When the sun gets hot...

As I move into June, my diet, my appetite, my interests in food switch. Butter takes a finishing role instead of a foundational one. Pasta tastes better cold. Herbs are rarely bought, but scissored. The grill becomes grail and everything from the protein of the day, to the local vegetables, to fruit is marinated in olive oil, salt, and pepper and then promptly transferred for a high sear.

My wine interests change as well. Rose becomes the house wine. But I still love red wine. I want fresh red wine- not vintage stuff (not that I'm passing on a glass of older stuff, but I'm pulling younger reds). And as follows with the diet above, my palate craves hearty reds that match my move toward a Mediterranean diet. The wines from Faugueres, St Chinian, Corbieres, Fitou, Minervois, and the rest of the Southern French belt are all standards.

And now I can say I've found the epi-center in Mediterranean wine: Corsica.

Corsica is an interesting place. I've yet to go, but from family members who have gone they say it is still very much a rebellious brash country and people. Although technically French, the country carries a very Italian-centric culture (at least according to the people I've spoken to about it). Maybe it is in essence the best of both Mediterranean France and Italy?

There are a couple of fantastic producers on the island, and one is Antoine Arena. Arena is arguably the best producer in Corsica, and makes wine in the top AOC (or quality controlled appellation) called Patrimonio. His Carco Vineyard bottling of Nieluccio (or Sangiovese) is a reference point wine for all of Corsica, and for me it is one of the best Mediterranean reds out there.

I had the 2005 Arena Patrimonio Carco Rouge tonight. Imagine Brunello di Montalcino power and grace mixed with the wild, savage sage and brush tones of Southern France. It screams Mediterranean. Depth...just so deep...the wine goes on and on with layers of red fruits popping in and out, and dark herbal notes wrapped around all of this. And still- laser beam fresh! In short, a fantastic wine. Definitely a producer to note, to buy, to cellar, and to drink when the Sun gets hot.