Corsican wine
Following the independence of Algeria from French rule, many Algerian Pieds-Noirs immigrated to Corsica and began planting vineyards.
The three leading grape varieties of the region are Nielluccio (Sangiovese), known as the spice wine of France, Sciacarello and Vermentino.
[1] The island of Corsica was settled by Phoceans traders shortly after their founding of Massalia on the southeastern coast of France.
[3] In the early Middle Ages, Corsica first came under the rule of the city of Pisa in the Tuscany region, then in the 13th century under that of the Republic of Genoa.
[4] That same year, the future French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was born in the Corsican city of Ajaccio to a wine-producing family.
[1] In the 19th century, the Corsican government launched several efforts to improve the nation's economy by promoting Corsica's wine industry.
The Algerian war of Independence ushered in a new period of growth as French pieds-noirs immigrated to Corsica and began new plantings.
In the 1980s, the European Union began issuing subsidies to encourage the uprooting of vines and to renew focus on limited yields and quality wine production.
By 2003, these programs had contributed to a reduction of over 17,300 acres (7,000 ha) in the number of vineyard plantings in Corsica, as well as the introduction of modern winemaking techniques and equipment such as temperature-controlled fermentation tanks.
Corsica averages around 2,750 hours of sunshine a year, with the nearby sea absorbing most of the heat during the day and radiating it back to the island at night.
On the west coast is a large region centered around the island's capital city of Ajaccio which includes some of Corsica's highest elevated vineyard land.
The Muscat du Cap Corse AOC includes the vin doux naturel wines produced in the northern peninsular tip of the island.
The Vin de Corse-Coteaux du Cap Corse is located on the northern peninsular tip of the island and produces sweet wines made from Muscat and Aleatico.
The sub-region of Vin de Corse-Figari is situated around the southwestern town of Figari, located between Sartène and Porto Vecchio.
The sweet dessert wine from the Cap Corse region is produced in the vin doux naturel style and is composed entirely of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains.
[8] The average elevation of vineyards in Corsica is 300 metres (1,000 ft) above sea levels where they are susceptible to strong winds.
Vineyards in Corsica are prone to occasional cicadelle attacks, which makes the vines susceptible to the phytoplasmic grape disease Flavescence dorée.
[1] The European Union grant programs have encouraged many Corsican wineries to upgrade their facilities with temperature controlled stainless steel fermentation tanks.
