2012 Frank Cornelissen - MunJebel Rosso 9 Vigne Alte (93 pts)

- Medium- ruby color. Pronounced intensity on the nose. Bright red fruit of raspberry, sour cherry, and red currant. Extremely floral showing violets and lilacs. Finally strong mineral aromas of wet rock and chalk. High acidity, medium silky and fine grained tannins, high alcohol but well integrated, and medium+ body. The palate is similar to the nose. The ripe raspberry and red currant preserves throughout. The mid palate highlights the chalky texture. The flowers come across as more dried like potpourri combined with rocks on the long finish. This wine is gorgeous! In previous vintages I have noticed a lot of variation and funk, but this is superb. My favorite of the Cru bottlings, by far the most elegant. You had my high altitude and 80+ year old ungrafted vines. Well done.

 2012 Frank Cornelissen - MunJebel Rosso 9 Vigne Alte (93

Filming a few episodes of Wine Terroir today. A 3-part series on the wines of Mt Etna.·

 Filming a few episodes of Wine Terroir today. A 3-part

Nerello Mascalese blind tasting. The sparkling traditional method was interesting, but far from earth shattering. VigoRosa from Fattorie Romeo del Castello is still one of my favorite rosé wines.

 Nerello Mascalese blind tasting. The sparkling traditional

2008 Tenuta di Fessina - Musmeci Riserva Etna Rosso (91 pts)

 watch the full video review 👁📺➡️ https://youtu.be/9t1e80FOSAM or see link in bio 🙏·

 2008 Tenuta di Fessina - Musmeci Riserva Etna Rosso (91

𝑰𝒅𝒅𝒂 𝑩𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒐, 2019

My first try from the new joint venture between world famous “Mr. Barbaresco”, Angelo Gaja, and Alberto Graci from Graci on Etna, who joined forces to produce wines on the south facing slopes of Mount Etna with their first vintage released in 2017 - Idda Etna Rosso. First release of the Bianco was 2018.

The name, Idda (meaning “she” in Sicilian), is also the name the locals have given to Mount Etna – the Sicilians attribute a female nature to the mountain: a strict yet generous mother.

The grapes are harvested from 4 ha. organically grown plots located in the altitude of 700-800 meters amsl.

Whole bunch pressed and fermented in a combination of 10 hl. oak barrels and steel tanks, followed by 12 months in same kind of containers.

I know nothing about the label design, but I think it might be Etna seen from above...(?).

The nose is very expressive and in great harmony offering fruity aromas of ripe peach, grape fruit, banana peel, honeydew and tropical wine gums followed by greener notes of cress, fennel, freshly mowed lawn and pressed white flowers. It’s all complimented by a sick volcanic minerality (slightly smoky) and chalky quarry. The oak brings a nice buttery and Pecorino-like element.

The palate is medium-bodied, dry, soft and round with a crispy “crescendo-acidity” (gradually increasing in the mouth) offering fresh peach, lemon juice, mild malo, cress, white pepper, grass with salt and a hint of salmiak in the, very long, finish.

Summarized, this wine shows great balance of fruit, malo and minerality with a nice perfumed touch. Delicious on its own, but would be sick with fresh seafood. Complex and harmonious.

 ⭐️91/100⭐️ 𝑰𝒅𝒅𝒂 𝑩𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒐, 2019 📍Etna, Sicily, Italy 🇮🇹 🍇 100%

🍇Field blend (Carricante, Cataratto, Grecanico & Minella)

On Mount Etna, a viticultural area with a  very unique terroir - dark volcanic soil - rich of minerals and nutrition for the vines, Danish Anne-Louise Mikkelsen found it perfect to settle down and start producing wine in her own name after many years in the wine industry.

The grapes of this Bianco come from the vineyards of Santo Spirito and Schiara Nova located on the northern side of Etna, 750m. above sea level. The vineyards are classified for production of red wines (Etna Rosso D.O.C.), which is why Anne-Louise can’t call her wine Etna Bianco D.O.C., but has to clasify it by the less specific name: Bianco Sicilia I.G.T..

The wine has a very charming balance between freshness, minerality and malo.

The aromas are quite mild, but there are clearly some minerality and mango yoghurt thing going on.

The palate again is quite mild (but delicious though) with pineapple, lemon zest, light toast, grass and yellow apple. Almost reminds me a bit of a Verdejo - just with higher minerality and a bit more complex structure.

It’s super smooth and a bit creamy, but with enough acidity (and saline) to make balance.

 Tenuta di Aglaea Bianco Terre Siciliane, 2016 - Etna

Beating the 100 degree heat with an Etna Rosato.

Red fruits glossed with lip smacking acidity, citrus shines on the dry fruity finish. Wonderfully gluggable and refreshing.