Jean-Baptiste Arena

For a long time, the family estate wasn't entirely dedicated to vineyards: they also grew wheat, fruit trees, and raised livestock. Then, starting in 1977, the family devoted itself entirely to winemaking and abandoned mixed farming. Antoine Arena, Jean-Baptiste's father , took over the family business in 1976, a year after the events at the Aléria winery, which prompted him to take action and transformed this return to the land into an act of activism, both culturally and politically. He significantly expanded the estate, which at the time comprised only 3 hectares, bringing it to 14 hectares.

Jean-Baptiste has always been immersed in this environment. His parents, Antoine and Marie, never forced him to pursue winemaking, however. After a few years of law studies, the call of the land became too strong, and he decided to return to Corsica in 2003 to work on the estate alongside his father. A year later, his younger brother, Antoine-Marie, joined them. Antoine-Marie has focused more on cellar work, while Jean-Baptiste prefers working in the vineyards. For example, it was Jean-Baptiste who initiated the transition from organic to biodynamic farming.

Today, the two brothers each have their own estate but continue to work together. Since 2014, Jean-Baptiste has taken over the Grotte di Sole terroir, composed of Nielluccio for the reds and Vermentino and Muscat for the whites.

The anecdote: Grotte di Sole, which means "Cave of the Sun", is a cavity in the rock face that was used by the ancients as a sundial; it allowed them to know the time according to how its entrance is illuminated by the sun.