Clos Canarelli

History of Clos Canarelli

Trained as an agricultural engineer, Yves Canarelli took over his family’s ten hectares of vines in Tarrabucetta, a small village near Figari in Corsica’s far south, in the early 1990s. He learned the trade at a cooperative bringing together seven local winegrowers, in a modest facility equipped with two presses. The precision of his wines and the strength of his convictions soon caught the attention of the wine press. While many take years to find their way with an inherited vineyard, he arrived with a clear vision: to revive the island’s native grape varieties.

His founding move was radical. He uprooted the cinsault, alicante and grenache vines inherited from previous decades and replanted with sciaccarellu, niellucciu and vermentinu, followed by far rarer varieties such as minustellu, carcaghjolu neru, murescon, genovese and bianco gentile. In doing so, he drew on the work of CIVAM de Corse and winemaker Antoine Pouponneau, a specialist in native grape varieties. The estate was certified organic by Ecocert in 2002, converted to biodynamics in 2006 and moved into a new partially underground winery in 2007. Today awarded three stars by the Guide de la Revue du Vin de France, Clos Canarelli extends across more than thirty hectares.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Clos Canarelli

The heart of the vineyard lies on the Figari plateau, considered Corsica’s oldest winegrowing area: vines have been cultivated here since the fifth century BCE. The soils are decomposed granite and clay-granite, poor and well-drained, with south- and northwest-facing exposures. The area enjoys some of the highest sunshine levels in France, but near-constant winds and air currents descending from the mountains create pronounced temperature swings between day and night. This climatic contrast accounts for the wines’ precise, fresh style, far removed from the heaviness sometimes associated with Mediterranean wines.

Two exceptional terroirs complete the picture. In 2009, Yves Canarelli took over a plot of pre-phylloxera vines in the village of Orasi, an invaluable piece of winegrowing heritage that would yield the Tarra d'Orasi cuvée. Starting in 2010, in partnership with Patrick Fioramonti, he replanted Bonifacio’s first walled vineyard on a plateau overlooking the town, where limestone rare to the island gives rise to the Tarra di Sognu wines. The plantings combine vermentinu and bianco gentile for the whites; sciaccarellu, niellucciu, carcaghjolu neru and minustellu for the reds; and exceptionally rare varieties such as riminese, genovese and carcaghjolu biancu. Yields are deliberately low, around 25 hectoliters per hectare, with green harvesting followed by hand-picking and sorting on a table.

Winemaking at Clos Canarelli

In the cellar, his approach is that of a researcher. The grapes are fully destemmed, fermentation begins using only the estate’s native yeasts, with no adjustments or additives, and extraction is deliberately gentle to preserve the finesse of the tannins and the freshness of the fruit. The wines are neither fined nor filtered, sulfur use is kept to an absolute minimum, and several cuvées are even made with no added sulfites at all.

The partially underground winery houses an impressive array of vessels, the result of years of experimentation: stainless steel tanks, barrels, 500-liter oak barrels, large oak casks and, above all, large clay amphorae, a vessel Yves Canarelli has become one of France’s leading practitioners in using. Aging ranges from fourteen to thirty months, depending on the cuvée. One regulatory detail is worth noting: several native grape varieties are not included in the Corse Figari appellation specifications, so some of the estate’s finest cuvées are sold simply as Vin de France, with neither grape variety nor vintage stated on the label.

The Cuvées of Clos Canarelli

Corse Figari white: the estate’s signature cuvée, built around vermentinu, which makes up about 80% of the blend, complemented by bianco gentile, riminese, genovese and carcaghjolu biancu. Frosted citrus, green apple, pear sorbet, orchard blossoms, fresh hazelnut and an aniseed touch reminiscent of fennel and immortelle make for a juicy, sensual white that is emphatically food-friendly.

Corse Figari rosé: made from the property’s red grape varieties, gently pressed, it has a pale color and a dry, taut profile. Red berries, citrus zest and notes of maquis carry through to a saline finish. A food-friendly rosé made for grilled fish and Corsican cuisine.

Corse Figari red: a blend of niellucciu, sciaccarellu and, depending on the vintage, some syrah, aged in tanks and 500-liter oak barrels. Crunchy red fruit, sweet spices and maquis herbs are underpinned by fine tannins and appealing granitic freshness. A benchmark red for the appellation, with genuine aging potential.

Bianco Gentile: a distinctive cuvée made entirely from this native white grape variety rescued from obscurity, grown on clay-granite terroir. Honeyed stone fruit, pineapple and passion fruit meet citrusy energy and notes of white flowers, pepper and fine herbs. A regulatory absurdity means this remarkable wine is labeled simply Vin de France.

Amphora white: made from a multitude of Corsican grape varieties fermented together and aged in large clay amphorae, with no added sulfur. A complex, exuberant bouquet, silky texture and appealing bitterness reminiscent of almond and orange peel: a rare sense of purity and energy, decidedly made for the table.

Amphora red: the red counterpart to this exploration, also aged in terracotta jars without added sulfites. The neutral vessels yield supple, fresh tannins, vibrant fruit and a finely drawn thread of spice. The Canarelli signature in its purest form.

Costa Nera: formerly known as CN, this cuvée is made exclusively from carcaghjolu neru, a variety native to the south of the island, planted in the late 1990s on clay-granite soils. The grapes are destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged for eighteen months or more in 500-liter oak barrels. Deep, peppery and licorice-scented, with notes of graphite and maquis, it has been likened to a Corsican Cornas and regularly scores above 95 out of 100 in the wine press.

Tarra d'Orasi white: from a plot of pre-phylloxera vines in the village of Orasi, taken over in 2009, this exceptionally rare cuvée expresses the depth of century-old roots. The wine combines density and tension, with notes of white fruit, dried herbs and warm stone, and a remarkable saline finish.

Tarra d'Orasi red: the red counterpart to this ampelographic treasure, made from the same old ungrafted vines. Vibrancy, dark fruit, spice and a velvety texture come together in a wine of exceptional stature, considered by many critics to rank among France’s greatest wines.

Tarra di Sognu white: from the first walled vineyard replanted in Bonifacio, on a limestone plateau unlike any other in Corsica. The wine develops a mineral tension not found in Figari, with delicate bitter notes and a hint of anise that carries through the finish. An island grand cru of the first order, still without equal in Corsica.

Tarra di Sognu red: the same limestone terroir, the same ambition. More austere and more linear than the reds of Figari, it captivates with its depth, minty freshness and exceptionally refined tannin texture. A cuvée gaining in stature as the vines age.

Alta Rocca red: from the higher, cooler lands of the hinterland, this cuvée brings together maquis herbs, ripe berries and spice. Noble and elegant, it rounds out the range with a more stately profile and excellent aging potential.