Leccia

History of Domaine Leccia

The history of Domaine Leccia has been written for more than a century on the heights of Poggio d'Oletta, at the heart of the Patrimonio appellation in Haute-Corse. The family devoted itself to the vine from the early part of the last century, but it was from the 1950s onwards that Pierre-Joseph Leccia truly structured the property and initiated vinification as well as on-site bottling. The estate then entered an era of recognition, first on the island, then on the mainland.

At the end of the 1980s, Pierre-Joseph's children, Annette and Yves, took over and upheld the noble reputation of this benchmark domaine de. In 2005, Yves left the estate to found his own house, and Annette Leccia alone took the reins of the family property, converting it to organic farming as early as 2007. Today, it is her nephew Lisandru Leccia — trained in oenology in Dijon and enriched by experience in Burgundy and the United States — who carries on this saga. Having returned to the island in 2013, he has steered the domaine de toward biodynamic certification, with the ambition of ever more precisely expressing the typicity of its wines.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Leccia

The vineyard of Domaine Leccia unfolds across a grandiose and unspoiled landscape, between sea and mountain, beneath the sun of Patrimonio. The vines occupy both the slopes of impressive limestone spurs and the hollows of small, greener valleys, a few kilometres from the Gulf of Saint-Florent. It is precisely these fine limestone and clay-limestone soils, bathed in a temperate Mediterranean climate, that give the estate's wines their signature: a vibrant salinity, a great freshness and a subtly spiced minerality.

The estate relies on the two emblematic grape varieties of the appellation: Niellucciu, the king of Patrimonio (a cousin of Italian Sangiovese), which makes up the reds and rosés, and Vermentinu, which yields aromatic and crisp whites. One plot is also dedicated to Muscat à Petits Grains for Muscat du Cap Corse. Organic and biodynamic farming, attentive to lunar rhythms and soil life, accompanies controlled yields in order to concentrate quality and reveal the authenticity of each cuvée.

Vinifications at Domaine Leccia

In the cellar, the work favours precision and respect for the fruit. Manual harvesting is followed by rigorous sorting, then meticulous vinification carried out by Lisandru Leccia. The rosés are obtained essentially by direct pressing of Niellucciu, complemented by a proportion of saignée, to preserve their finesse and saline tension. The Vermentinu whites are vinified with care in order to retain their aromatic brilliance and their directness.

The great singularity of the estate lies in the ageing of its reds: they are aged without the use of wood, which allows the purity of the Niellucciu and the mineral framework of the terroir to express themselves fully. The result is intense, juicy and upright wines, endowed with a natural freshness and a fine ageing potential. This approach, faithful to the place, yields precise and lively wines, among the most accomplished of the Patrimonio appellation.

The Cuvées of Domaine Leccia

Patrimonio Blanc (Vermentinu): a true benchmark for this grape variety in Corsica. Aromatic, sharp and beautifully saline, this white wine wins over with its straightforwardness, freshness and fine substance. It pairs ideally with fish, seafood and Mediterranean cuisine, and can improve over a few years in the cellar.

Patrimonio Rosé (Niellucciu): made primarily by direct pressing, this rosé displays a delicate salmon-pink robe. Fresh and fruity, balanced between red fruits and citrus, it stands out for its pronounced salinity and great vivacity. A gastronomic rosé counted among the finest in France.

Patrimonio Rouge (Niellucciu): an ode to the king grape variety of Patrimonio, aged without wood to preserve the purity of the fruit. The nose blends red fruits, cocoa and leather; the palate is supple and indulgent, with silky tannins and a long, elegant finish. An intense and juicy red, deeply rooted in its terroir.

Pettale (Patrimonio Rouge, prestige cuvée): the estate's great ageing cuvée, sourced from the finest Niellucciu plots. Dense, distinguished and profound, it is regularly compared to a great Brunello di Montalcino for its structure and nobility. A wine that can be enjoyed now but that will reward many years of cellaring.

Muscat du Cap Corse (Muscat à Petits Grains): a naturally sweet wine of great finesse, with a golden robe. Expressive without ever being exuberant, it unfolds an indulgent bouquet of mango, passion fruit, pineapple and citron, lifted by invigorating notes of grapefruit and mint. Perfect as an aperitif as well as with foie gras or a fruit-based dessert.