2022 Clos Venturi 1769 Corsica 750 ml

Corsica belongs to France. But it’s closer to Italy. And it produces wines that are unlike anything else in the world. 

The island is a patchwork of microclimates, formed by craggy peaks, varied soils, and Mediterranean winds from all directions (some cold, others warm). Together, those elements form what Wine Enthusiast called “terroir like no other,” and The New York Times called “one of the most exciting and distinctive wine regions in the world.”

Deep within the island’s wild forests, on an ancient sandstone hill surrounded by scrub-strewn peaks, Clos Venturi occupies some of Corsica’s most inland and elevated land. Their 1769 Rouge, from 30-year-old vines growing at 1,300+ feet, blends elegance and robustness in a distinct and terroir-transparent style. 

That balance is built on Corsica’s Niellucciu and Sciaccarellu grape varieties. The former is genetically identical to Sangiovese, although over the centuries it’s been in Corsica, it’s gained a distinct identity, with savoriness and silky tannins. Sciaccarellu, a completely native variety, is more delicate, bringing levity and acidity. 

The father-son team of Jean-Marc and Manu Venturi tend their land with an uncompromising adherence to biodynamic principles. They rely on sheep to graze and fertilize the property and bee colonies for pollination. They even plow by horse, disturbing their untamed surroundings as little as possible and earning them a Demeter biodynamic certification. 

In their 2022 bottling of the 1769 rouge, those practices translate to a wine bursting with red-fruit and spice aromas, matched by notes of dark fruit, cinnamon, and clove all carried on a framework of satiny tannins. It’s an expressive window into the thoughtful and fiercely independent world of Corsican winemaking.