Clos Canarelli, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains "MPG" Vendage Tardive, Vin de France, Corsica, France 2011

Vines planted in 1997 in granite soil. “MPG” is simply the abbreviation of Muscat à Petit Grains. A vendange-tardive, non-muted sweet wine. Grapes are harvested at 18% potential ABC, fermented in barrel to 15%. Aged for 2 years in older barrels. 45g of residual sugar per liter.

Near the remote village of Tarabucetta, outside of Figari on the southern tip of Corsica, Yves Canarelli has made quite an impact not only in Corsica, but on mainland France as well. Since taking over the family domaine in 1993, he has championed the restoration of native Corsican varietals.

Though Figari is regarded as the most ancient growing region of Corsica, it has still taken pioneers like Yves having the courage to rip out entire vineyards of foreign varietals before Corsican wines have finally received the recognition they deserve. While the INAO remains slow to approve bottlings of some of the oldest of these heirloom varietals, often reducing them to the inferior “Vin de France” appellation, Yves Canarelli defends the history of Figari’s terroir with passion, confidence, and conviction.

The granite and red alluvial soil at Clos Canarelli is rich in minerals. The ever-constant wind from the Gulf of Figari makes for challenging growing conditions: while it serves as a terrific natural antiseptic for the vines, it can also dry the soil out easily. Yves’s choice to convert the domaine to both organic and biodynamic viticulture has made it possible for his wines to display an unusual freshness, complexity, and aromatic intensity that others in Figari have been unable to achieve. In the cellar, Yves only uses indigenous yeasts, and prefers slow, deliberate, precise fermentations, and leaves his reds unfiltered.