Clos Canarelli stands as one of the leading estates of the Corsica Figari appellation in southern Corsica. Founded in 1993 by Yves Canarelli, the domaine spans 38 hectares farmed biodynamically since 2006. A pioneer in reviving indigenous Corsican grape varieties — vermentinu, sciaccarellu, niellucciu, carcaghjolu neru, bianco gentile — Yves Canarelli crafts wines of remarkable purity and elegance, recognized among the finest in the Mediterranean. The estate produces around fifteen cuvées including the iconic Amphora, vinified in clay amphorae, and Tarra di Sognu, born from an exceptional limestone terroir in Bonifacio in partnership with renowned sommelier Patrick Fioramonti. With three stars in the Revue du Vin de France guide, Clos Canarelli embodies the excellence of contemporary Corsican viticulture.

The history of Clos Canarelli begins in 1993, when Yves Canarelli took over the family domaine in Tarrabucetta, near Figari, in the far south of Corsica. His apprenticeship started in 1992 alongside seven vignerons in a local cooperative equipped with two basic presses. Driven by a clear vision, he immediately pulled out non-native varieties — cinsault, alicante, grenache — to replant indigenous Corsican grapes, with support from Corsica's CIVAM and oenologist Antoine Pouponneau. Very quickly, the precision of his wines and his commitment to biodynamics — Ecocert certified in 2002, then Demeter in 2006 — attracted attention from the wine press. In 2007, he opened his own winery, allowing experimentation with new vessels: amphorae, concrete eggs, large foudres. In 2010, an ambitious project was born in collaboration with Patrick Fioramonti: replanting a limestone vineyard in Bonifacio, giving birth to the Tarra di Sognu cuvée, hailed as Corsica's first grand cru. In recent years, his son Simon-Paul has joined the venture, continuing his father's work with equal ambition.

The Clos Canarelli vineyard extends across 38 hectares between Figari and Bonifacio, in the heart of France's southernmost and sunniest wine region. In Figari, the vines grow on granitic terroir enriched with clay-limestone soils rich in minerality. The parcels are exposed to powerful winds from Omu di Cagna, a massif rising to 1,215 metres, which bring freshness and balance despite the heat. Temperature amplitudes between night (10-12°C) and day (38-40°C) endow the grapes with remarkable aromatic freshness. Since 2010, Yves Canarelli has also cultivated a rare limestone terroir on a plateau overlooking Bonifacio, a historic wine-growing site dating back to the 5th century BC. The estate has been farmed biodynamically with Demeter certification since 2006, with entirely manual work, ploughing, and no synthetic products. The modern winery allows gentle, natural vinifications: indigenous yeasts, slow fermentations in stainless steel tanks, large foudres, Italian clay amphorae, and concrete eggs. Each vessel is selected to reveal the identity of each parcel and each grape variety.

Clos Canarelli produces around fifteen cuvées across all three colours, all from the Corse Figari appellation or as Vin de France for rare varieties not recognized by INAO. Indigenous grapes form the core of the range: vermentinu for the emblematic whites — including Figari Blanc, pure and mineral, and Amphora Blanc, vinified in amphora for a silky texture and remarkable tension. The reds primarily blend niellucciu, sciaccarellu, carcaghjolu neru, and minustellu, sometimes complemented by syrah. The Costa Nera cuvée (formerly Carcaghjolu Neru) is a concentrated, spicy single-varietal built for ageing. Alta Rocca, 100% sciaccarellu, reveals rare peppery elegance. The estate also produces the rare Bianco Gentile, an almost extinct variety, with crystalline freshness. Finally, the Tarra di Sognu cuvée, born from Bonifacio's limestone terroir in red and white, is hailed as Corsica's first grand cru, with exceptional finesse and depth. These wines combine purity, saline tension, and remarkable ageing potential.

Yves Canarelli embodies the renaissance of contemporary Corsican viticulture. Trained in the field and driven by constant intellectual curiosity, this exceptionally gifted self-taught winemaker took over the family domaine in 1993 with an immediate conviction: to revive the island's indigenous grape varieties and elevate them to the highest qualitative level. Visionary, he converted the entire vineyard to biodynamics in the early 2000s, experimenting relentlessly — planting forgotten varieties, vinifying in amphorae, recovering pre-phylloxera parcels, creating a limestone vineyard in Bonifacio in partnership with sommelier Patrick Fioramonti. Passionate about ampelography, he brought back to life bianco gentile, carcaghjolu neru, minustellu, and many other threatened endemic varieties. A perfectionist and meticulous craftsman, he refines his vinifications with jeweller's precision, choosing for each parcel the vessel that will best reveal its identity. Triple-starred in the Revue du Vin de France and hailed by Michel Bettane as a "superstar of the Mediterranean vineyard," Yves Canarelli has made Clos Canarelli an essential reference of the Isle of Beauty.