Reminding us of Sicilians' take on life and their relationship to Italy, most Corsican's view themselves as Corsican first and French second (or in some cases, not at all!) Fiercely proud, independent, and devoted to preserving the wild natural landscape of their island, the vignerons of Groupe Uval take their hands-on trade seriously, each maintaining an average of 15 hectares in the community of Borgo, just south of Bastia. Up there, soils tend to be a mix of clay and limestone, perfect for supporting the clean, fresh, at times herbacious style of the local wines. As elsewhere on the island, emphasis is placed on native varieties such as Biancu Gentile, Vermentinu, Nielluciu (Sangiovese), and Sciaccarellu (Mammolo). That said, the enologist who helped create the co-operative back in 1975, Bordeaux-trained Alain Mazoyer, was also one of the pioneering planters of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on the island, and both international varieties are also represented.

Matching the island itself, with its ties to both France and Italy, the co-operative employs a Tuscan enologist to make their wines these days - Stefano Tofanelli, born in Montepulciano and with degrees in both agronomy and enology from the University of Florence. Always interested in lesser-known grape varieties, he has been a consultant both at home and abroad for years... and doubtless feels right at home on an island where vines have evolved quite differently for centuries!

With the "Umanu" (Corsican for "Human") series, we get pure, unoaked, and quaffable expressions of Corsican grapes, complex in terms of their aromas but simple in their approach. Like the producers, they are down-to-earth, joyful, and just a little bit wild! We also love their affordable price point, which can be hard to find (coupled with quality) on Corsica. As with most islands, overhead is always higher and transportation to the mainland expensive. Fortunately, this little series, built for backpacking and trips to the beach, comes in under $20 on the shelf, making the foray as painless as it is delicious.