FR: Corsica

Question 1

What are the 5 subzones of Corse AOP?

Answer 1

1. Calvi
2. Figari
3. Sarténe
4. Coteaux du Cap Corse
5. Porto-Vecchio

Question 2

Malvoisie de Corse

Answer 2

Vermentino

Question 3

Rossola

Answer 3

Ugni Blanc
Corse AOP

Question 4

Sciaccarello synonym

Answer 4

Mammolo

Question 5

How high does Corse AOP’s elevation top out at?

Answer 5

787M

Question 6

Corsica climate

Answer 6

Mediterranean - sits at 41º
25.5in rain/yr, 2740 avg sunshine hours

Question 7

The majority of Corsican wine is released under what designation?

Answer 7

IGP Ile de Beauté
*majority of wine is released as this
(about 237,500L vs. 12,100ish for AC)

Question 8

What is Corsica’s most produced style of wine?

Answer 8

Rosé
about 70%

Question 9

Corsica’s winds

Answer 9

*Libeccio: Blows north from Gibraltar 147 days per year in Cap Corse. Affects the north island more. Most common/regular wind.
*Mistral
*Sirocco: hot dry wind, blows north from Sahara
*Gregale: Greek wind from the Apennines
*Tramontana: A classical name for a northern wind, means “beyond/across mountains”. Cold, dry

Question 10

3 bodies of water surrounding Corsica?

Answer 10

Ligurian Sea (north)
Tyrrenhian Sea (southern and to the east0
Mediterranean Sea (west)

Question 11

Corsican variation of Sangiovese?

Answer 11

Nieulluccio

Question 12

What is “Maquis”?

Answer 12

A Corsican term for scrubland

Question 13

Corsica is covered by what 4 AOPs?

Answer 13

Corse AC
Muscat du Cap Corse AC
Patrimonio AC
Ajaccio AC

Question 14

What body of water separates Corsica from Sardinia?

Answer 14

Strait of Bonifacio

Question 15

What is “castagnu”?

Answer 15

Corsican for chestnut

Question 16

What is the traditional vine training method on the island of Corsica?

Answer 16

Gobelet

Question 17

What is Rappu?

Answer 17

A Corsican specialty: red VDN, typically made from Aleatico, but Niellucciu and blends are commonly found.

It is a traditional product historically made from the monks of Morsiglia le Rappu in the Cap Corse, dating to the 15th century.

Clos Paoli makes an example
Dom. Gioielli (KL) is imported

Question 18

What is the dominant soil type found in the Coteaux du Cap Corse?

Answer 18

Schists

Question 19

Prominent producer in the Figari subzone of Vin de Corse

Answer 19

Clos Canerelli

Question 20

Where is the Agriates? What is it?

Answer 20

An desert area found in northern Corsica. Wine is made here under the Patrimonio AC.

Question 21

Summarize the general soil patterns across the island of Corsica.

Answer 21

North/Cap Corse area: schists dominate. Patrimonio: chalk clay and limestone are found.
West: Granitic soils
East: more marly, sandy soils.

Question 22

Libeccio

Answer 22

A strong wind that blows year round across northern Corsica. Westerly/southwesterly from Gibraltar. Raises sea levels and can bring squalls/rain.

Question 23

What type of beer is a Corsican specialty?

Answer 23

Chestnut beer - a beer brewed by Pietra Brewery since 1996. Amber style made from barley malt and chestnut flour.
*Pietra is the first Corsican brewery

Question 24

What digestif is typical and traditional to Corsica?

Answer 24

Myrtle

Question 25

What is Mattei?

Answer 25

Corsica’s most famous aperitif wine. Blanc and rouge, made from a mistelle-base of Vermentino and MPG. The blanc is flavored with citron and cinchona bark. The rouge is also cinchona dominant with local spices and walnuts

Question 26

Corse AOP

Answer 26

The generic, island-wide AC
WHITE: Vermentino-based
ROSÉ/RED: Grenache, Sciaccellu, Nielluciu
*Coteaux du Cap Corse is the only sub with a diverging style
5 SUBZONES: Calvi, Figari, Porto-Vecchio, Coteaux du Cap Corse, Sartène

Question 27

Patrimonio AOP

Answer 27

Corsica’s 1st AC (1968). Haute-Corse.
*WHITES: 100% Vermentino
*ROSÉ/REDS: Min. 75% Nielluccio + Grenache, Sciaccarello & Rolle
*limestone, schist and chalk soils
*banned chemical weeding in 2021
*Ligurian Sea, Gulf of Saint-Florent
*Yves Leccia, Domaine Giacometti, Jean-Baptiste Arena

Question 28

Ajaccio AOP

Answer 28

Corse-du-Sud
*WHITE: min. 80% Vermentino
*ROSÉ/RED: min. 40% Sciaccerello
*Granite soils
*Domaine U Stilliccionu & Comte Abbatucci are here (tho Abba = VDF)

Question 29

Muscat du Cap Corse AOP

Answer 29

Corsica’s 1 VDN
*MPG
*min. ABV 15-18% (21.5% potential)
*min. 90g/l RS
*Yves Leccia Domaine d’E Croce