Accurate Corsican Wines Pairing
Corsican Wines Pairings
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The exceptional nature of Corsican wines are now highly prized by connoisseurs internationally, although their rarity still makes it a lesser-known wine region among the general public.
For example, it was mistakenly thought before that Corsican wines – with rosé being predominant – had a short peak, but they turn out to be excellent aging wines.
Discover here how and at what maturity to enhance a Corsican wine with a dish appropriate to its organoleptic characteristics.
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Corsican Wines, What a Peak?
White Wines
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Corsican white wines made from Vermentinu grapes reveal unsuspected organoleptic qualities after a few years.
Thus, their freshness and aromas of young florals (hawthorn), dried fruits (almond), and exotic fruits give way to superb mineral notes (flint, gunstone).
Their fullness peaks at around 18 to 24 months, or even longer on average.
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Red Wines
As for the island’s red wines, mainly made from Niellucciu and Sciaccarellu grapes, it is now recognized that for most of these wines, it is preferable to wait 12 to 24 months before tasting them.
Their peak is generally around 3-4 years for a Sciaccarellu and around 6-7 years for a Niellucciu.
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All the aromas of Corsican red wines will evolve remarkably.
For a red wine made from Sciaccarellu, you will detect notes of red fruits but also a more complex bouquet shared between notes of black fruits, slightly candied, roasted, and spicy (pepper).
A Niellucciu may reveal a bouquet dominated by slightly mushroomy animal scents, with scents of undergrowth.
Rosé Wines
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Most Corsican rosé wines are generally enjoyed within the year; out of habit during the warmer months, and because their peak is short most of the time.
Let’s not forget that there are aged rosés, more dedicated to gastronomy, which unfold all their aromas up to 4-5 years after their vintage.
ALPA made the choice of producing only Rosé wines with aging capacities.
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Natural Sweet Wines
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Finally, Corsica produces superb natural sweet wines (Muscat and other fortified wines – Rappu), which can be enjoyed from a young age but will delight you after several years.
Their colors (pale yellow to gold) as well as their aromas will evolve to deliver all their sensory richness where notes of dried fruits (fig, walnut, hazelnut), exotic fruits and candied citrus fruits (bitter orange, citron, grapefruit) blend with honeyed notes.
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All these usual precautions regarding the tasting of these wines depend, of course, on the terroir, the vintage, and the vinification and aging methods from which the wines are derived.
Given the diversity of the aromatic palette of Corsican wines, it is clear that there are an infinite number of possible pairings between Corsican dishes and wines.
Corsican Food and Wine Pairings
Corsican Wines Pairing: Appetizers
Appetizers
A young, lively, fresh white wine made from Vermentinu, or a dry and fruity rosé will awaken your taste buds and accompany cheese toasts, olives, and other appetizers well.
The ultimate: a muscat from Cap Corse, fine, balanced, elegant, and young (fruity) with dried fruits (almonds, hazelnuts).
Corsican Wines Pairing: Starters
Starters
Corsican Soups and Broths:
A young, structured red wine, such as the ALPA Signature.
Corsican Charcuterie:
Lonzo, coppa, figatelli, prizuttu, salami, pâté: a light red wine made from Sciacarellu or a structured rosé, or even a dry white wine made from 3-4-year-old Vermentinu.
Storzapreti (dumplings with brocciu cheese)
A young, fresh, lively, and dry white wine made from Vermentinu.
Corsican Wines Pairing: Shellfish & Crustaceans
Shellfish & Crustaceans
Oysters, mussels:
A dry white wine, Vermentinu type, lively, aromatic, round, and full-bodied. Or a rosé wine, dry, light, and fruity, like rosé gray.
Lobster, crayfish, spider crab, langoustines:
A round, full-bodied, ample, and well-structured Vermentinu, aged 4-5 years.
Corsican Wines Pairing: how to with Fish
Fish
Grilled Fish:
A young white wine made from Vermentinu, dry, lively, with good acidity, or a dry, young, and fruity rosé.
Baked Fish:
A white wine, Vermentinu type, round, quite oily, with amplitude and good structure in the mouth.
Fish in Wine Sauce:
The same wine as the preparation of the sauce (if a red wine sauce, a young, fruity, slightly spicy wine like Sciacarellu is often used.)
Aziminu or Bouillabaisse:
A dry, structured, full-bodied white wine, or a powerful, vinous rosé.
Corsican Wines Pairing: Meat
Meat
Poultry and White Meats:
A rosé wine, gray, light, or a lightly structured, young, fruity red wine, like Sciacarellu.
Stufatu, Red Meats:
A red wine made from Niellucciu, with good acidity, well-balanced, with distinguished but present tannins.
Game: The great aged red wines from Corsica, combining spirit and body, structure and aromas, corpulence and finesse of the grain. Certainly the best matches for expressing the terroirs concerning Corsican red wines. Perfect match: Minustellu ALPA!!
Balanced Corsican Wines Pairing: cheese
Cheese
Goat Cheese-based:
Dry and young white wine made from Vermentinu.
Sheep Cheese-based:
Depending on the ripening, from a light red wine for younger cheeses (Sciacarellu) to more evolved, structured red wines (like Niellucciu) for more mature cheeses.
Blue Cheeses like Roquefort:
A natural sweet wine like Muscat from Cap Corse or even a Rappu.
Corsican brandy (grappa).
Adequate Corsican Wines Pairing: Desserts
Dessert
Fruit-based, citrus, and traditional Corsican desserts (fritelli, migliacci, canistrelli, fiadone…):
Muscat from Cap Corse, more or less young depending on the dessert.
Chocolate-based:
Serve a glass of Rappu or fresh myrtle liqueur.
This overview of possible marriages or harmonies between Corsican culinary specialties and Corsican wines should not make you forget that Corsican wines are gastronomic wines in their own right, capable of accompanying, with a great deal of gustatory pleasure, several different types of cuisine, given the richness of the aromatic palette they contain.
Through our examples of menus and recipes, you can yourself create these wine pairings whether they come from the ALPA house or not, and with dishes whether they are Corsican or not; the most important thing is that your pleasure and the taste buds of your guests are fulfilled.
