Thursday Wine: Sciaccarello
A historic Tuscan varietal finds a home on Corsica
If you’re a fan of perfumed medium body reds with incredibly soft tannins and lively acidity, and you have yet to try Sciaccarello, you’re definitely missing out! Known as Mammolo in Tuscany where it is believed to have originated, Sciaccarello (also spelled Sciaccarellu) is most prominently found in Corsica today, a small French island southwest Livorno. It’s a dark-skinned varietal that is mid- to late-ripening and it is not only susceptible to botrytis, but if care isn’t taken in the vineyard, can produce wines with very high alcohol levels. It’s the principal red varietal in the Ajaccio AOC and the Sartène sub-region of the broader Vin de Corse appellation, but is found all over Corsica. It generally gives lively red fruit (tart cherry, raspberry) and herbaceous notes of dried herbs, with a peppery finish and hints of violets. Mammole, Italian for violets, is believed to be the origin for the name Mammolo.
I’m drinking the 2022 Domaine Vico ‘Clos Venturi’ Brama. It’s pale to medium ruby in the glass and showing riper red fruit than I typically associate with Sciaccarello, more in the summer-sweetened strawberry camp, but it’s signature herbaceousness and spice is quite prevalent. In reviewing the vintage report for Europe, it was noted that 2022 was quite a warm year resulting in riper styles across the board—this was certainly evident in this bottle, which for me, also lacked a little bit of acidity. In comparison, the 2021 vintage showed crunchier red fruit (sour cherries, rhubarb) and quite pronounced acidity. These are two similar, but very different wines and with both the 2021 and 2022 vintages still on the market, it would be a nice experiment to try them side by side so you can appreciate how much the growing season can impact the final product in your glass.
Due to its relatively soft tannins, this is a great wine to drink on its own, but I think it would pair quite nicely with dishes typically paired with Pinot Noir—game meats, duck, or a nice wild mushroom risotto topped generously with freshly shaved white truffles. At around $30-40 USD, this a solid bottle of wine if you want to change things up and try something new!
If you like the wine and want to try a top producer, look for Alain Courreges Domaine de Vaccelli ‘Granit 174’ or any of the bottlings from Domaine Comte Abbatucci or Clos Canarelli. For the very adventurous, if you can find it, check out the Koerner Mammolo Sciaccarello from Clare Valley, South Australia.