Frank Cornelissen

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Country of Origin: Italy
Location: Mt. Etna, Sicily
People: Frank Cornelissen, Owner & Winemaker
Viticulture: Certified Organic

Items

Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2019 Magma Rosso, Terre Siciliane IGP (Mt. Etna) Login On Order
Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2017 MunJebel Rosso CR, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login DEC 90 WA 91 In Stock
Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2017 MunJebel Rosso FM, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login AG 94 <1 Case
Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2017 MunJebel Rosso MC, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login <1 Case
Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2016 MunJebel Rosso PA, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login <1 Case
Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2017 MunJebel Rosso PA, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login <1 Case
Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2017 MunJebel Rosso VA, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login AG 92 <1 Case
Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2021 MunJebel, Etna Rosso DOC Login Please inquire
Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2022 Susucaru Rosso, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login Please inquire
Frank Cornelissen 2019 Magma Rosso, Terre Siciliane IGP (Mt. Etna) Login Please inquire
Frank Cornelissen 2018 MunJebel Rosso CD, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login <1 Case
Frank Cornelissen 2018 MunJebel Rosso CR, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login <1 Case
Frank Cornelissen 2019 MunJebel Rosso CR, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login On Order
Frank Cornelissen 2019 MunJebel Rosso FM, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login On Order
Frank Cornelissen 2019 MunJebel Rosso MC, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login On Order
Frank Cornelissen NV Munjebel Rosso P2 'Cuvee Perpetuum' (Solera 2015-2020) Login On Order
Frank Cornelissen 2018 MunJebel Rosso PU, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login <1 Case
Frank Cornelissen 2019 MunJebel Rosso VA, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login Please inquire
Frank Cornelissen 2021 MunJebel Rosso, Etna DOC Login On Order
Frank Cornelissen 2022 Susucaru Rosso, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna) Login Please inquire
Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2020 MunJebel Bianco, Terre Siciliane IGT (Mt. Etna) Login <1 Case
Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2021 MunJebel Bianco, Terre Siciliane IGT (Mt. Etna) Login In Stock
Frank Cornelissen 2019 MunJebel Bianco, Terre Siciliane IGT (Mt. Etna) Login In Stock
Frank Cornelissen 2020 MunJebel Bianco, Terre Siciliane IGT (Mt. Etna) Login In Stock
Frank Cornelissen 2021 MunJebel Bianco, Terre Siciliane IGT (Mt. Etna) Login In Stock



Media Links
Sprudge: The Very Best of Third Coast Soif 2018
The New York Times: The Evolution of a Natural Winemaker
Sprudge: Up On Mt. Etna With Frank Cornelissen: The Sprudge Wine Interview
I'll Drink to That!: Episode 129: Frank Cornelissen
Food & Wine: Sicilian Wine from Mount Etna
Vinography: Frank Cornelissen, Etna, Sicily - Upcoming Releases
Chicago Tribune: Nero d'Avola is king in Sicily, but another red grape turning heads

Social Media Links
Instagram: @frankcornelissen_winery

Frank’s wines are like none we have ever tasted, and there is no doubt they have raised a stir throughout the industry. These wines express the absolutely unique land of Mt. Etna in a way that no other wine has. You really have to taste the wines and watch the color and flavor evolve in your glass to understand them. Yields are extremely low, and the United States allocation is extremely small.

Vinous 9/2017
"Cornelissen was born in Belgium but moved to the Etna region in 2000 because he grew up in a wine loving family and wanted to make important terroir-based wines. As he likes classic wines that speak of a specific terroir, it was easy to fall in love with Etna’s landscape and the presence of high quality indigenous grape varieties. Other factors played in his decision as well: for example, Etna’s long history of viticulture, intact nature with no industry warehouses and inevitable pollution, no long history of pesticide use, and great geologic diversity of the soils. Cornelissen owns roughly 35 hectares under vine and has just bought six more hectares. His winemaking has changed over the years, moving from the production of highly “natural-like” wines that spoke more of the technique employed (and ironically enough not much about the specific terroirs) to wines that are now truly magnificent (some of Italy’s most interesting red wines, in fact). Vinification is essentially the same for all his wines: he destalks, presses lightly, then has the must sit on the skins for one month or slightly more, depending on the vintage. Only indigenous yeasts are used and wines are bottled unfined. The range of wines I tasted on my visit to the estate were amongst the most exciting Italian wines I tasted this year."


Vinous 11/2015
"The wines of this idiosyncratic Etna producer have a strong cult following. Cornelissen farms roughly 15 hectares, of which 12 are vines trained in the alberello, or bush-vine, system typical of the area. New vineyards are planted without grafts, buckwheat is used to help soils low on organic material, yields are low, and the grapes are harvested late, from mid-October to mid-November. Cornelissen generally avoids all treatments, and only in exceptionally difficult vintages does he use copper sulfate and sulfur treatments."


Beyond Barolo and Brunello by Tom Hyland (2012)
"You only need to be with Frank Cornelissen for fifteen or twenty minutes to start to understand what drives this man. A former mountain climber from Belgium, Cornelissen brings the same determination he used to conquer the peaks of the Alps to his natural winemaking. Everything about what he does at his vineyards and winery in Etna district is with the highest degree of purity; he does not add sulfites to any of his wines and he uses no oak barrels or stainless steel tanks in his cellar. Thus he needs to bring in the cleanest, purest grapes he can to produce his distinctly individual wines."

Reviews

  • Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2017 MunJebel Rosso VA, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna)
    Vinous
    Rating: 92 (6/10/2021)

    The 2017 Mascalese Munjebel VA wafts up with a layered yet lifted display, as white smoke, cardamom and peppery herbs give way to crushed cherries and hints of clove. It’s silky and pliant in feel, motivated by juicy acidity that enlivens its tart and spicy woodland berry fruit. A subtle coating of sweet tannins and hints of hard red candies linger, contrasted by salty minerals, making for a nicely balanced and lightly structured finale. This is such a pretty expression of the vintage, and it’s already drinking very well.
  • Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2017 MunJebel Rosso FM, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna)
    Vinous
    Rating: 94 (6/10/2021)

    Rich, sometimes savory and at other times sweet, the 2017 Nerello Mascalese Munjebel FM makes itself known. Plum sauce, balsamic spice, a twist of nectarine, flowery undergrowth and a lifting hint of camphor all waft up to form its captivating nose. In the mouth, velvety textures envelop the palate in ripe red and black fruits, yet there’s nervous acidity here that quickly energizes the expression, creating a buzz of inner tension. The primary concentration is something to behold, but even more fascinating is how incredibly fresh and vibrant this remains throughout the long, lightly structured and dramatic finale. The 2017 is obviously the result of a ripe vintage, yet it never falls out of balance, and it keeps you coming back to the glass for more. Munjebel FM is produced from the lower elevations of the Feudo di Mezzo cru.
  • Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2017 MunJebel Rosso CR, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna)
    Decanter
    Rating: 90 (9/10/2019)

    There are hefty raspberry aromas and a hint of gaminess, while the palate is rich and broad, with ample flesh and weight. The power and density seem overbearing, and a touch more freshness would be welcome. However, these wines have a strong following. Drink 2020-2028.
  • Frank Cornelissen (1.5 L) 2017 MunJebel Rosso CR, Terre Siciliane IGP (Etna)
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 91 (10/17/2019)

    The 2017 Munjebel CR sees fruit sourced from the Contrada Campo Re in Castiglione di Sicilia, Etna. Like other vintners on the volcano, Frank Cornelissen is interested in studying the single-vineyard characteristics and identities of his individual incoming harvests. This wine is bright and luminous, with a pretty ruby color that cedes to aromas of wild rose, volcanic ash and aniseed.