The wines of Antoine Arena

He is anything but an average winemaker. Antoine Arena has made it his life's work. A Corsican through and through, who almost single-handedly convinced the world that great wines can be made on his island, particularly in the Patrimonio subregion. Antoine makes them without compromise. He farms biodynamically, adds no yeasts, doesn't fine his wines, and keeps sulfite to an absolute minimum. His wines rank among the best of Corsica.

Like so many Corsicans of his generation, he fled impoverished Corsica in the 1970s to build a better life in rural France. But unlike so few Corsicans, he returned a few years later - he couldn't bear to watch his island decline. Against the tide, he started a wine business, and where other farmers on the island were used to selling their grapes to a cooperative, Antoine decided to make wine himself, with a clear mission: to show the world how beautiful the wines of Corsica can be.

That was no easy task, but Antoine Arena isn't the type to choose the path of least resistance. He started with a small vineyard in the Patrimonio subregion. He has farmed organically from the start, and biodynamically for about ten years now. He adds no yeasts, doesn't fine and doesn't filter - you could call him a 'natural wine' maker, but a very good one. His wines are remarkably pure and energetic.

It took Antoine and his wife Marie many years to gain recognition for their wines, but they eventually succeeded. In Paris he is now a big name. His wines are judged to be the best of Corsica. They aren't cheap, but are highly sought after by a small circle of well-informed wine lovers around the world.

Antoine now has help from his sons Antoine-Marie and Jean-Baptiste. They are determined to uphold the Arena family name, to keep making natural wines in Antoine's spirit - but each in their own vineyard, since, in Corsican tradition, Antoine has divided the vineyards among his sons so they can operate independently.

The Arena family's wines are made from the island's typical grapes. For the white wines, Vermentinu (also called Rolle on the mainland and Vermentino in Italy) is used, and for the red, Nielluccio (genetically identical to Sangiovese).

If you want to know more about this winery, here you will find the link to the website of Antoine Arena.