Le Bois du Cerf 2022, Domaine Vico, Corsica

I am a fan of Corsican wine but hadn’t tasted the red wine from Domaine Vico until last weekend. It is very nicely balanced with intense ripe but savoury dark cherries, liquorice and dried herbs, and some drying tannins on the finish. Definitely one worth trying. It went perfectly with my beef cheeks with mushrooms.

€28.95 from Mitchell & Son, Sandycove and Harcourt Cellars; The Wine centre, Kilkenny; J.J. O’Driscoll, Cork; Myles Creek, Kilkee.

This is made from two local grape varieties whose origins are shrouded in mystery. Some argue that Niellucciu is a clone of Sangiovese, others that it is uniquely Corsican. The other variety, Sciaccarellu is probably also Italian in origin, but both have been grown on Corsicaa for centuries, probably brought from Italy by the Genoese who ruled the island for centuries. Apparently Niellucciu provides the colour, structure and tannins, and Sciaccarellu the elegance, fruit and finesse.