Sartène Wines

Corsica wines, Sartene wines

Sartène wines are produced under the designation AOC Vin-de-Corse-Sartène (a sub-designation of the broader AOC Vin-de-Corse — Wines of Corsica). This appellation stretches from the Taravo River to the Lion de Roccapina. This area lies along the western coast of Corsica, south of the Ajaccio domain.

The Sartenais Valinco region has one of the most important historical and cultural heritages on the island of beauty. A land of history populated since the dawn of time, “Corsica of the origins” is one of the cradles of the island’s population.

And very often, the settlement of men is dictated by the richness of the soil, the capacity to produce enough to feed a village. Among these ancestral cultures found here, the vine and the end are inseparable from the Gulf of Valinco.

 

Sartène Wine Region (AOC Vin-de-Corse-Sartène)

Unlike the rest of Corsica, winemaking in Sartène began only at the end of the 18th century. The soils of this domain, covering 163 hectares on the slopes of Ortolo or Rizzanese, consist of granite material. This is an airy, porous material, ideal for winemaking due to its moisture retention, airiness, and the winds in this climate zone, which bring precipitation.

Aged in oak barrels, Sartène wines have a distinct character. Predominantly, they grow Sciaccarello, Nielluccio, Barbarossa, and Vermentino grapes, resulting in rich red wines and white wines with a greenish hue.

White wines are primarily made from Vermentino grapes.

 

Sartène Vineyards:

According to the decree of April 2, 1976, on the controlled designation of origin “Vin de Corse,” only red, rosé, and white wines harvested in the following territories are entitled to the controlled designation “Vins de Corse Sartène“: the municipalities of Arbellara, Belvédère-Campomoro, Bilia, Fozzano, Granace, Grossa, Giuncheto, Loreto-di-Tallano, Mela, Olmeto, Olmiccia, Santa-Lucia-di-Tallano, Sartène, Viggianello, and Propriano in the canton of Sartenais-Valinco, and Sollacaro in the canton of Taravo-Ornano.

 

Grapes for Sartène Wines:

White wines are mainly made from Vermentino B grapes (Malvoisie de Corse), complemented by Biancu B, Codivarta B, Genovese B, and Blanc B (Rossola).

Red and rosé wines are primarily produced from black Grenache, Nielluccio N, and Sciaccarello N grapes, complemented by Aléatico N, Barbarossa N, Carcajolo Nero N, Carignan N, Cinsaut N, Mourvèdre N, Syrah N, and Vermentino B (Malvoisie de Corse).

Corsica vineyards - grenache grapes

 

Cultural Methods and Rules:

Sartène wines must meet the following conditions:

  1. They must come from must with a sugar content of at least 207 g/l for red wines and 195 g/l for rosé and white wines, and after fermentation, the alcohol strength obtained should be at least 11.5° (red) and 11° (white and rosé).
  2. The base yield is set at 50 hl per hectare of vineyard production.
  3. The planting density per hectare must be at least 3000 vines.

 

Sartène Wine Route (route des vins de Sartène)

The Sartenais region as well as the Ortolo valley to the south therefore offer the possibility of tasting some very fine local productions, directly in the estates.

This Sartène wine route will take you to some remote valleys, where wine will transmit the history of the land and places, to areas where you will learn to “live wine” in the company of passionate winegrowers.

Among them, it is impossible not to mention the following wineries:

  • Fiumiccicoli Estate
  • Domaine Saparale
  • Pero Longo Estate
  • Domaine Sant’Armettu,
  • Mosconi Estate
  • San Micheli Estate
  • Castellu di Baricci
  • Clos Colonna

 

Visit a wine estate in Sartène

The Sartenais Valinco Tourist Office very regularly organizes guided tours of certain areas in the surroundings of Sartène or in the Ortolo valley. On the program: presentation of the estate by the winemaker who will share his knowledge of his land and his passion. After a tour of the estate and the vineyards, it will be time to move on to tasting, a true discovery of artisan work. This tasting is generally accompanied by some local dishes, cheeses and cold meats, designed to enhance the flavors of the wines offered.

You can also contact the estates mentioned above directly and organize your own discovery of their cellars and vineyards, for a more immersive and exclusive experience.

In any case, you will discover island wines of very high quality. You will certainly be surprised by some original and remarkable wines.

 

Related Topics:

  • Corsican Wines
  • Wine from Ajaccio
  • French Wines
  • Classification of French Wine
  • Wine Regions of France
  • Cheese and Wine
  • Pairing Cheese and Wine
  • Wine and Food Pairing
  • How to Pair Wine with Food