a single plot in 1965, and combine three typically Corsican grape varieties - Sciaccarellu, Niellucciu, and Vermentinu. The soil is granitic, clayey and stony, and benefits from the proximity of the sea (which is only 3km away) as well as from the presence of the river Canella - two factors that contribute towards the draining of the land. Jean-Baptiste de Peretti della Rocca, the owner of the estate, expresses his love for the Corsican terroir through his wines, on the back of a long family tradition: indeed, the domaine was acquired by his forebears in 1855…

    For further information, please go to: http://domaine-tanella.com/

    Domaine Sant'Armettu

    Planted on granitic terraces of coarse sand, the vines of Domaine Sant'Armettu flourish on the hillsides of south Corsica, overlooking the gulf of Propriano and the bay of Tizzano. This area of enchanting beauty produces fruity wines with a floral aroma, made from traditional Corsican grape varieties. The vineyard was started about 50 years ago. Since 1996, Gilles Seroin has been running the estate. He follows the principles of a responsible viticulture, which bans the use of insecticides, weed-killers and chemical fertilisers, while keeping the use of sulphur dioxide to an absolute minimum. All working methods respect the principles of a reasoned agriculture, from ploughing to harvesting, which ensures that the terroir and the vines can truly express their unique identity.

    For further information, please go to: http://www.santarmettu.com/

    Domaine Vico/Clos Venturi

    This vineyard was planted by Jean Vico in 1902. In a pioneering move, he took the innovative but risky decision to plant vines on high ground, beyond the boundaries of traditional vine planting in Corsica. François Acquaviva, Jean Marc Venturi, and Manu Venturi - two businessmen and an oenologist - took over the domaine in 1990 and completely restructured it. Having introduced agriculture raisonnée (i.e. sustainable agriculture) to the island of Corsica, the owners of the domain aim to produce modern-style wines that are nevertheless in line with local traditions, out of what is the highest vineyard in Corsica.

    For further information, please go to: http://www.domainevico.com/

    About CIVCORSE

    CIVCORSE, i.e. CIV-Corse (where CIV stands for Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins), the Inter-Professional Wine Board for the region of Corsica, is headquartered in Bastia (in the north of Corsica) and was set up in 1996. CIVCORSE represents and promotes a range of wines produced across the French island-region of Corsica.

    At the start of 2011, CIVCORSE opened an office in London (UK), which is run by Guillaume Rodet, who will be on the Corsican Pavilion at the VINEXPO trade show. VINEXPO is held every year in Bordeaux (in south-western France) and is the leading wine-industry trade fair in Europe.

    Visitors from the trade and the media will be able to enjoy a wine-tasting session on the Corsican Pavilion, which will be followed by a traditional Corsican-style lunch: a free-range calf will be spit-roasted whole over a wild-olive-tree wood fire, prepared and cooked by three chefs, two of whom are Michelin-star-rated.

    For further information or to get a VINEXPO invitation card, please contact Guillaume Rodet in the London office of CIV CORSE, or the Press Office of the French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in the UK.

    For further information about VINEXPO, please go to: http://www.vinexpo.com/en/

    For further information about CIVCORSE, please go to: www.vinsdecorse.com

    Contact details:

    Mr Guillaume Rodet
    CIVCORSE representative in the United Kingdom
    Telephone (direct line): (00) 44-(0)207-024-3627
    Email: guillaume ( @ ) vinsdecorse dot com

    For further information, please contact :

    Quote ref. : FTPB3595
    Ms Mary-Ann WILLIAMS - Press Officer
    UBIFRANCE Press Office in London
    Tel: +44 (0) 207 024 3640
    mary-ann.williams ( @ ) ubifrance dot fr

    View other press releases at :
    http://www.ubifrance.com/uk/

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