Ajaccio is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée

Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée

Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...

(AOC) for wine

Wine

Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...

 situated in Corsica

Corsica

Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....

, France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 as a part of the Corsica wine

Corsica wine

Corsica wine is wine made on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. Located 90km west of Italy, 170km southeast of France and 11km north of the island of Sardinia, the island is a territorial collectivity of France, but many of the region's winemaking traditions and its grape varieties are Italian in...

 region. Ajaccio was earlier known as Coteaux d'Ajaccio and covers a vast stretch of land that looks down over the Mediterranean Sea

Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...

. The wine-growing tradition in this area, one of the oldest traditions on the island, has grown up around carefully maintained estates and plots of land planted with Sciaccarello vines. Often seen as the jewel in the crown of Corsican grape varieties, Sciaccarellu grapes tend to give both red and rosé wines a distinctive flavour and elegance.

Coteaux d'Ajaccio was awarded VDQS

VDQS

Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure , usually abbreviated as VDQS, is the second highest category of French wine, below Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée in rank, but above Vin de pays . VDQS is sometimes written as AOVDQS, with AO standing for Appellation d'Origine...

 status in 1971, became an AOC in 1976 as part of the larger Corse AOC, and became a separate AOC in 1984.

Orography

The wine growing area lies on sloping hillsides, rising up onto the highest slopes in Corsica. On average they are about 500 metres above sea level.

Geology

The highest peaks on the island, which form part of mountain ranges rising up out of the sea, are more than 2,000 metres above sea level. The vineyards are planted on granitic soil that is particularly suited to wine-growing.

Climate

The island, which enjoys 2,750 hours of sunshine per year, provides the vines with abundant heat in the summer, but this is rendered less extreme by the presence of sea and mountains. Frosts are uncommon and spring comes early in the year.

Profile

The wine-growing area includes the communes of: Afa

Afa, Corse-du-Sud

Afa is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Ajaccio

Ajaccio

Ajaccio , is a commune on the island of Corsica in France. It is the capital and largest city of the region of Corsica and the prefecture of the department of Corse-du-Sud....

, Alata, Albitreccia

Albitreccia

Albitreccia is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department in France on the island of Corsica.-Demographics:-References:*...

, Ambiegna

Ambiegna

Ambiegna is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Demographics:-References:*...

, Appietto

Appietto

Appietto is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Geography:Appietto is located 17 km from Ajaccio, and stretches from the Gozzi mount to the coastline of the Gulf of Lava...

, Arbori

Arbori

Arbori is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Demographics:...

, Arro

Arro

Arro is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-External links:* *...

, Bastelicaccia

Bastelicaccia

Bastelicaccia is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.It shares the canton of Ajaccio-7 with part of Ajaccio commune, Alata, Afa, Appietto, and Villanova.-Geography:...

, Calcatoggio

Calcatoggio

Calcatoggio is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Cannelle

Cannelle

Cannelle is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Carbuccia

Carbuccia

Carbuccia is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Cargèse

Cargèse

Cargèse is a village and commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the west coast of the island of Corsica, 27 km north of Ajaccio...

, Casaglione

Casaglione

-References:*...

, Casalabriva

Casalabriva

Casalabriva is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Cauro

Cauro

-References:*...

, Coggia

Coggia

Coggia is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-History:On 17 January 2010, bombs went off at two residences in Coggia, the entry "sdate G. Leclair FLNC piu che mai" was found in at least one of the sites....

, Cognocoli-Monticchi

Cognocoli-Monticchi

Cognocoli-Monticchi is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Coti-Chiavari

Coti-Chiavari

Coti-Chiavari is a commune of the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Cuttoli-Corticchiato

Cuttoli-Corticchiato

Cuttoli-Corticchiato is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Eccica-Suarella

Eccica-Suarella

Eccica-Suarella is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Grosseto-Prugna

Grosseto-Prugna

Grosseto-Prugna is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Ocana

Ocaña

Ocaña may refer to:*Ocaña, Colombia, a city in Norte de Santander department*Ocaña, Spain, a town in the province of Toledo, site of:**Battle of Ocana, during the Peninsular War*Luis Ocana, a Spanish cyclistSee also:...

, Peri

Peri

In Persian mythology, which constitutes the mythology of not just Persians but all Iranian peoples, peris are descended from fallen angels who have been denied paradise until they have done penance. In earlier sources they are described as agents of evil; later, they are benevolent...

, Piana

Piana

Piana is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-See also:*Communes of the Corse-du-Sud department* Calanques de Piana, UNESCO World Heritage Site* Torra di Turghju-References:*...

, Pietrosella

Pietrosella

Pietrosella is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Pila-Canale

Pila-Canale

Pila-Canale is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Sant'Andréa-d'Orcino

Sant'Andréa-d'Orcino

Sant'Andréa-d'Orcino is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Sari-d'Orcino

Sari-d'Orcino

Sari-d'Orcino is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Sarrola-Carcopino

Sarrola-Carcopino

Sarrola-Carcopino is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Serra-di-Ferro

Serra-di-Ferro

Serra-di-Ferro is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:...

, Tavaco

Tavaco

Tavaco is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Valle-di-Mezzana

Valle-di-Mezzana

Valle-di-Mezzana is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...

, Vero

Vero

Vero may refer to:* Véro, a 2005-2006 talk show on the Radio-Canada television network* Vero Beach, Florida* Vero, Corse-du-Sud, a commune of France in Corsica* Vero cell* Vero Software Plc* Vero in Aragon, Spain...

, Vico

Vico

Vico or de Vico may refer to:* Francesco de Vico, Italian astronomer* Francesco Vico, Baroque painter from Milan* Giambattista Vico, Italian philosopher, historian, and jurist* Prefetti di Vico, Italian noble family...

 and Villanova

Villanova

Villanova may refer to:In botany:*Villanova, a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae, an invalid name replaced by Flueggea, or bushweed*Villanova , a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae.In education:*St...

.

Terroir and wines

The reds are full-bodied wines, supple, yet with a solid structure, and are a lightish red in colour, with aromas of spices, tobacco and red fruits. They can be kept for between 4 and 6 years. They should be served at temperatures between 15 and 17 °C.

Marketing

The Ajaccio AOC makes up 7.3% of the total volume of wine certified under the Corsican AOCs.