Général de la Révolution, Blanc VdF 2017

Wine description for Général de la Révolution Blanc VdF 2017 by Abbatucci

Colour & appearance

Brilliant, pale gold with greenish reflections – a wine that already signals tension in the glass.

Nose

A surprisingly open, multi-layered bouquet: chamomile and lemon verbena, alongside thyme and peppermint – the herbs of the Corsican maquis. Behind them emerge lemon, grapefruit and clementine, flanked by green apples, pear skins and white peaches. Fresh, stimulating, complex.

Palate

The sunny 2017 vintage brings power, yet the Général responds with immense freshness and expressive minerality. Slightly candied citrus aromas – particularly citron – pair with a salty, stony structure. The texture is silky, almost creamy, yet the tension all but overshadows it. Taut, agile, lean, with sublime bitter notes.

Finish

Long, stimulating, mouth-watering. The salty freshness and herbal spice linger – a finale that calls for the next bite.

Terroir & origin

In the Taravo valley, in the heart of Corsica, this wine grows on granitic sandy soils with a natural north and north-east aspect. The vineyard site at 150 metres altitude and its orientation ensure remarkable freshness and tension. Jean-Charles Abbatucci has farmed the estate biodynamically since 2000, Demeter-certified since 2005 – working with horse-drawn plough, flock of sheep and herbal preparations.

Grape varieties & vinification

A blend of Vermentino and five indigenous Corsican varieties: Rossola Brandinca, Riminese, Carcaghjolu Bianco, Biancone and Paga Debiti. The estate owes these varieties to the winemaker’s father, Antoine Abbatucci, who saved eighteen Corsican grape varieties from extinction in the 1960s. Production: only 4,000 bottles.

Food recommendations

Homemade tagliatelle with fresh herbs mirrors the wine’s herbal aromatics. A terrine of cod, red mullet and spring vegetables in saffron jelly picks up on the fine bitter note and citrus freshness. And a parillada of seafood and chipirones finds its ideal partner in the salty minerality.

Special characteristics

Général de la Révolution is a wine that needs time – and rewards patience. In its youth it appears discreet, almost reserved, like a general who does not immediately reveal his strategy. With age it gains in stature, yet retains its tension and minerality. A white wine of great length and vibrant energy, which allows Corsica’s forgotten grape varieties to shine in a new light.