Aromatic Fish and a Corsican – French #Winophiles
Aromatic fish and a Corsican
OK so it’s not really aromatic fish, the herb infused oil is aromatic. And the Corsican isn’t a gangster, it’s a bottle of wine. But here you are, so you might as well read on!
Corsica map courtesy of http://www.vineyards.com
Winophiles Set Sail for Corsica
Our French #Winophiles group has virtually washed up on the shore in Corsica. As a island out in the Mediterranean sea, it’s isolated from the rest of France. It has been invaded countless times by Pirates, Italians, British, and of course, France. We know it best as Napoleon’s birthplace and home during his exile.
What about the food and wine? The island is very mountainous, so much of the population resides near the coast and seafood is typical, although not exclusively so. The vineyards are also concentrated near the coast, with several indigenous grape varieties as well as more typical grapes such as Vermentino.
Domaine Comte Abbatucci Cuvée Faustine
Domaine Comte Abbatucci
Jean-Charles Abbatucci is a complete believer in biodynamics and farms his vineyards in strict accordance with all the principles and treatments, and his vineyards are Demeter certified. This also means his vineyards are run as a self-contained polyculture with multiple crops and livestock to provide balance. He grows a variety of grapes, including both indigenous grapes as well as grapes widely seen around the Mediterranean.
Domaine Comte Abbatucci Ajaccio Blanc “Cuvée Faustine” Vin de France 2015 ($36 at Sunfish Cellars)
The Cuvee Faustine is made from 40 year old Vermentinu (local spelling of Vermentino) vines. The grapes are hand harvested, vinified in stainless steel and fermented at a cool temperature to preserve freshness.
Eye: Clear, palest pale lemon yellow. Barely any color at all.
Nose: Clean, pure clean. Medium+ intensity Citrus pith, unripe pear, white flowers
Mouth: Dry, a bit of richness, not quite buttery but almost. Acidity is medium+ but round and buffered.
Yotam Ottolenghi’s fish with aromatic olive oil
Whole Fish with Aromatic Herbs
I was attracted to this Yotam Ottolenghi recipe by the mention of aromatic herbs of the Corsican Maquis. I love the herbal influence you find in some regional wines and dishes from France based on what grows wild locally. The main task in the recipe is creating your own aromatic olive oil, which was easy and fun. Note: the recipe has you make much more oil than you need to use in the dish unless you are very generous with your oil. While I’m pretty sure there are no trout on the island of Corsica, they are a favorite at our house for serving whole-fish style.
The fish roasted on the vegetables was delicious and a wonderful combination. Filling the cavity of the fish with lemons added a bright acidity to the overal flavor profile. The herbal oil added nuance to all the flavors without overpowering anything. We’ll make this one again.
I can’t put my finger on why, but I didn’t care for this wine. It wasn’t flawed in any way, I just couldn’t come around to enjoy the flavor somehow. Oh well, I guess every once in a while I can just pass on a wine.
Winophiles Set Sail for Corsica
Take a look at what my fellow Winophiles discovered in their search for interesting food and wine from the island. Join our chat on Saturday Feb. 18 at 10am CST on Twitter at #Winophiles.
- Lynn from Savor the Harvest has us curious with her post: The Intrigue of Corsican Wines
- Jane from Always Ravenous brings together the best of both worlds with Corsica Food and Wine – French and Italian Influences
- Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla is working her magic in the kitchen with Corsican Fasgioli Incu Funghi + Domaine Petroni Corse Rouge
- Michelle from Rockin Red Blog is taking us on an adventure in Corsican Wine: A Metamorphosis of Island Culture
- Jeff from FoodWineClick! is bringing Corsica alive with Aromatic Fish and a Corsican
- Lauren from The Swirling Dervish gets our imagination running with The Mysteries of Corsica
- And on L’occasion we are learning about Making Wine on an Island
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I’m sorry you didn’t care for the wine. The vermentinu we tried was very unique with no evidence of Vermentino or Rolle. It was tannic, rich, & bold. In a blind tasting it may tasted red instead of white. It was a fun experience. Your fish looks delicious!
Thanks Michelle. It was well made, just not my cup of tea as it were. I’m always happy to try something new.
Super pairing, as usual! It looks like you might have actually been in Corsica, along the shore. Not bad for a Saturday afternoon in February!
Thanks, Lauren!
I love what you’ve done with this fish, a rustic preparation to match the sense of place!
I’d love to read more about biodynamics in Corsica. I didn’t come up with much in my research, so thanks for sharing this. The distinct flavor experience you describe makes me even more curious, actually.
Cheers & thanks for leading our conversation!
Thanks, Jill. Abbatucci is one of the biodynamics leaders on the island as I understand. It’s a bit easier on a Mediterranean (dry!) island with lots of sun, compared to Burgundy and Bordeaux!
The fish looks amazing! I guess we are both Ottolenghi fans. I enjoy reading your blog. Congratulations on the Millesima Blog Award. Cheers!
Thanks Jane! You’re right on Yotam Ottolenghi, delicious recipes and usually attainable.
Oh stop it! Now I’m hungry and needing a drink at 11am in the morning! 😮
Oops! Thanks for visiting anyways!
This looks amazing
thank you!