It is here that proprietor Yves Canarelli makes mineral-driven, saline-inflected Mediterranean wines that many consider to be some of the finest wines in all of Corsica.

The domaine’s home is the Figari appellation on the southern tip of the island. This appellation lies along a plateau just inland from the coast, where grapes have been farmed since the 5th century B.C. Corsica’s terroirs are diverse, but it’s these wind-swept vineyards along the Mediterranean coast that harness the abundant sun to produce wines with an undeniable sea-breeze and mineral tone.

Though Figari is regarded as the most ancient grape-growing region in Corsica, many of the vineyards in the area had been planted to international varieties over the years. But Yves Canarelli knew what he wanted to do, and he had a precise plan in mind. Immediately upon taking over the family domaine in 1993, he began ripping out the non-native Cinsault, Alicante and Grenache vines that were on the property and replanting it with native grapes like Bianco Gentile, Sciaccarellu, Niellucciu, and a host of other Corsican varietals.

Reintroducing native varietals has proven to be the right call for the domaine, which sits on some exceptional terroir. At Clos Canarelli, the coastal vineyard sites provide an environment with ever-constant wind, where the local grape varieties thrive and are able to achieve a good level of ripeness while retaining good balance. Some of these indigenous grapes bear a close genetic resemblance to mainland Italian and French grapes, yet offer completely different expressions.

It is because of pioneers like Yves that Corsican wines are finally receiving the recognition they deserve. He’s part of a new wave of talented vignerons who have championed the restoration of native Corsican varietals into the official appellation system while leading the charge in reviving the Corsican winemaking tradition. Though the work is far from over, he and his compatriots continue to speak up with passion and conviction for Corsican heritage and its expression through their wines.

Wines from Corsica, aka Corse and l’Ile de Beauté, are distinctly different. I was impressed by their concentration and quality, and excitedly smitten by their unique flavours and aromas. Corsican wines are France’s best-kept secret. But no longer. — Brenda McMillan, Quench

As a former student of economics who turned to enology, Yves strikes a fascinating balance between thoughtful intellectual and ardent traditionalist. He looks more like a university professor than a winemaker; there may be dirt under the fingernails, but there’s no hiding his formidable intellect.

A few short years after he started, Yves began converting the vineyards to organic viticulture and the estate has been fully biodynamic since 2006. He also adopted high-density vine plantation to promote smaller clusters and smaller grapes. These approaches have enabled Clos Canarelli wines to display exceptional freshness, complexity, and aromatic intensity. In fact, it’s amazing that his wines are so fresh and aromatically complex, given that the temperature at ground level in the vineyard must be over 40° C pretty much throughout the summer months.

Despite the high-tech, modern appearance of his wine cellar, his winemaking style is very traditional. Canarelli says his goal is to produce wines that have finesse but with a distinct Corsican signature. Yves only uses indigenous yeasts, and prefers slow, deliberate, precise fermentations. He also leaves his reds unfiltered.

But this studious man is not afraid to try new techniques. Hidden in his cellar amongst the oak barrels of varying sizes are several Nomblot Eggs — giant egg-shaped vessels used to ferment and age wine — in effect, modern-day amphorae. (The porous, clay-cement walls of these eggs mimic the natural oxygenation properties of oak barrels without the woody, toasty or vanilla aromas that oak can impart to wine.) Here, everything is the subject of constant research and experimentation, and Yves is far from being done in finding the best way to express the nuances of his terroirs.

Clos Canarelli wines are balanced, fresh and lively representatives of their sunny, windswept isle. The saline-infused, mineral-inflected whites find their counterparts in the intense yet pure and vibrant reds: each wine expresses in its own way the unique aromas and textures of the Mediterranean, and all of the wines display elegance and finesse in spades. This collection is a celebration of Corsican wine heritage at its finest.

The offer is valid until 24 March 2021. Orders will be processed subject to availability and final written confirmation. Some wines have restrictive supplies, so please understand that we may have to allocate them in order to ensure as equitable a distribution as possible. Full payment is required no later than 7 days after confirmation invoice is sent in order to confirm the purchase. All terms and conditions apply.