Frank Cornelissen Munjebel Terre Siciliane Rosso 2022

Frank Cornelissen Munjebel Terre Siciliane Rosso 2022

Frank Cornelissen
$44.00

Grape: Nerello Mascalese
Vintage: 2022
Type: Red

This classic red wine is a blend of pure nerello mascalese sourced from prime parcels across Mount Etna. Frank Cornelissen selects fruit from top crus like Zottorinoto and Porcaria alongside designated vineyards in Rampante and Piano Daini. The winemaking involves a completely spontaneous fermentation driven by native wild vineyard yeasts inside neutral fiberglass vats. It matures naturally without modern temperature styling, filtration, or any added sulfur to protect a transparent look at the mountain.

It pours a bright ruby color, opening with fragrant aromas of wild red berries, blood orange, and sweet smoke. On the palate, a medium-bodied frame pairs fresh cherry fruit flavors with a firm, traditional tannin structure. Savory notes of volcanic earth and wild herbs add depth across the fluid mouthfeel without feeling heavy. A clean thread of natural acidity runs through the center, keeping the palate refreshed. It finishes dry and persistent.

Winery

Frank Cornelissen is a renowned natural winemaker known for his uncompromising, minimal-intervention approach to winemaking. A native of Belgium, Cornelissen established his estate in 2001 with the goal of producing authentic, terroir-driven wines. His wines have since achieved cult status among natural wine enthusiasts. Cornelissen follows a "naturalistic" philosophy, aiming to make wines with no additives, including commercial yeasts or sulfur dioxide. He works with ungrafted, indigenous grape varieties like Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, and Grecanico. Grapes are hand-harvested, and fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts. The wines are aged in neutral vessels such as fiberglass tanks and epoxy-coated terracotta amphorae, avoiding the use of wood to allow the terroir to shine through.