Rosés rival Provence – and other reasons Corsica is a true unsung hero in the wine world

It is not a huge wine region: it represents one percent of national production; it has around 5,800 hectares of vines against 26,700 hectares praised by Provence (for more context, in Brittany, we have around 3,800 hectares of vines).

The island produces 50 million bottles of wine each year and most never leave France. Just over a third is drunk on the island and 45 percent goes to the mainland, leaving 20 percent for export. And while Corsican red and white are both excellent, it is rosé, which accounts for more than two-thirds of all wine produced in Corsica, that has caught the attention of buyers from supermarkets as the rush to summer rosé made it necessary to hunt beyond Provence for supplies.

So, does Corsican rosé taste like Provence rosé? No, this is not the case. And that’s not a bad thing. I’ve noticed that some drinkers become obsessed with a certain style of wine, whether it’s rosé or not, and then go looking everywhere for it, hoping to find an accurate reproduction. But that’s not wine. Wine celebrates difference and diversity, although you will also find some similarities there. Provence and Corsican rosé are at the same time pale, dry, delicate and refreshing. There is, however, a difference in the general style: where Provence rosé often has a silky creamy feel, like Evian, Corsican rosé is more like Volvic. (And if you think these two mineral waters taste the same, maybe give them another taste.)

Let’s look at Corsican grapes, which make up an interesting portfolio. There are 33 different varieties planted around the island. These include Grenache, the mainstay of Provence rosé, but the most common are nielluccio, sciaccarello, vermentino, aleaticu, biancu gentile and muscat aux petits grains.

Nielluccio is the Corsican name for Sangiovese, the main grape of Chianti, a reminder of the island’s Italian heritage. Sciaccarello is also Italian, a “very old Tuscan variety” also known as mammolo and probably brought from Tuscany to Corsica “under the reign of the Republic of Pisa (1077-1284) or the Republic of Genoa (1284- 1768) ”, according to Wine grapes (Robinson, Harding, Vouillamoz, 2012).

Like Provence rosé, Corsican rosé is a mobile feast: an assembly which in the case of Corsica revolves around one or a mixture of nielluccio, sciaccarello and grenache, and may include others, like vermentino, a white grape that is also found in Provence where it is called rolle.

Corsican rosé often has a slightly grassy taste and a suggestion of texture. It’s beautiful, but if you stick to just rosé, you’re missing out. Yapp is the place to go to explore the island’s wild and mouth-watering reds (see my wines of the week, below), herbal and heat tasting, and they also sell a beautiful white, by Domaine Saparale , made from vermentino.

In the meantime, here is a list of recommended Corsican rosés to try:

?? Casanova Costa d’Oru Rosé Corsica 2020 France (12%, Coop, £ 7.50)

?? Umanu Rosé Corsican Winegrowers 2020 France (11.5%, the Wine Society, £ 8.75)

?? The Corsican Rosé Society 2020 France (12.5%, the Wine Society, £ 9.95)

?? Domaine Saparale Rosé Corsican wine France (13%, yapp.co.uk, £ 17.95)

Wines of the week