Domaine U Stiliccionu is Sébastien Poly’s winery in the Ajaccio appellation, on the western side of Corsica. His grandfather planted vines in the 1960s; Sébastien took over in 2006 and converted their 4.5 hectares to certified organic and biodynamic farming. 'Antica' is Sébastien’s homage to the old-fashioned red wines of his territory. It’s 100% sciaccarello (sciaccarellu in Corsican, or mammolo in Tuscany) - one of Corsica’s two most important red grape varieties. The vines were planted in 1965 and grow in Ajaccio’s granitic soils. Aging was in demi-muids (~600-liter barrels). In the glass, there’s an herbs-and-spices, almost Vermouth-y frame supporting earthy and leathery tertiary flavors from bottle age alongside a still fresh minerality. Drink it in an ample wineglass with an autumn stew or braised meat. The wine is in a great place now and should continue to evolve for five to 10 years.
