Unu red 2024 Domaine de Vaccelli | Corsica

Unu red 2024 | Vaccelli Wine Estate

Domaine de Vaccelli’s Unu Red is one of the most straightforward expressions of Sciaccarellu in Corsica. In the Taravo region, Gérard Courrèges cultivates his old vines on granite-rich soil covered in maquis, revealing the terroir’s deep and unvarnished character. The Unu cuvée is the gateway to the wine estate’s reds: straightforward, approachable, and unpretentious.

Terroir and Grape Variety

The vines sink their roots into granitic sand—that poor, well-drained soil that is the geological hallmark of Southern Corsica. The weathered granite challenges the vines, naturally limits their yields, and imposes a discipline that no external input can replace. It is this granite that imbues the wine with its underlying mineral tension and the subtle salinity that lingers on the finish. The Sciaccarellu grape variety is the ideal expression of this terroir: with its thin skin, sensitive to every nuance of the soil, it translates the granite into freshness and spice with rare fidelity.

Viticulture and Winemaking

Domaine de Vaccelli is certified organic by Ecocert. The grapes are harvested by hand and then fully destemmed before fermentation. Native yeasts guide the winemaking process without external intervention: this is a choice rooted in authenticity, allowing the terroir to express itself directly. Ageing takes place in stainless steel tanks, in a deliberately understated manner. No oak notes mask the fruit, resulting in a refined and elegant profile.

Unu red 2024 | Domaine de Vaccelli: The Sommelier’s Review

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin

This wine surprises with its candor. Crisp, characterful, and surprisingly fresh for a red from this region. Gérard Courrèges’ Sciaccarellu, aged on granite, is one of the most authentic Corsican reds available today: no frills, no compromise on easy-drinking appeal. Enjoyable now, it will gain complexity between 2028 and 2031. Serve it around 17°C, possibly after decanting for twenty minutes. A barbecued rib of beef, peppers marinated in olive oil: the pairing is obvious, almost instinctive.

The Nose

The nose opens with fresh red fruits, morello cherries, and small black berries. A hint of the maquis quickly emerges, with dried herbs and subtle garrigue notes. Peony and violet emerge in the background, floral and light. It is a nose that is Mediterranean at its core, without any heaviness.

Palate

On the palate, the attack is crisp, almost mouth-watering. The tannic structure is supple and silky, with no harshness. Mild spices unfold on the mid-palate, with subtle notes of pepper and licorice. The granite-derived acidity energizes the finish, imparting an underlying salinity that lends the wine a sense of verticality. The finish is clean, fresh, and light.

The Île de Beauté IGP: Everything You Need to Know About This Appellation

The Île de Beauté IGP covers the entire island of Corsica and provides a framework for the expression of the island’s indigenous grape varieties. It offers winemakers a freedom in grape variety and style that the more restrictive Corsican AOCs do not always allow. Sciaccarellu, Nielluccio, and a few other island varieties find a space to express themselves directly here, without restrictive specifications. The granite soils of the island’s south, combined with a Mediterranean climate tempered by altitude and the sea, produce wines with a freshness that is often unexpected.

The Domaine de Vaccelli’s Unu red cuvée exemplifies the most compelling expression the Île de Beauté IGP has to offer: a terroir-driven wine, stylistically uncompromising, rooted in the granite and maquis of the Taravu Valley. It demonstrates that clarity is not the same as simplicity.