Lot presentation

Figari Amphora Clos Canarelli 2021

The wine

Amphora owes its name to its maturation in traditional amphora jars! Native grape varieties are cultivated according to biodynamic methods and enjoy the hot, windy climate on this clay-limestone terroir. Yields average around 25 hl/ha thanks to so-called “green-harvesting” (thinning crop on the vine to manage the ripening of remaining grape clusters). Harvests here are manual and the fruit is table-sorted, de-stemmed and fermented using indigenous yeasts. The wine matures in clay amphorae and then spends 4 months in 6 year-old barrels; it is neither fined nor filtered before bottling. Maturing in amphorae allows the wine to mellow and refine its tannins. Fruit aromas open on the nose with scents of the maquis Corsican shrub, combined with a remarkable freshness. Great ageing potential to boot! Serve this wine at 17°C with a lamb stew or a fillet of beef.

About the Producer Clos Canarelli

Clos Canarelli is one of Corsica's most emblematic domains thanks to the exceptional quality of its red and white wines but it is also one of the most innovative. Yves Canarelli has turned this family property into one of Corsica's most dynamic domains. It consists of 38 hectares spread out over the Figari appellation, one of France's sunniest winemaking regions. The wind and the proximity to the mountains, however, allow the vines to produce chiselled and balanced wines. Yves takes a great interest in Ampelography, the study of grapevines, and the vines been cultivated biodynamically for several years. Yves has also managed to reintroduce some forgotten native grape varieties such as Bianco Gentile, Carcaghjolu and Minustellu, but the domain's achievements don't stop there. Since 2009, Canarelli has produced a red wine from some vines in the village of Orazi that date back to before the phylloxera crisis: the Cuvée Terra d'Orazi is vinified in clay amphorae. Finally, in 2016, the domain was responsible for resurrecting the first Clos de Bonifacio, a limestone rich parcel located above Corsica's most southern town.

Detailed characteristics