2020 PATRIMONIO ROUGE

TRY ME IF YOU LOVE: Sangiovese

ABV: 13.5%

GRAPES: 100% Niellucciu

TASTING NOTES: Brooding with sweet red-black fruit and spice – petals and herbs showing with air. Fleshy in texture with fine, structured tannins for long ageing.

PAIRS WITH: Game dishes, a tomato based ragu or bolognese, charcuterie and goats cheese.

SERVE ME: Room temperature.

Corsican native Muriel Giudicelli learned her craft at small wineries across France and under the mentorship of Antoine Arena – one of Corsica’s most important vignerons, famed for his pioneering, terroir-driven natural wines. In 1996, Muriel leapt at the chance to take over 5ha of prime, old vines from a retiring winemaker and launch her own domaine on the island.

Muriel now works 10ha of vines alongside her husband Stéphane in the Campo Gallo sub-region of Patrimonio – an area noted for its pockets of green and red clay, granite, schist, and limestone, as well as being on course to become the first entirely organically farmed appellation in Europe. Muriel’s vineyards have been certified biodynamic since 2012.

Domaine Giudicelli produces wines in tiny quantities from Corsica’s traditional grape varieties. Made with gentle vinification methods and long elevages, they show remarkable vitality and perfectly judged ripeness.