Zachary Ross
Zachary Ross
Kermit Lynch himself dropped by for this wonderful wine dinner at Thirstbaràvin. Kermit has been focusing more attention on Corsica in recent years and has some top-notch producers in his portfolio. The kitchen was in top form and the restaurant bustling and convivial. All in all it was a wonderful evening.
With wild boar cacciatorini and goat cheese and mint tart:
2009 Domaine Abbatucci Ajaccio Rosé “Faustine” - 70% Sciacarellu, 30% Barbarossa. Delightful rosé, very fleshy with orange/citrus and strawberry flavors with a pleasing saline edge, biggish body and a very slight touch of residual sugar. Went very well with the boar salume, and outstandingly with the tart.
With green garlic soup (a thin cream soup with just a few slices of sweet-pickled garlic swimming in it, incredibly good)
2010 Domaine de Gioielli Cap Corse Blanc 100% Vermentino from “the Chablis of Corsica” on the northern tip of the island, per Kermit, and I see what he means: this is linear and precise, with a penetrating lemony intensity on the finish. Excellent, and the best match with the soup.
2010 Domaine Maestracci Corse Calvi Blanc “E Prove” 100% Vermentino from a mountaintop inland from Calvi, on the northwestern side of the island. Broader and more powerful than the Gioielli with less finesse, highly floral aromatics, dried apricot and fennel. I’m not crazy about it.
2010 Antoine Arena Patrimonio Blanc “Carco” 100% Vermentino from Patrimonio in the northern part of the island, which Kermit says has the finest terroir in Corsica. The Carco vineyard faces east. Arena is evidently venerated as the greatest Corsican vigneron, and this wine shows why. Subtle, gentle in texture, a tightly focused ball of rich, almost waxy pear and lemon fruit with a ton of Chablis-like oyster-shell minerality. Superb.
It was fascinating to taste three totally different takes on Vermentino.
With lamb slow-cooked with green olives and thyme, and house-made chestnut cavatelli with pumpkin brown butter (a total showstopper, absurdly lick-the-plate delicious,)
2009 Domaine Abbatucci Ajaccio Rouge ”Faustine” 100% Sciacarellu. Extremely high-toned, with a whiff of alcohol and nail polish on the nose, it’s more agreeable on the palate with super bright cherry and strawberry fruit and nice bitterness.
2009 Yves Leccia Domaine d’E Croce Vin de Pays Rouge “YL” 80% Grenache, 20% Niellucciu. From Patrimonio. Niellucciu is a descendant of Sangiovese brought over from Italy in the 12th century when Corsica was part of the Republic of Pisa. Just a great wine, rustic salty nose, and it’s all earth, acids, and soft tannins framing dark berry fruit. A pleasure to drink and a great match with the lamb.
With an assortment of five Corsican cheeses (two simply incredible washed-rind cheeses, an herb-coated soft sheep cheese, and two aged sheep cheeses)
2009 Antoine Arena Patrimonio Rouge “Carco” 100% Niellucciu. Needs 20 minutes to blow off substantial stink and to allow dissolved carbon dioxide to escape. Very dark red, brooding, but with excellent energy and drive, with a strong herbal edge and beautiful acids. I love this wine. As is nearly always the case, however, pairing red wine with cheese just doesn’t work well; the Carco rouge should have gone with the lamb course, and the cheeses would have paired much better with the rosé.
With chestnut panna cotta with chocolate sauce:
2010 Antoine Arena Muscat du Cap Corse Yep, it’s Muscat. Only very slightly sweet, very filigreed and delicate in profile and of course massively aromatic. It’s a lousy pairing with the dessert but I’m not complaining.
With wild boar cacciatorini and goat cheese and mint tart:
2009 Domaine Abbatucci Ajaccio Rosé “Faustine” - 70% Sciacarellu, 30% Barbarossa. Delightful rosé, very fleshy with orange/citrus and strawberry flavors with a pleasing saline edge, biggish body and a very slight touch of residual sugar. Went very well with the boar salume, and outstandingly with the tart.
With green garlic soup (a thin cream soup with just a few slices of sweet-pickled garlic swimming in it, incredibly good)
2010 Domaine de Gioielli Cap Corse Blanc 100% Vermentino from “the Chablis of Corsica” on the northern tip of the island, per Kermit, and I see what he means: this is linear and precise, with a penetrating lemony intensity on the finish. Excellent, and the best match with the soup.
2010 Domaine Maestracci Corse Calvi Blanc “E Prove” 100% Vermentino from a mountaintop inland from Calvi, on the northwestern side of the island. Broader and more powerful than the Gioielli with less finesse, highly floral aromatics, dried apricot and fennel. I’m not crazy about it.
2010 Antoine Arena Patrimonio Blanc “Carco” 100% Vermentino from Patrimonio in the northern part of the island, which Kermit says has the finest terroir in Corsica. The Carco vineyard faces east. Arena is evidently venerated as the greatest Corsican vigneron, and this wine shows why. Subtle, gentle in texture, a tightly focused ball of rich, almost waxy pear and lemon fruit with a ton of Chablis-like oyster-shell minerality. Superb.
It was fascinating to taste three totally different takes on Vermentino.
With lamb slow-cooked with green olives and thyme, and house-made chestnut cavatelli with pumpkin brown butter (a total showstopper, absurdly lick-the-plate delicious,)
2009 Domaine Abbatucci Ajaccio Rouge ”Faustine” 100% Sciacarellu. Extremely high-toned, with a whiff of alcohol and nail polish on the nose, it’s more agreeable on the palate with super bright cherry and strawberry fruit and nice bitterness.
2009 Yves Leccia Domaine d’E Croce Vin de Pays Rouge “YL” 80% Grenache, 20% Niellucciu. From Patrimonio. Niellucciu is a descendant of Sangiovese brought over from Italy in the 12th century when Corsica was part of the Republic of Pisa. Just a great wine, rustic salty nose, and it’s all earth, acids, and soft tannins framing dark berry fruit. A pleasure to drink and a great match with the lamb.
With an assortment of five Corsican cheeses (two simply incredible washed-rind cheeses, an herb-coated soft sheep cheese, and two aged sheep cheeses)
2009 Antoine Arena Patrimonio Rouge “Carco” 100% Niellucciu. Needs 20 minutes to blow off substantial stink and to allow dissolved carbon dioxide to escape. Very dark red, brooding, but with excellent energy and drive, with a strong herbal edge and beautiful acids. I love this wine. As is nearly always the case, however, pairing red wine with cheese just doesn’t work well; the Carco rouge should have gone with the lamb course, and the cheeses would have paired much better with the rosé.
With chestnut panna cotta with chocolate sauce:
2010 Antoine Arena Muscat du Cap Corse Yep, it’s Muscat. Only very slightly sweet, very filigreed and delicate in profile and of course massively aromatic. It’s a lousy pairing with the dessert but I’m not complaining.
