Domaine Maestracci Rouge e Prove 2013

Roger Maestracci founded this estate in 1945, choosing a granite plateau on the northwest end of the island. Today, it’s run by his son-in-law’s daughter, Camille-Anaïs Raoust, who blends E Prove from niellucciu, grenache, sciacarellu and syrah, aging it in stainless steel for a year and in oak casks for another.

Those facts, however, don’t go far in explaining how this wine manages to feel so immediate and evocative, the notes of sassafras, salt and cedar conjuring up inland forests; the herbal sweetness speaking to the brush that grows between the rocks along the coast. There’s also the appealing tension between velvety berry fruit and gamey volatility, combining in an impression of genuine old-school aristocracy.