Antoine Arena Carco Rouge Patrimonio AOC

Patrimonio AOC, France

Single-vineyard Nielluccio (Corsican Sangiovese) from the Carco site on limestone; Arena's flagship red. Whole-bunch fermented, indigenous yeasts, aged in large oak. Structured and precise: sour cherry, dried herbs (rosemary, myrtle, juniper from the maquis), iron mineral, and tobacco. Requires patience — opens magnificently at 8–12 years. Corsica's most celebrated red wine.

Pairing intelligence

• main: The authentic Corsican mountain meal; Nielluccio's maquis herbs and cherry are at home with Corsican charcuterie and chestnut
• main: Corsican tradition — wild boar scents the same maquis that flavours Nielluccio; the pairing is literally terroir in both wine and food
• main: Corsican lamb and Corsican red; both express the island's wild herb landscape; Nielluccio's structure meets the delicate meat