Clos Capitoro 2000
Posted on 2 January 2009
A remarkable red from Corsica
I got a bottle of this Corsican red (essentially as a gift after a copious dinner there) from François Briclot, the patron of the Rouge-Gorge in Paris’ rue Saint-Paul (he has since quit this lovely wine bar, which is a real shame).
Corsica has been steadily gaining ground in recent years with its white wines based on Vermentino, but I have a soft spot for the reds. Granite and limestone together with high altitudes and a windy (if warm) can deliver wines with wonderful finesse. And then there are the two native Corsican varieties. Niellucciu (believed to be a sibling of Sangiovese, but as always such kinship has more to do with DNA than any similarities in character) is the more common of the two, giving wines of compelling texture and ageworthiness. It is pretty easy to find – the best examples are probably those of Antoine Aréna and Yves Leccia, but my favourite by far is Domaine de Torraccia Cuvée Oriu. The 1991 (incidentally tasted at the very same Rouge-Gorge in 1997) was one of the first great terroir wines of my life, and I have loved every vintage since – especially the 1998, 2001 and 2004.
Corsica’s other indigenous grape variety, Sciaccarellu, is much harder to find in pure form. Apparently it is difficult to grow – and certainly to drink. The colour of its wines is very pale and unstable:
and the aromatic spectrum can be challenging (there is a Pinot-like stink that Corsicans like to compare to wild hare fur…). To those open-minded, though, Sciaccarellu can offer a fantastic Old-World finesse and a unique profile.
The last few remaining 100% Sciaccarellu wines are to be found in the Ajaccio AOC in the south-west of Corsica. I tasted some good bottles from Comte Peraldi and Clos d’Alzeto, but this Ajaccio Cuvée Réservée 2000 from Clos Capitoro was in a different league altogether (and note this producer makes a more expensive version of the grape, named Cuvée Jean Bianchetti). It boasts a fantastic faded ruby-orange colour that is even lighter than an orthodox Nebbiolo (see photo above). The bouquet is surely that of an aged wine, with aromas of almonds, herbs and olive oil, followed by a palate that is tertiary and meaty (Sciaccarellu always is anyway) with little fruit but good presence and length, and finishing with those powdery Corsican tannins that the producer so aptly describes as petits tanins au léger granuleux dus au sciaccarello. Alcohol is moderate (13%). The most surprising thing about this wine is its reserve: it started evolved and sedate but continued to gain life and zest over two days. The last sips were deliciously clean, stylish, traditional, refreshing and individual.
This wine is about as far as you can get from modern-vinified reds full of fruit, oak and extract. It is a glimpse of how red wines were made in the Mediterranean in the 18th or 19th century. A truly memorable bottle.
