Friday Night Pizzas + Domaine Poli Niellucciu Rosé 2018 #Winophiles

This month Payal is hosting the French Winophiles as we explore Corsican wines. Read her invitation here. And, before I get to my pairing, here's what the crew has in store for you. This is what the other #Winophiles are saying about it on their blogs and during our Twitter chat on 21 September at 8 AM PST. To join the Twitter chat, search for the hashtag #winophiles and jump in!

• Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla pairs Friday Night Pizzas + Domaine Poli Niellucciu Rosé 2018.
• Cathie from Side Hustle Wino shares Wines from Corsica? Of "Corse".
• Robin of Crushed Grape Chronicles writes Corsica – An Island and Its Wines.
• Martin from Enofylz Wine Blog offers Mixiote de Pescado Paired with Domaine Petroni Corse Rosé.
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass gives us Spaghetti and Meatballs for a Corsican Wine.
• Gwen from Wine Predator makes Corsica Rose with Salmon Crespelle and Currant Clafoutis.
• Payal at Keep the Peas posts Corsica: The Maquis, The Mountains, The Sea.
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm shares Corsica: French with a Lot of Italian Influence.
• Cindy from Grape Experiences says Drench Yourself in the Sunshine of Corsica with Domaine Petroni Rosé Corse 2018 and Provençal Vegetable Gratin.
• Nicole at Somm's Table shares Corsican Happiness: Domaine Giacometti Sempre Cuntentu Sciaccarellu with a Flavorful Seafood Stew.

In My Glass

I have poured Corsican wines at least once before. Back in 2017, I paired Corsican Fasgioli Incu Funghi (White Bean Stew withMushrooms) with a 2014 Domaine Petroni Corse Red. This time I tracked down a bottle of Rosé from Corsica: Domaine Poli Niellucciu Rosé 2018.

I bought the bottle knowing nothing about the wine other than it was from the correct location! When I saw 'Niellucciu' as the varietal on the back label, I was baffled. The word looked more like something I would shuffle around on my Scrabble rack in search of a word I could play versus an actual grape. But a little reading told me that Niellucciu is a red wine grape variety that is widely planted on Corsica and possibly indigenous to the island. That is disputed though.

What is known is that it's the principal varietal  used in the production of the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée AOC red wine Patrimonio, where it must make up 95% of the blend. And it is commonly used to make Rosés.

Its pale hue belies this oddly intense wine. To the eye it's almost completely clear with a tinge of salmon. But once you take a whiff, you begin to see the possibilities of what is to come. On the nose I got rose petals and ripe cherries. On the palate, more of that coastal garrigue comes through. The wine is structured yet delicate and was an absolute treat to pair with some spiced sausage pizzas.

Friday Night Pizzas

At the end of our work and school weeks, sometimes I don't really feel like cooking an extravagant meal...even when I am trying to create a wine pairing. I had a friend pick up some sausages at the farmers' market for me and had thought I'd make some kind of sausage, rice, and beans dish. I asked for venison; they had elk.

When I messaged Jake about the sausage and asked for any ideas, he came back with: "sprinkled over pizza, please." Done. Friday night pizzas are always a hit. And I even bought pre-made dough and sauce. So, it was really, really easy.

• premade dough
• premade sauce
• shredded cheese
• toppings (I used elk sausage, salami, olive, artichokes, and fresh tomatoes)

Roll the dough out. Top. Bake. Slice. And enjoy! Super simple.

This was the perfect Friday night! That's a wrap for my Corsican wine for September. Looking forward to our exploration of Cahors wines with Nicole from Somm's Table at the helm. Stay tuned!