Niellucciu corsican grape: a very special variety
Niellucciu Corsican grape variety for red wine
Appearance: Bright to deep red, ruby to garnet with shades of purple.
Nose: Notes of red and black fruits, woody nuances with hints of butter and undergrowth, and with aging spices, smoky, balsamic notes with a hint of animal.
Palate: Fat, round, long, structured, and fleshy.
Niellucciu corsican grape : a wild taste!
CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS
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Phenology: budding 2 days after Chasselas, second ripening period.
Particularly sensitive to gray rot, sour rot, and oriduam. Fairly fertile and vigorous. Port: erect.
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Niellucciu corsican grape variety: how to recognize and taste it
SENSORIAL PROFILE
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Niellucciu is the most well-known grape variety in Corsica, particularly highlighted in the Patrimonio appellation in the north of the island.
The wines produced are of a “deep red” color and exhibit a rich aromatic palette: small black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry), red (raspberry, strawberry), dry (hazelnut and roasted almond), woody notes, smoky (coffee, cocoa, etc.), and even balsamic (mint, licorice).
When ripe, these wines are characterized by their full-bodied nature, concentration, and structure, able to gracefully age for several years.
On the palate, they reveal a certain liveliness, sometimes firm, emphasizing the importance of acidity-alcohol balance from harvest. That’s why at ALPA, we only use it in blends.
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Niellucciu: what does this grape loo like?
IDENTIFICATION
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- At the end of the young shoot which has a medium density of reclining hairs.
- On young leaves of yellow color with slightly bronzed patches.
- On mature leaves of medium green color somewhat matt, cuneiform, entire or five-lobed, with an open U-shaped petiolar sinus, shallow lateral sinuses, teeth with very long straight sides compared to their base width.
- On berries that are elliptical in shape.
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DISCOVER NIELLUCCIU "IN A SOFT WAY", BY TASTING ALPA HOUSE BLEND
- Parcel Signature Wine
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≤ 11,00 € Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product pageMy little prodigy, blend of purity and balance, emblematic of Corsican terroirs.
Niellucciu grape variety Corsican red wine. Buy online red wine Corsican. Red wine Corsican. Corsican grape variety Niellucciu. Niellucio is a very old red grape variety. In the Chianti region of Tuscany, it is more commonly known as Sangiovese.
In Corsica, it is cultivated on a little over 500ha. The berries of the nielluciu are supple and fat. They give off aromas of red fruits, liquorice, violet, spice and apricots. The adult leaves of this grape variety are whole and are wedge-shaped. The young leaves are yellow and are a little bronzed. Supported by elongated and medium-sized clusters, the berries of this grape variety have an elliptical shape. The niellucio or niellucciu has 5 approved clones such as 902, 903 and 904. It appreciates soils that are not very fertile and clayey-chalky. It is particularly adapted to sunny and warm terroirs. The mild coastline of Corsica suits it perfectly.
This grape variety finds its main enemy in the flavescence dorée. It can withstand drought. With an early bud burst, it is advisable to prune it short, in cordons or goblets. The niellucio allows to obtain full-bodied, fruity wines that can be kept for a long time.
The best wines of the Niellucciu grape variety, to be found in the Signature collection of the ALPA wine house. It is the Corsican grape variety richest in tannins. It is also the one that has the greatest aging potential, generally between 5 and 10 years. These wines are also characterized by great finesse and good balance, especially when the yield is low and the maturation is long. The color of the wines drops quickly when the yields increase.
It has a nose of hare fur and liquorice* and releases aromas of small red fruits, violet, spices and apricot. This grape variety also has a very good aptitude for producing quality rosé wines. They are then powerful and spicy. Today, nielluciu covers 35% of the Corsican vineyard. As a single variety, it then produces a full-bodied wine, almost wild with its light nuances of game.