Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Corsican Wine With Ties To France And Italy

The term ADN in wine, I'm told, is basically the French way to say DNA. When winemakers put ADN on the label, they're saying the juice in the bottle is the genetic code for their terroir, the purest expression of the grapes. Hopefully that explains the label correctly.

Emmanuel Gagnepain and David Risoul produce a wine they call A.D.N. The 2019 vintage is a French wine from the island of Corsica, which hangs in the Tyrrhennian Sea between France and Italy. It is a bit west of Elba (as in the Able Was I Ere I Saw palindrome.) Patrimonio Rouge is the appellation, in the northern part of the island.

A.D.N. is a blend of two native Corsican grapes, Niellucciu (related to Sangiovese) and Sciaccarellu (fresh and aromatic.) There may be a bit of Grenache in there, too. The information was a little sketchy. This wine was vinified and aged in stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness of the grapes. Alcohol is shown on label as either 11% or 14% abv and it sells for around $31.

The wine has a rich ruby color. The nose is all about ripe, red fruit. Strawberry, cherry, plum, and blueberry notes abound, all very fresh due to the tank aging. On the palate, we find those fruits repeated, except with a dressing of earthy minerals on them. The tannins are semi-firm and the acidity is bright. This wine will take a chill well, and will be a great pairing with backyard barbecues this summer. 


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