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Tasting Notes
A light and bright wine driven by bramble fruit with more subtle notes of red berries, sage, rose, and sandalwood that linger in the notably complex finish.
Body is the impression of a wines weight, density, or its ‘mouth-feel’. Some wines feel weighty, or full bodied, while others feel light bodied. Wine runs the gamut from light to full, with most falling somewhere in between.
TANNIN
Low
Subtle
Balanced
Pronounced
High
Tannin can range greatly in wine, but it is necessary to some degree, and a necessary constituent for red wines to age well. In high amounts, it can cause a drying affect, which is sensed mostly on the gums and tongue. Tannin is a natural preservative extracted from grape skins, otherwise known as polyphenols that are micronutrients and antioxidants with potential health benefits.
ACIDITY
Soft
Subtle
Balanced
Pronounced
High
Acidity is a foundational component in wine. In fact, low acidity, or ‘flabby’ wine (as the term suggests) is a negative. You can sense acidity mainly on the sides of your tongue. Acidity generally ranges from balanced to high. Crisp acidity adds freshness, making your mouth water. Acidity is a necessary element and helps to balance other components.
SWEETNESS
Dry
Off Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Very Sweet
Most wines are characterized as dry to off-dry, but there are some grape varietals, like Riesling, that run the gamut from dry to sweet. The tip of the tongue mainly detects sweetness, which is why it is often the primary characteristic detected. Sweetness is derived from residual sugar that did not ferment into alcohol.
ALCOHOL
13.5%
Alcohol is the by-product of fermentation. Differing grape varieties have differing potential alcohol levels, but regardless warmer areas result in riper grapes resulting in higher alcohol. Alcohol level is an objective number, but its affect on its palate impression is largely determined with how well integrated and balanced it is with other components.
A crowd-pleasing sensibility, yet layered with complexity.
GRAPE VARIETAL(S)
Sciaccarellu
100%Sha-Ka-REL-Loo
Sciaccarellu, an indigenous red grape from Corsica, France, wines exhibit lively acidity, medium body, and notable flavors of red fruits, complemented by herbal and spicy undertones, often with a pronounced mineral character derived from the schist soils of the island.
The family-run 45-hectare estate of Clos Fornelli sits above the town of Aleria on the eastern edge of Corsica where they grow classic Corscian varietals. The mission of Clos Fornelli is to produce low-intervention wines with a sense of place.
The eastern side of the island is typically cooler thanks to the mountains rising from the sea, shortening sun exposure, which adds an element of freshness and aromatics to what is generally a warm microclimate. The quality also comes from their approach: only organic farming on vines that average 25 years old, and keeping yields low.
The goal of transparently representing the terroir continues in the winery where they use gravity flow and natural fermentations in concrete and stainless steel tanks with minimal use of oak. The result is fresh, complex wines with lovely balance.
Red Berries
Sage
Mineral
Organic
