2025 Frank Cornelissen Susucaru Etna Rosato
The Rosato is a co-fermented field blend of white and red grapes, offering a salty, watermelon-rind, and volcanic ash crunch
Producer
Frank Cornelissen
I have reviewed nine wines from Frank Cornelissen, from the 2022 to 2025 vintages, across Terre Siciliane and Etna. All are Nerello Mascalese. Scores range from 92 to 99, averaging 95; the highest is the 2022 Frank Cornelissen “Magma” Etna Rosso (99 points).
Frank Cornelissen is the Belgian-born radical who proved that Etna could produce wines of shocking purity without a safety net. A former wine merchant and alpinist, he settled on the volcano’s northern slope and began farming with no chemicals and virtually no cellar intervention. Once divisive, he is now a global reference point for uncompromising natural winemaking.
The Munjebel wines are the heart of the estate and read like a lesson in contrade. Munjebel itself is the classic blend of several high-altitude sites in the northern valley, crystalline and smoky. The single-contrada bottlings each speak in their own voice: MC (Monte Colla), from steep terraces on sandy clay, is the broadest and most powerful; CD (Calderara Sottana), on pure rock, has searing tension and sharp tannins; CR (Campo Re), high up, is ethereal and floral; CS (Chiusa Spagnolo), from ungrafted vines in an amphitheatre of lava, is dense and brooding; and VA (Vigne Alte) blends the highest parcels into the most laser-focused wine of the range.
Magma is the apex, made only in exceptional vintages from ungrafted, pre-phylloxera Nerello Mascalese in the Barbabecchi contrada: monumental in concentration, seamless and endless, and among the greatest wines made in Italy today. At the other end, the Susucaru Rosato and Rosso are joyful, chillable volcanic wines that practically evaporate from the glass.
Wine Reviews for Frank Cornelissen
2025 Frank Cornelissen “Susucaru” Rosso
The Rosso, predominantly Nerello Mascalese, is the quintessential “glou-glou” volcanic red—bright, peppery, and intensely juicy. Both are meant to be
2024 Frank Cornelissen “Munjebel”
This is the benchmark “Classico” of the estate. It is a master blend of several high-altitude contrade in the Northern
2022 Frank Cornelissen “Munjebel Mc” Terre Siciliane Rosso
The 2022 “Munjebel MC” (Monte Colla) comes from a steep, terraced vineyard on sandy clay, yielding the most broad-shouldered and
2022 Frank Cornelissen “Munjebel Mc” Terre Siciliane Rosso Read Post »
2022 Frank Cornelissen “Munjebel Cd” Terre Siciliane Rosso
The 2022 “Munjebel CD” (Calderara Sottana) is grown on purely rocky, stony soils, resulting in a wine of searing tension,
2022 Frank Cornelissen “Munjebel Cd” Terre Siciliane Rosso Read Post »
2022 Frank Cornelissen “Munjebel Cr” Terre Siciliane Rosso
The 2022 “Munjebel CR” (Campo Re) sits at a high elevation, delivering an ethereal, floral, and wildly aromatic profile that
2022 Frank Cornelissen “Munjebel Cr” Terre Siciliane Rosso Read Post »
2022 Frank Cornelissen “Munjebel Cs” Terre Siciliane Rosso
The 2022 “Munjebel CS” (Chiusa Spagnolo) is sourced from ungrafted vines rooted in a solid amphitheater of lava rock, producing
2022 Frank Cornelissen “Munjebel Cs” Terre Siciliane Rosso Read Post »
2022 Frank Cornelissen “Munjebel Va” Terre Siciliane Rosso
The 2022 “Munjebel VA” (Vigne Alte) is the high-altitude master blend of his highest parcels, offering a laser-focused, high-acid, and
2022 Frank Cornelissen “Munjebel Va” Terre Siciliane Rosso Read Post »
2022 Frank Cornelissen “Magma” Etna Rosso
This is the apex of the estate. Magma is only produced in exceptional vintages, sourced exclusively from ungrafted, pre-phylloxera Nerello