Nicolas Mariotti Bindi 'Mursaglia' Blanc 2019

Press 4 Mix / Press 4 White • February 2023 Direct Press Selection

Corsica is undeniably a warm, dry climate — it averages 50% more hours of sunshine per year compared to Anjou in the Loire Valley. Nicolas Mariotti Bindi's vines are between the Mediterranean and the mountains, where cool mornings and sea breeze help to mitigate the heat. Bindi left Corsica to practice law in Paris, but discovered his calling as a winemaker and made his way back home after working in Beaujolais and Burgundy. After working for another producer in Corsica, he was able to start his own winery in 2007. Working organically from the start, he now has 15 hectares of vines in Patrimonio. 

Blanc Mursaglia comes from vines planted on clay and limestone. Unlike most Corsican producers who block malolactic transformation with sulfur and temperature controls, he allows his whites to go through malo, embracing the round, creamy style this creates. It's not buttery, but there is some nice fat that is complemented by salty ginger, spicy pear, brown mustard, and some herbaceous notes that remind me of thyme and horseradish. Perfect with grilled fish, salted almonds, or cured meats, it's lower acid is also well-suited for drinking on its own and savoring the unique, complex interplay of richness and salty umami. Jonathan Kemp