Variety: Niellucciu (Sangiovese)
Josée Vanucci and husband Fabrice Couloumère farm 45 hectares of land on the eastern coast of Corsica bordering the Tyrrhenian Sea. While they have quite a large property, only 18 hectares are planted to grape vines, many of which are well known to the area. The couple farms just north of the seaside town of Aleria. This part of Corsica is cooler as the Castaniccia mountains provide more shade and ultimately, a longer growing season. The proximity of their vines to the coastline preserves freshness and acidity in the wines–more than ideal for balanced wines. While their project began in just 2005, the wines provide a charming lens into the history and land of Corsica.
Nielluccio, pronounced nee-el-LOO-choo, is also known by its Tuscan name Sangiovese. The wine is widely versatile with all sorts of Mediterranean cuisine with a distinctive spicy note to it. While Nielluccio is more widely known in the Mediterranean, it’s blended with a rather obscure ancient variety known as Minustellu.
