Abbatucci 'Faustine' Blanc 2023
The Wine
We receive one of the smallest allocations from any producer each year of this 100% old-vine Vermentinu, with just a few cases imported to Australia Yielding merely 20 hl/ha, the grapes are hand-picked and sorted both in the vineyard and at the winery. They are whole bunch pressed, allowed to settle for a day or so, and then cool fermented at 18°C in stainless steel tanks. After maturing on fine lees for six months, the wine exhibits a mineral complexity and detailed acidity reminiscent of Loire Valley whites, coupled with a distinct saltiness and savory quality that is truly remarkable. It is, in a word, fabulous.
Just as Burgundian Chardonnay is known for being sensitive to the nuances of place, Vermentinu yields notably different wines between—and within—the appellations of Corsica. In the granite hills above the capital city of Ajaccio, white wines are among the island’s most delicate, typically featuring gentle floral suggestions and a charming peachiness. Born halfway between mountains and the sea, Jean-Charles Abbatucci’s biodynamically grown Vermentinu also presents a whisper of salinity, making it a lovely apéritif or the ideal match to Mediterranean-inspired antipasti. Anthony Lynch KLWM
‘Remarkable for its pale yellow color with golden reflections, it is discovered in the mouth with great delicacy. This wine presents an evolution and a progressive aromatic perception. Indeed, it stands out with its dominant aniseed then white flower ending with a persistent mineral note. Fresh and aromatic, it can be enjoyed as an aperitif, with fish, shellfish or even with cheese.’ Jean-Charles Abbatucci, Winemaker.
The Details
Variety - Vermentino
Country - France
Region - Corsica
Extra - Cork
Year - 2023
Volume - 750ml
About the Wine Maker 
Domaine Comte Abbatucci extends over granite sandy slopes, located in the southern part of Corsica in the Taravo valley. Among the estate you will also find fruit trees, vegetables, olive trees and sheep which have all been farmed bio-dynamically since 2000.
The estate is one of the oldest vineyard plantations in Corsica and has been chosen to study and experiment the reproduction of ancient vine varieties. The estate grows a wide range of indigenous varieties including Niellucio and Sciacarello as well as the more obscure Morescola, Morescono, Aleatico, Carcajolo Nera, Montanaccia. Life on the estate is regulated by the rhythms of the sun, moon and the planets. The grapes are said to develop in health and harmony with the assistance of traditional Corsican polyphonic music played over loudspeakers.
If it wasn’t for Antoine Abbatucci, most of the grapes now grown by his son, Jean-Charles, might well not exist. In the 1960s, local Corsican grapes were being rapidly replaced by international competitors. Antoine was charged with preserving these varieties and, using a hectare of land, created an ampelographic station and saved the fate of 18 varieties.
When Jean-Charles took over in 2000, he began grafting these old varieties onto the existing vines, and then started to grow them biodynamically. Today, 14 of those varieties can be found at Domaine Abbatucci, and there are now around 18 hectares of vines, which are planted on granite slopes 100 metres above sea level. They thrive in an ecosystem in which a wide variety of flora and fauna grow beside the vines, adding to the ecological diversity, an important part of bio-dynamic viticulture. In the winter, a herd of sheep comes to the land, and there is also a herd of striped “tiger cows”. The cows are bred by Jean-Charles’s brother, Jacque, and eaten at the restaurant run their other brother, Henri. The vines are punctuated by shrubs and olive trees.
The estate produces around 1,500-3,000 bottles of each type of wine from these old heirloom varieties, so you’ll have to hurry if you want to experience the unique qualities of grapes that were raised from the dead. Today Jean-Charles’s wines are recognised by experts all over the world as wines that preserve the very particular and original flavours of Corsican terroir.
More recently the estate has been trialing the use of sea water sprayed on some of these vines instead of classic Bordelais mixture of copper and sulphur in order to have healthier soils without the build up of copper and to reduce the use of sulphur. The wines are all bottled with minimal sulphur and all wines have the capacity to age in the medium to long term while remaining fresh fine and elegant with remarkable clarity of fruit carried by refreshing acidity. Wines of exceptional balance and vivacity.
