Description
Domaine Pieretti, Blanc Coteau du Cap Corse
Look at a map of the island of Corsica and you’ll see a nodule jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea at the northern end, kind of like an extra-long big toe on a left foot: That’s the Coteaux du Cap Corse, and yes, the wine grown there is as rare and wild as you’d expect it to be. There is a “Coteaux du Cap Corse” wine appellation, but it’s a tiny one, with only about 40 hectares of vines to its name.
Fourteen of those are farmed organically by the doggedly determined Lina Pieretti, and most of them spill down steeply toward the sea, whipped by winds and baked by sun—and yet the lively energy and evocative aromatics of this white, crafted from 100% Vermentino (a.k.a. Rolle), might have you thinking it hailed from someplace cold. But no, this is as Mediterranean as it gets, and Vermentino has demonstrated time and again that it can take the heat and still bring the cool, crisp flavors of the coast to the table. Much more than just a simple, salty quaffer, this textured, tension-filled white is going to move you, much as it did all of us. This was a bottle everyone in my office was fighting over, and one of the most eagerly anticipated offers of the season. If you’d like a one-way ticket to the Mediterranean, we’ve got it right here!
Not only is Vermentino (often spelled Vermentinu in Corsica) well-adapted to rocky, poor soils and hot, arid conditions, Lina Venturi-Pieretti spares no expense to ensure her grapes retain vivid flavors, aromas, and crunchy acidity. That guarantee comes courtesy of a shipping container she transformed into a cold-storage room where all her grapes are kept immediately after hand-harvesting. Sometimes, these island whites can get downright tropical, but hers reliably exhibit a more electric, herbaceous, sea-kissed personality.
Old vines also help. Domaine Pieretti was founded by Lina’s grandfather, but the family’s winemaking history in the area goes back farther than that. Lina took the reins of the estate in 1989, when it measured just three hectares, and has since grown her vineyard holdings to 14 hectares. Among these are the 25- to 30-year-old vines that supply this wine, which is 100% Vermentino(u) fermented and aged in stainless steel.
While simple and straightforward in terms of its production, this wine offers up a layered texture and beautiful aromatics, wrapping everything up in a firm embrace of acidity. In the glass, it’s a medium yellow-gold with hints of green and silver, scents of wild sage, fennel, and mint layered over ripe fruit notes of green mango, white peach, green apple, wildflower honey, wet stones, and sea spray. It is medium-bodied, leaning toward medium-plus, feeling quite substantial on the palate yet lifted and lip-smackingly fresh. It is ready to enjoy now and over the next few years at 45-50 degrees in all-purpose stems, and as far as food pairings go, it’s impossible not to start rifling through cookbooks in search of inspiring preparations. While the wine would obviously be incredible with all manner of seafood, we loved the look of the attached veal recipe incorporating olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Wow! Enjoy!
