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Jean-Baptiste de Peretti Della Rocca, taste and commitment
Corsican winegrowers have a sense of sharing
Before setting the table for a delicious festive meal, Settimana asked them to talk about the wine produced by their fellow winemakers and neighbours. In a collective profession such as this, it’s only natural.
Such a request may seem incongruous: to invite winemakers to talk about each other's wine while setting the festive table. But the culture of wine is tinged with passion and emotion, which lends itself to a sharing experience.
And they are happy to go along with this match. Harmonising the wine with food, perfectly pairing – always with admiration and pride for the work accomplished by their fellow winemakers.
Making wine takes time and involves many processes. The hazards of the weather, the maturation of the grapes, the vinification of the harvest, the aging, and finally the storing of the wine. The hard work undertaken by Corsican winemakers in recent years to bring Corsican wine on, is a giant leap forward for all wine lovers.
The selection of the wine in this way proves another certainty. When it comes to choosing wines to compliment your holiday meals, there is no need to look elsewhere. Whatever type of wine, whatever pairing required, Corsican winemakers, whether they work in private cellars or in cooperative groups, are able to deliver the perfect taste. And above all, they bring their own identity, and their own originality: sciaccarellu, niellucciu, vermentinu, biancu gentile, minustellu, carcaghjolu neru, the range of native grape varieties is so diverse that it offers compositions and vintages that are truly original.
Éric Poli, Christian Estève, Gilles Seroin, Pierre Acquaviva, Christian Orsucci, Jean-Baptiste de Peretti Della Rocca, Marie-Brigitte Poli, and Françoise Giudicelli have proved themselves as knowledgeable guides. They love their job and of course, wine. As an added bonus, they are interested in gastronomy.
Jean-Baptiste de Peretti Della Rocca, taste and commitment
Jean-Baptiste de Peretti Della Rocca (Domaine de Peretti Della Rocca) is a passionate, committed and aesthetic winegrower whose life revolves around his vineyards on the Figari terroir. He says he draws his inspiration from his great neighbours, especially Yves Canarelli. And he is full of admiration for young winemakers who, like him, have chosen to return to their roots to work the generous land.
His grape varieties resemble him. Rich in expression, sharp on details, but always joyful. His wines are often dedicated to his children whose names are shown on the labels.
For his festive table, Jean-Baptiste de Peretti Della Rocca chooses suckling pig, which he pairs with a Domaine Vaccelli , Granit red 2019, a 100% sciaccarellu grown in granite soil, and aged 29 months in 600 litre oak barrels. A great wine with aromas of "black fruit, spices and crushed strawberry".
This winemaker knows that pigeons cross throughout winter in the southern sky, so he makes this his choice for the meat course. His choice of wine leads him to a friend and neighbouring winemaker, Domaine Zuria , Stintinu red 2019, 100% sciaccarellu on limestone and 18 months of aging wood. A vintage with "peppery and spicy" aromas.
After this, the fish course. Denti, a much-loved fish in Corsica, this time. Jean-Baptiste de Peretti Della Rocca opts for the vermentinu Sartenais of Domaine Mondoloni , Prima Blanc 2021, with hints of "white flowers and exotic fruits".
To his selection, the Figari winemaker adds a local favourite - a vermentinu from Domaine Nicolaï 2021, by Pierre-Paul Nicolaï, "a youngster with grand ambition". This fruity and delicate wine, with a beautiful balance, is also a perfect match for oysters.
©Magali Cancel CIVCORSE
