Domaine de Vaccelli - Red 2023
In Cognocoli-Monticchi, in the Taravo valley, Domaine de Vaccelli is among the estates that have restored Corsican wines to a great terroir status. The Courrèges family has been working these granite arenas since 1961, in the south of the Ajaccio appellation, at the heart of a landscape where the maquis, winds, and hills shape wines with a very clear identity. Gérard Courrèges, with Nathalie Courrèges, has continued this commitment by favoring island grape varieties, the finesse of aging, and a precise reading of Sciaccarellu. The estate is now certified organic and recognized by La Revue du vin de France for the elegance, accuracy, and mastery of its cuvées. In this appellation where Sciaccarellu holds a central place, Vaccelli reds stand out for their aroma, delicate grain, and a very personal way of combining Mediterranean depth with granite freshness. This Red 2023 fits into this search for balance, far from massive or overly sunny Corsican reds. It offers a fine, spicy, and deeply insular expression of the Ajaccio terroir, with that mouthfeel that makes the great Sciaccarellu unique.
This cuvée is made from Sciaccarellu, the emblematic grape variety of the appellation, worked here in a style that is both aromatic, supple, and earthy. Available information indicates a parcel selection from vines aged 15, 20, and 50 years, with aging carried out in stainless steel tanks and demi-muids. This combination preserves the brightness of the fruit while giving the wine additional breath, structure, and depth. The 2023 vintage seems to offer a particularly appealing interpretation of the grape variety, with precise matter, fine tannins, and that natural freshness that granite knows how to preserve even in generous years. Nothing here seeks excessive concentration: the wine advances rather by the finesse of the aroma, the fluidity of the texture, and the persistence of spices. Sciaccarellu gives the Red 2023 notes of small red fruits, crushed strawberry, sweet pepper, maquis herbs, and that almost floral sensation that sometimes brings the great reds of Ajaccio closer to much more northern wines by their elegance. The whole remains deeply Corsican, marked by light, stone, and a finish with saline accents.
The color presents itself in a bright red, slightly translucent, faithful to the spirit of Sciaccarellu when sought for its finesse rather than its color. The nose opens on fresh cherry, redcurrant, wild strawberry, and blood orange, before revealing nuances of peony, pepper, myrtle, and dry maquis. On the palate, the wine has a supple, almost airy attack, then gains relief thanks to a granite framework that gently tightens the matter. The tannins are fine, slightly powdery, without harshness, and the freshness extends the fruit with great naturalness. The finish returns to tart red fruits, soft spices, and a discreet mineral note that adds length. This red will pair perfectly with herb-crusted lamb rack, roasted veal, rosemary pork tenderloin, brocciu cannelloni, seared tuna steak, farm poultry, or aged sheep cheese. Served around 15 to 16°C, it will benefit from slight aeration in its youth to allow its aroma and texture to fully develop.
Grape variety: Sciaccarellu
This item is limited to 6 units per customer.
