If you have never been lucky enough to visit Corsica, it’s a wild and colourful French island in the Mediterranean Sea. Nature seems to be everywhere you turn here with many plants there native to the island. Grapevines thrive here, producing a diverse range of fantastic wines. Wine enthusiasts took full advantage of Corsican cuvées appearing in iDealwine auctions last year, snapping up 362 bottles.
Corsica, a land with character
Corsican wines saw an explosion of their average auction price in last year’s iDealwine auctions. It jumped 51% to rest at €49 at the end of 2022. Throughout the year, there was one stand-out domain and that was Vaccelli. This domain has climbed four places in the rankings of the best-selling Corsican producers to reach the top having sold 73 bottles at auction. The domain, located in Ajaccio, is also notable for the fact that its average price per bottle was the highest amongst all Corsican wines sold at auction (€71). Its Granit 174 cuvée, which took the gold medal position in the list of the highest-priced wines in 2021 (at €135 for the 2014 vintage), is miles above the rest in 2022, as its 2019 vintage sold for €298.
In the wine-growing region of Figari, Clos Canarelli stood out thanks to its biodynamic, chiselled cuvées. The very rare Tarra d’Orasi, produced from pre-phylloxera Sciaccarellu and Minustellu vines, sold for €267 with the bottle coming from the 2009 vintage. Nine examples of this cuvée went under the hammer at iDealwine auctions in 2022.
A growing interest in biodynamic domains
The TOP 5 best-selling domains at auction showcase the wide variety of styles and talent amongst Corsican winemakers. In Ajaccio, Jean-Charles Abbatucci (in 3rd place) is committed to biodynamic agriculture and to reviving ancient and indigenous grape varieties of the Île de Beauté. Domaine U Stiliccionu (in 5th position), a small estate spread across just seven hectares in the same region, is a pioneer of both biodynamic and natural wines. Last but not least, there is Antoine Arena (in 4th), who is one of the quintessential winemakers of the Patrimonio terroir, and whose domain has now been passed down to his sons. These unspoiled lands are worked with passion and spirit and the talent of these winemakers is reflected in their distinctive cuvées. Despite the prices of these cuvées rapidly increasing at auction, they still remain attractive.
Don’t wait around to pick up a bottle or two because they will soon be the talking point on everyone’s lips.
