Yves Leccia "Île de Beauté" Rosé, Corsica, France 2023

FROM KERMIT LYNCH:

THE WINE: This is the less serious, more frivolous of the two rosés Yves Leccia bottles from his domaine in Patrimonio, in northern Corsica. A direct press of the island’s indigenous varieties Sciaccarellu and Niellucciu, it aptly captures the elements of sun, sea, and stone that define this Mediterranean paradise, all without taking itself too seriously. With a plate of salty prosciutto and ripe summer melon, it’s hard to beat.

THE PRODUCER: Yves Leccia has a certain presence and noble bearing to him, much like his wines. In France they have often been referred to as the “Rolls-Royce” of Corsican wines, a reputation earned after nearly 30 years of making consistently elegant and sophisticated wines. Yves is a firm believer in the idea that if you want something done right you need to do it yourself, and thus he tends to his vines alone and works the cellar by himself as well. He keeps his yields low, knows when to harvest, and knows how to let E Croce express itself in the wines. Not a single bottle comes out of the domaine that isn’t meticulously looked after from start to finish.

In Corsica, Yves is celebrated not only for his wines, but also for being a founding member of A Filetta, a legendary and proudly nationalistic Corsican polyphonic singing group. Spend some time with Yves and you won’t hear him boast or even talk much about his accomplishments. His name, Leccia, is Corsican for Oak. The name is ironic if you look at Yves’ wines, given that he’s never had his wine touch a single oak barrel and has never allowed wood to enter his cellar. The name is less ironic if you look at Yves himself, with his stoic manner and understated personality.