Domaine Abbatucci - Faustine 2011

In this historic heartland of the Ajaccio wine region—whose unique collection of old local white grape varieties has raised awareness of the moral and cultural obligation to diversify the grape varieties across all of Corsica—Jean-Charles Abbatucci practices impeccable viticulture with infectious generosity. The recent vintages possess the suppleness, natural character, and smoothness one expects of them, and have shown marked improvement in consistency thanks to the close collaboration between the owner and a remarkable consulting oenologist, Emmanuel Gagnepain. The “Faustine” cuvée shines with pure finesse, and the grand cuvées—“Collection,” “Ministre,” “Général,” and “Diplomate”—offer the refined complexity of their pioneering blend of grape varieties. New cuvées—“Monte-Bianco,” “Alte-Rosso,” and “Valle-di-Nero”—are beginning to be produced, but the estate did not send them to the tasting. That will be for next year.

The history of this estate began in the 20th century with a visionary, Antoine Abbatucci, the founder of this vineyard nursery—a true repository of native Corsican grape varieties. Jean-Charles Abbatucci, Antoine’s son, took the estate to the next level (massal selections, rigorous biodynamic practices, rootstocks adapted to the soil and climate, and more). The entry-level wines are remarkable; in the magnificent blends, each grape variety contributes its own aromas, freshness, body, or texture: the wines are easy to drink and refined, thanks to the estate’s refusal to intervene excessively, and the aging process has been refined through the use of large oak casks and concrete “eggs.”