Located deep in Corsica’s mountainous interior near Ponte Leccia, Clos Venturi sits atop an isolated sandstone hill between two mountain ranges at the crossroads of Bastia, Ajaccio and Calvi. Over the past seventeen years, Manu Venturi — a native Corsican deeply rooted to the region — has built upon the pioneering work of his father Jean-Marc, dedicating himself to revealing the potential of this singular terroir while preserving the beauty and biodiversity of the island.

The estate’s 25 hectares of vines are planted to 19 indigenous Corsican varieties interwoven with scrubby forest and the wild aromatic vegetation of the maquis. Farmed according to biodynamic and permaculture principles, the property is meticulously maintained through a self-sustaining ecosystem of sheep, chickens, horses, cows and bee-keeping. The vineyards, many worked by horse, produce wines marked by layered texture, freshness, and remarkable aromatic intensity, evoking the scents of Corsica itself — eucalyptus, juniper, rosemary, yellow immortelle, myrtle, sage, mint, thyme and lavender.

As Manu explains:

“My philosophy is the same everywhere: high environmental value, organic agriculture, biodynamic agriculture, permaculture, breeding, bee-keeping ... I made these choices for the preservation of my island, my land, the men and women who live there and, more globally, the planet. I am not a utopian, nor an esoteric dogmatic, I am simply a farmer in love with nature and every day I work on this alchemy, I try to observe it, understand it and accompany it simply to pay homage to it.”

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Jean-Marc Venturi studied oenology in the 1960s before managing a cooperative on Corsica’s eastern coast. In the 1980s, he purchased Domaine Vico, a historic but struggling estate originally founded in 1901 by Jean Vico in the high-altitude village of Ponte Leccia. Located at the crossroads between Bastia, Ajaccio, and Calvi, Domaine Vico remains the only major vineyard situated in the mountainous center of the island.
Manu Venturi grew up between Domaine Vico and the surrounding landscapes of Corsica before leaving for mainland France to study law and tourism. Eventually returning to the island, he joined his father in a new chapter for the estate. In 2005, the two created Clos Venturi, selecting and separating the finest vineyard parcels from Domaine Vico to focus on a more ambitious, terroir-driven project.
Under Manu’s direction, Clos Venturi became dedicated to the preservation and replanting of Corsica’s native grape varieties including Vermentinu, Niellucciu, Sciaccarellu, Biancu Gentile, and Genovese. Today, the estate focuses on site-specific cuvées that bring together varieties and influences from both the northern and southern parts of the island, while farming according to biodynamic principles deeply tied to the preservation of Corsica’s landscape and biodiversity.
Clos Venturi is a 28-hectare plot of land in the center of Corsica, located near the commune of Piedigriggio. The particularity of their terroir lies in its very varied geology and climate. It is a sandstone hill in the middle of a small valley totally preserved and wild. This atypical geological zone is called the central fault of Corsica; it is a hill of ancient sandstone dating from the Miocene laid on a 100 million more recent magmatic zone. Plots are a mosaic of any soil found in Corsica.
The median altitude of the vines are between 400 and 480 meters but the surrounding mountains exceed 2000 meters. This original location makes it the Corsican terroir farthest from the sea and the highest in elevation - this placement makes for an ideal climatology, combining continental freshness and southern maturity.
Rooted in long-term environmental stewardship and the preservation of Corsica’s native varieties., Clos Venturi’s work centers on parcel selection, massal replanting of indigenous grapes, organic farming, and fermentation with native yeasts.
Although Clos Venturi officially received Demeter certification in 2020, biodynamic farming practices have been in place since 2006.
The vineyards, averaging 30 years of age, are planted primarily to 19 indigenous Corsican varieties, with Syrah as the sole non-native exception. Since 2019, sheep have grazed among the vines to provide natural weed control, organic manure, and reduced soil compaction, while horses are used for plowing throughout the estate. Bees and chickens further contribute to the property’s self-sustaining ecosystem.
Since 2015, Clos Venturi has also held HVE (High Environmental Value) certification, becoming the first and only estate in Corsica recognized at this level.
The cellar is remarkably equipped, with an assortment of vessels of barrel, tank and egg, wood, concrete, stainless steel. In general, the red wines macerate for 30 days at low temperature. The aging takes place in concrete vats and foudre for a year, then in the bottle for 10 months.
For white wines, a light filtration takes place. Aging on the lees in stainless steel vats for 6 to 8 months is followed by 3 to 6 months in the bottle.

Wines

1769 Blanc

100% Vermentinu from 45-year-old vines planted on south and southeast-facing sandstone slopes at the base of the estate. Following short skin contact and native yeast fermentation in concrete, the wine is aged six months on fine lees in stainless steel with regular bâtonnage. Unfined and lightly filtered, it highlights the mineral precision and Mediterranean freshness of Corsican Vermentinu.

1769 Rouge

A blend of equal parts Niellucciu and Sciaccarellu from 30-year-old vines planted across three southeast-facing parcels of sandstone and sandy soils. Fermented primarily in concrete with a small portion in oak cask, the wine undergoes a 20-day maceration followed by one year of aging in concrete and oak. This cuvée highlights the interplay between Corsica’s two principal red grapes through a balance of structure, lift and Mediterranean character.

[Le Clos] Blanc

100% Vermentinu sourced from sandstone vineyards with southern and southeastern exposures farmed at low yields. Following extended skin contact and native yeast fermentation in stainless steel, the wine spends eight to nine months on fine lees. The cuvée captures a more textured and site-driven expression of Vermentinu, shaped by the warmth and minerality of the estate’s sandstone slopes.

[Le Clos] Rouge

A blend of Niellucciu, Sciaccarellu and Carcaghjolu Neru from 30-year-old vines planted on southeast-facing sandstone soils. Co-fermented with indigenous yeasts in large oak cask, the wine sees a long maceration and up to 18 months of aging in wood, resulting in a structured yet vibrant expression of native Corsican red varieties.

Brama Biancu Gentile

The Brama series explores single-variety expressions of Corsica’s native grapes. This cuvée highlights Biancu Gentile, a historic white variety prized for its aromatic intensity and texture. Sourced from southeast-facing sandstone parcels, the wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts in concrete egg, with extended skin contact and lees aging bringing added depth and complexity.

Brama Sciaccarellu

100% Sciaccarellu comes from 30-year-old vines planted on southeast-facing sandstone soils. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in foudre and barrel before extended aging in oak, the wine offers a pure expression of one of Corsica’s most emblematic red varieties, marked by freshness, spice, and finesse.

Brama Carcaghjolu Neru

Made from the rare indigenous Carcaghjolu Neru variety, this cuvée comes from vines planted in 1989 on Miocene sands and sandstone. Fermented with partial whole clusters and aged in oak cask for up to 18 months, the wine reflects Clos Venturi’s ongoing work preserving and reinterpreting Corsica’s nearly forgotten native grapes.

Brama Syrah

Though not indigenous to Corsica, Syrah has long been part of the island’s viticultural landscape. Sourced from 30-year-old vines planted on southeast-facing sandstone and sandy soils, the wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts in large oak cask and aged 12 to 14 months in wood, offering a distinctly Corsican expression shaped by the island’s warm climate and rugged terroir.

Altare Blanc

Altare Blanc is a field blend of five Corsican varieties — Biancu Gentile, Vermentinu, Riminese, Genovese and Carcaghjolu Blanc — sourced from a terraced amphitheater vineyard with northeast to southeast exposure. The grapes are harvested progressively over nearly three weeks and co-fermented with indigenous yeasts in oak cask following skin contact. Raised on lees for one year in barrel, the wine reflects both the diversity of Corsican white varieties and the complexity of this singular high-altitude site.

Altare Rouge

Produced from 100% Sciaccarellu grown on sandstone and granite soils at elevations reaching 450 meters, Altare Rouge comes from one of the estate’s highest terraced vineyards. Farmed biodynamically and worked by horse, the wine is fermented with native yeasts in small oak casks and aged in wood, resulting in a lifted, finely structured expression of Sciaccarellu shaped by altitude and northwestern exposure.

Le Chemin de Croix Rouge

Limited-production Sciaccarellu from a low-yielding parcel of 50-year-old vines planted on southeast-facing sandstone. Fermented in small oak casks with a long maceration and aged two years in new 225L barrels before extended bottle aging, the wine represents one of Clos Venturi’s most ambitious and cellar-worthy expressions of the variety.

Chiesa Nera Blanc

Named “Black Church,” Chiesa Nera Blanc is both a tribute to family heritage and an exploration of Corsica’s historic mixed plantings. The cuvée blends Biancu Gentile, Vermentinu, and Genovese grown together on sandstone soils with southern exposures. Fermented and aged in concrete egg for nearly two years on fine lees, the wine emphasizes texture, salinity, and the complexity that emerges through prolonged élevage and co-plantation.

Chiesa Nera Rouge

A co-plantation of eight Corsican varieties including Aleatico, Niellucciu, Sciaccarellu, Minustellu, Carcaghjolu Neru and Moresconu, grown together on southeast-facing sandstone soils. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in large oak cask and aged in demi-muid, the wine reflects Clos Venturi’s commitment to preserving Corsica’s viticultural heritage through mixed plantings, native varieties and long élevage.

Clos Venturi