Domaine de Vaccelli - Chioso Novo Rouge 2023
In Cognocoli-Monticchi, in the Taravo valley, Domaine de Vaccelli cultivates a very precise idea of Corsican wine: a wine of place, breath, and texture, guided more by granite than by the pursuit of effect. The Courrèges family has been working since 1961 on these granite arena slopes located south of the Ajaccio appellation, in an environment where the maquis, sea winds, and Mediterranean light compose a landscape of great strength. Under the impetus of Gérard Courrèges, the estate has gained major recognition for its ability to translate Sciaccarellu with finesse, intensity, and depth. The Revue du vin de France notably highlights Vaccelli's place among the elite of Corsican viticulture, as well as the precision of its reds, including Chioso Novo, described in the 2022 vintage as an ode to Sciaccarellu of rare intensity. The property is managed with certified organic farming, in an approach that seeks to preserve the soil's energy rather than impose an overly technical reading of the wine. Chioso Novo Rouge 2023 fits into this very refined expression of the Ajaccio appellation, with an identity less sunny than chiselled, less demonstrative than deeply inhabited. It is a cuvée that speaks more through its grain, its aroma, and its persistence than through power.
This cuvée is made from Sciaccarellu, the emblematic grape variety of Ajaccio, for which Vaccelli offers here a particularly precise interpretation. The available information on Chioso Novo Rouge indicates a parcel origin and work around a Sciaccarellu from massal selection, grafted onto old Grenache vines planted in the 1960s. This data sheds light on the style of the wine: a root depth, great aromatic finesse, and a structure that never relies on massive extraction. On the estate's granite soils, Sciaccarellu gains tension, spices, and transparency, with this rare ability to combine delicacy of color and intensity of presence. The 2023 vintage seems to continue this search for balance, with vibrant matter, clear fruit, and a sensation of freshness that gives the wine its length. The aging, documented on recent vintages in subtle containers such as demi-muids or Wine Globe depending on sources, appears designed to accompany the wine without covering its aroma. Chioso Novo Rouge 2023 thus distinguishes itself from the classic Rouge by a more parcel-driven, tighter dimension, with a depth that requires some patience to fully reveal itself.
The color presents as a bright red, of moderate intensity, faithful to the character of Sciaccarellu when worked for its elegance rather than its chromatic density. The nose opens on wild strawberry, red cherry, raspberry, then slides towards notes of peony, fine pepper, myrtle, cistus, and warm stone. On the palate, the wine has a supple, almost silky attack before tightening on a granite framework that gives it relief and structure. The tannins are fine, stretched, with a powdery sensation that supports the fruit without hardening the whole. The finish returns to blood orange, small tart red fruits, maquis herbs, and a saline nuance that prolongs the wine with great naturalness. This cuvée will accompany perfectly a roasted rack of lamb, a pigeon with mild spices, a veal chop with rosemary, seared tuna, brocciu cannelloni, or an aged sheep cheese. Served around 15 to 16°C, after slight aeration in its youth, it will reveal more precisely its aroma, texture, and that discreet depth which makes the nobility of great Corsican reds.
Grape variety: Sciaccarellu
This item is limited to 3 units per customer.
