Ajaccio is an ''

Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical boun ...

'' (AOC) for

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

situated in

Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

as a part of the

Corsica wine Corsica wine is wine made on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. Located 90 km west of Italy, 170 km southeast of France and 11 km north of the island of Sardinia, the island is a territorial collectivity of France, but many of the ...

region. Ajaccio was earlier known as Coteaux d'Ajaccio and covers a vast stretch of land that looks down over the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

. The wine-growing tradition in this area, one of the oldest traditions on the island, has grown up around carefully maintained estates and plots of land planted with Sciaccarello vines. Often seen as the jewel in the crown of Corsican grape varieties, Sciaccarellu grapes tend to give both red and rosé wines a distinctive flavour and elegance.Le sciaccarellu, fleuron des cépages corses
. Coteaux d'Ajaccio was awarded VDQS status in 1971, became an AOC in 1976 as part of the larger Corse AOC, and became a separate AOC in 1984.

Geographic Location

Orography

The wine growing area lies on sloping hillsides, rising up onto the highest slopes in Corsica. On average they are about 500 metres above sea level.Fiche technique: situation géographique
.

Geology

The highest peaks on the island, which form part of mountain ranges rising up out of the sea, are more than 2,000 metres above sea level. The vineyards are planted on granitic soil that is particularly suited to wine-growing.
.

Climate

The island, which enjoys 2,750 hours of sunshine per year, provides the vines with abundant heat in the summer, but this is rendered less extreme by the presence of sea and mountains. Frosts are uncommon and spring comes early in the year.

Wine-growing Area

Profile

The wine-growing area includes the communes of: Afa,

Ajaccio Ajaccio (, , ; French: ; it, Aiaccio or ; co, Aiacciu , locally: ; la, Adiacium) is a French commune, prefecture of the department of Corse-du-Sud, and head office of the ''Collectivité territoriale de Corse'' (capital city of Corsica). ...

, Alata, Albitreccia, Ambiegna, Appietto, Arbori, Arro,

Bastelicaccia Bastelicaccia (; Corsican: ''A Bastirgaccia'') is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Bastilcacci'' or ''Bastelicacciais'' and ''Bastelicacciaises''. Geog ...

Calcatoggio Calcatoggio is a Communes of France, commune in the Corse-du-Sud Departments of France, department of France on the island of Corsica. Population See also *Tour d'Ancone *Communes of the Corse-du-Sud department References

Commune ...

Cannelle Cannelle is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica. Population See also *Communes of the Corse-du-Sud department An intentional community is a voluntary residential community which is designed to ...

Carbuccia Carbuccia is a Communes of France, commune in the Corse-du-Sud Departments of France, department of France on the island of Corsica. Population See also *Communes of the Corse-du-Sud department *Tour de Corse. References

Commun ...

Cargèse Cargèse (; or ; it, Cargese ; el, Καργκέζε, Kargkéze) is a village and ''commune'' in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the west coast of the island of Corsica, 27 km north of Ajaccio. , the commune had a population of ...

, Casaglione, Casalabriva, Cauro, Coggia, Cognocoli-Monticchi,

Coti-Chiavari Coti-Chiavari (; co, link=no, Coti è Chjavari) is a commune of the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica. Population Sights * Torra di Capu Neru * Torra di Capu di Muru * Torra di a Castagna See also *Communes of t ...

, Cuttoli-Corticchiato,

Eccica-Suarella Eccica-Suarella is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica. Population See also *Communes of the Corse-du-Sud department An intentional community is a voluntary residential community which is design ...

, Grosseto-Prugna, Ocana,

Peri In Persian mythology, peris (singular: peri; from fa, پَری, translit=parī, , plural , ; borrowed in European languages through ota, پَری, translit=peri) are exquisite, winged spirits renowned for their beauty. Peris were later ado ...

, Piana,

Pietrosella Pietrosella ( co, Pitrusedda) is a French commune in the department of Corse-du-Sud, on the island of Corsica. History On 6 September 1997, members of the National Liberation Front of Corsica stormed a gendarmerie barracks at Pietrosella. T ...

Pila-Canale Pila-Canale is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica. left, First section straight then first bend to the right. Geography Climate Pila-Canale has a mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification ...

Sant'Andréa-d'Orcino Sant'Andréa-d'Orcino is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica. Population See also *Communes of the Corse-du-Sud department An intentional community is a voluntary residential community which is ...

Sari-d'Orcino Sari-d'Orcino ( it, Sari d'Orcino, ; co, Sari d'Orcinu, , or ) is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica. Population Sights * Église Saint-Jean de Cinarca See also *Communes of the Corse-du-Sud dep ...

Sarrola-Carcopino Sarrola-Carcopino (; co, Sarrula è Carcupinu) is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica. Population See also *Communes of the Corse-du-Sud department *Tour de Corse The Tour de Corse is a rally fi ...

Serra-di-Ferro Serra-di-Ferro (; co, Sarra di Farru) is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica. Population Sights * Torra di Capriona *Tour de Capannella See also *Communes of the Corse-du-Sud department An in ...

Tavaco Tavaco (; co, Tàvacu) is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica. Geography Tavaco is a village located on the slopes of the right bank of the Gravona River. Population See also *Communes of the C ...

, Valle-di-Mezzana, Vero, Vico and Villanova.

Grape varieties

This AOC is planted with one main grape variety, Sciaccarello.

Terroir and wines

The reds are full-bodied wines, supple, yet with a solid structure, and are a lightish red in colour, with aromas of spices, tobacco and red fruits. They can be kept for between 4 and 6 years. They should be served at temperatures between 15 and 17 °C.

Marketing

The Ajaccio AOC makes up 7.3% of the total volume of wine certified under the Corsican AOCs.

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ajaccio Aoc Corsica wine AOCs Ajaccio