Corsica doesn’t play by mainland rules, and Comte Abbatucci’s Faustine Rouge proves it. Made from a mix of heritage island grapes like Sciaccarellu and Niellucciu (don’t worry about pronouncing them), this red is light on its feet but wild at heart.
The 2023 vintage is all about freshness and freedom—think crunchy red berries, wild herbs, cracked pepper, and that sunbaked brushy scent that could only come from the Corsican maquis. It’s kind of like Pinot Noir meets southern Rhône… if both had grown up cliffside with salty sea breezes and goats for neighbors.
Abbatucci farms biodynamically and keeps the cellar work super low-intervention, so what you taste is basically pure Corsican terroir in a bottle. It’s the kind of red you chill lightly, pair with anything from grilled fish to charcuterie, and casually impress friends by saying, “Oh, it’s just this little Corsican thing.”
Easy to love, hard to forget, and way cooler than your average French red.