Clos Fornelli

Tallone, Corsica

Just above the coastal town of Aléria on the eastern edge of Corsica, what looks like a small white rectangular aeroplane hanger with rollup garage doors, you will find the name CLOS FORNELLI written in big block red letters. Here is where the energetic & tireless Josée Vanucci with her husband Fabrice Couloumère run Clos Fornelli. In the deep clay & alluvial soils directly under the massif Castagniccia, 18ha of vineyard land is planted with classic Corsican grapes as well as some lesser-known Biancu Gentile & Minustellu, all farmed certified organic. Yields are kept low and much emphasis is put to ensure grapes become fully ripe. Nights are cooler on this side of the island with less sun, so grapes preserve freshness and aromatics. In the gravity-fed winery, low intervention is the goal with gentle pressings, natural ferments, and a mix of old concrete tanks, stainless steel, and large old oak barrels are used. The resulting wines have sophistication but are also approachable, unpretentious, and full of life.