About this Event
September 18: Corsica with Kermit Lynch
Come join us for a fabulous afternoon of wine tasting at The San Francisco Wine Trading Company! Whether you're a wine connoisseur or just looking to have a good time, this event is perfect for you. Sample a variety of exquisite wines and mingle with fellow wine enthusiasts. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to expand your palate and enjoy some delicious wines. See you there!
2024 Antoine-Marie Arena Patrimonio San Giovanni Blanc $33.94
The path to becoming a vigneron was a natural one for Antoine-Marie Arena, son of renowned Corsican producer Antoine Arena. Growing up at the family domaine in Patrimonio, Antoine-Marie was immersed in wine from an early age, learning not only from his father but also from the many vignerons, sommeliers, and importers who regularly visited the estate. While he continues to embrace his father’s philosophy of organic farming and a light hand in the cellar, establishing his own domaine has given him greater freedom to explore his own ideas.
San Giovanni Blanc is made from 100% Vermentinu, the Corsican name for Vermentino and one of the island’s most important white grapes. The wine is vinified and aged for six months entirely in concrete tanks, allowing the freshness and character of the variety to remain at the forefront without the influence of oak.
2025 Domaine de Marquiliani Gris de Marquiliani Vin de Corse Rosé $29.94
The Amalric family has farmed Domaine de Marquiliani since the 1950s. Daniel Amalric earned recognition for his wines and was among the first to plant Niellucciu and Syrah in this part of Corsica. In 1995, his daughter Anne, an agricultural chemist, returned from mainland France to join the family estate. Marquiliani occupies a particularly cool site on Corsica’s eastern side, situated between the mountains and the sea. Constant ventilation, rocky well-draining soils, and cool air descending from nearby Monte Renosu, one of Corsica’s highest peaks, allow the grapes to ripen slowly while retaining freshness.
Gris de Marquiliani is made entirely from the red grape Sciaccarellu, yet its color is so pale that it can almost resemble a white wine. Anne presses the grapes extremely gently, tasting the juice throughout the process and stopping as soon as noticeable color and tannin begin to appear. The clear juice is then drawn off and fermented in stainless steel, resulting in an exceptionally delicate and refreshing style of Corsican rosé.
2025 Domaine Giacometti Sempre Cuntentu Vin de France Rouge $38.94
The Giacometti family arrived in the Désert des Agriates in 1987, settling in a rugged and sparsely populated landscape just outside the traditional heart of Patrimonio. The family took over vineyards originally planted in 1966 and spent decades learning how to farm this dry, difficult terroir. Their work has included experimenting with Sciaccarellu, a grape widely planted elsewhere in Corsica but much less commonly associated with Patrimonio.
Sempre Cuntentu translates roughly to “always happy,” an appropriate name for this bright, refreshing red. Made from 100% Sciaccarellu, the wine is aged for 10 months on its fine lees in stainless steel. The absence of oak keeps the focus on the grape’s fresh red fruit, aromatic character, and lively acidity, making it an ideal red to serve with a slight chill on a warm, sunny day.
2025 Yves Leccia YL Île de Beauté Rouge $35.94
The Leccia family has been making wine in Patrimonio for generations, and Yves Leccia began working alongside his family from an early age. He eventually established his own domaine with a focus on individual terroirs and traditional Corsican viticulture. Interestingly, the name Leccia means “oak” in Corsican, yet Yves favors vessels such as stainless steel and concrete rather than oak, allowing the fruit and vineyard character to remain unobscured.
During the 1960s, mainland French grape varieties became increasingly common in Corsica as the island’s wine industry expanded. More recently, producers have returned their attention to indigenous Corsican varieties. YL Rouge offers a connection between these two traditions, blending 80% Grenache with 20% Niellucciu, Corsica’s local relative of Sangiovese. The grapes are destemmed and fermented in stainless steel before aging for 12 months. The wine is bottled as Île de Beauté IGP, the designation that encompasses a large portion of Corsican wine production.
2023 Domaine Giacometti Patrimonio Rouge Cru des Agriate $27.94
Domaine Giacometti’s Cru des Agriate takes its name from the Désert des Agriates, the rugged landscape where the family established its domaine nearly four decades ago. The remote, dry terrain and challenging growing conditions have become central to the identity of the estate and its wines.
Patrimonio Rouge is based on Niellucciu, Corsica’s local relative of Sangiovese and the defining red grape of the appellation. Cru des Agriate is composed of 97% Niellucciu and 3% Grenache and is aged entirely in stainless steel. The combination of Niellucciu’s naturally firm structure and savory character with the absence of oak creates a wine that balances intensity with freshness and purity of fruit.
2023 Clos Canarelli Corse Figari Rouge $53.94
Clos Canarelli is a benchmark estate in southern Corsica, led by Yves Canarelli, who is at the forefront of reviving indigenous Corsican varieties. Located in Figari—one of the island’s oldest winegrowing regions, dating back to the 5th century BC—the vineyards are planted on granite and red alluvial soils.
This blend of 60% Sciaccarellu and 40% Niellucciu is fully destemmed and fermented, then aged for 14–18 months in large foudres. The estate is farmed organically and biodynamically, and the wines are bottled unfiltered, showcasing both structure and a strong sense of place.
Event venue & nearby stays
The San Francisco Wine Trading Company, 250 Taraval Street, San Francisco, United States
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