Lot presentation

Patrimonio Morta Maio Antoine Arena 2011

The wine

The Nielluciu that makes up this cuvée comes from a vineyard of little over a hectare of schist soil, exposed to both the north and south. To make it, Antoine Arena carried out a three-week maceration in vats in order to extract maximum flavour, aroma, colour, and texture all whilst preserving the identity of the grape variety (not masked by oak). The wine is then matured for a year and a half in the same container. We recommend opening it after several years – by then, it will have developed in intense bouquet of black fruits and earth, a good tannic structure, and a capacity to be paired with characterful, regional dishes.

About the Producer Antoine Arena

A figurehead for Patrimonio, and one of the most charismatic Corsican winegrowers, Antoine Arena produces wines of extraordinary precision. He has managed the property since 1980 (which originally only consisted of three hectares of vines) and was joined by his sons Jean-Baptiste and Antoine-Marie in 2004. The vineyard now covers 11 hectares, with red (Nielluccio) and white grapes (Vermentino, Bianco Gentile and Muscat à Petits Grains for the sweet wines). No chemical fertilizers or herbicides are used; and in the winery, the most natural techniques possible are employed. The Arena's philosophy, besides the careful observation and ploughing of the soil, is to bring out the best in their terroir; to accomplish this, a plot by plot approach is taken. The vineyard is managed according to biodynamic principles and has AB organic certification.

Detailed characteristics