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

2012 Frank Cornelissen - MunJebel Rosso CS (90 pts)

ℹ️ This bottle is technically labeled as a Terre Siciliane IGT in this vintage, but post 2015 is being labeled as Etna Rosso DOP. CS stands for Chiusa Spagnolo which is a single vineyard of ungrafted (aka ownrooted) 💯 Nerello Mascalese that was planted in the 1920s.This vineyard is located in Contrada Zottorinoto which is the name of a specific lava flow on the North side of Mt Etna 🌋. This Contrada is only 620m above sea level, which is considered low elevation for Mt Etna. Chiusa Spagnolo forms a bowl or amphitheatre that has a wall of lava isolating it from the rest of the Contrada creating a unique micro climate·

👀 Medium ruby color with a slight garnet rim, very noticeable tears on the side of the glass·

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of raspberry, red plum, juniper, violets, thyme, and tilled earth. I will note that I am getting some Volatile Acidity, but it is lifting the aromatics and not over the top·

👅 The wine is dry. Medium+ acidity. Medium+ alcohol and despite the bottle saying 15% ABV, it doesn't feel hot🔥. Medium+ furry tannins that coat the teeth. Medium+ body. Similar notes on the palate as the nose. Additionally there is a wet rock mineral flavor that is quite pervasive and a funky low sulphur yeasty note, especially on the back palate. The finish is long and the floral and juniper flavors ride that wave·

🔔 Overall this is a very complex wine with a lot going on. This is powerful and ripe which represents the 2012 vintage on Mt Etna. If you don't like a touch of volatile acidity or natural wine funk then this is probably not for you. Personally, I can tolerate the former more than the latter. This is still evolving and can be cellared for at least a decade. If I had to choose a MunJebel Cru, Vigna Alta (VA) is still my favorite·

 2012 Frank Cornelissen - MunJebel Rosso CS (90 pts)

Checkout the latest Episode of Wine Terroir discussing the wines of Mt Etna 🌋🍷(Part 2) ·

➡️ https://youtu.be/BLidx6ZMIHs or click the link in my bio ·

This episode discusses the grape 🍇 nerello cappuccio as a single varietal·

 Checkout the latest Episode of Wine Terroir discussing the

Part 1 of a 3 part series on the wines of Mt Etna 🌋 just went live on the Wine Terroir YouTube Channel. Please take a look and let me know what you think·

Link in bio and ➡️https://youtu.be/9t1e80FOSAM ·

 Part 1 of a 3 part series on the wines of Mt Etna 🌋 just

2015 Occhipinti - SP68 Bianco Sicilia IGT (89 pts)

See 📺 video review 👉 https://youtu.be/3LD7OktPNtU ·

 2015 Occhipinti - SP68 Bianco Sicilia IGT (89 pts)

2015 Occhipinti - SP68 Rosso Sicilia IGT (87 pts)

Checkout the latest Episode of Wine Terroir discussing the wines of Mt Etna 🌋🍷(Part 3) ·

➡️ https://youtu.be/z3qNqVzhGik or click the link in my bio ·

This episode discusses the grapes of Etna Bianco and Etna Bianco Superiore. This episode also features one of my favorite white wines from the region

2013 Benanti - Nerello Cappuccio Sicilia IGT (84 pts)

- Watch the full video review 📺➡️ https://youtu.be/BLidx6ZMIHs or click the link in bio

 2013 Benanti - Nerello Cappuccio Sicilia IGT (84 pts)

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

2012 Benanti - Pietra Marina Etna Bianco Superiore (93 pts)

Watch the full video review 📺➡️ https://youtu.be/z3qNqVzhGik or click the link in my bio. Also covers some background about Etna Bianco and Etna Bianco Superiore·

 2012 Benanti - Pietra Marina Etna Bianco Superiore (93 pts)

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐚 (𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐨 & 𝐆𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐢) 𝒁𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒃𝒃𝒐 𝑩𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒐, 2014

📍Pantalleria, Terre Siciliane, Italy🇮🇹

🍇 100% Zibibbo (Muscat d’Alexandria)

In a former life Gabrio Bini was an eccentric architect in Milan. Now, he’s a an eccentric winemaker in a very eccentric place: the tiny volcanic island of Pantelleria, located just south—west of Sicily.

Since the foundation of Serragghia in 2000, Gabrio has become a legend - a cult figure when it comes to natural wine - because of his skills in the toughest natural environment, and because of his personality. Today, Gabrio and his son Giotto run the winery together.

+60 years old bush vines located on some of the highest vineyards on the island - extreme sun exposure balanced with the cool breeze from the ocean and the altitude. The vineyards have never seen any chemicals, are biodynamically farmed and tended by hand and horse

• Aged 7 months on the skin in Spanish amphoras, that are buried in the vineyards, and a few months in the bottle.

• Unfined, unfiltered and no added sulphur.

Wow!!! Extremely expressive on the nose and very tropical, offering notes of grilled mango and pineapple, orange oil, dried papaya, canned peach, dried apricot, rosemary and some undefinable herbs and a smoked/burnt scent.

The palate is almost vulgarly rich and “warm” with silky soft tannins and medium(+) acidity. On the tongue; sweet/sour unfiltered apple juice, kumquats in syrup, mango, passion fruit, candied citrus, almonds and yeast. The finish is long with lots of minerality - mainly salt.

 ⭐️92+/100⭐️ 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐚 (𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐨 & 𝐆𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐢) 𝒁𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒃𝒃𝒐 𝑩𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒐

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

𝐂𝐎𝐒 𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒐, 2017

In 1980, three students, Giambattista Cilia, Giusto Occhipinti and Cirino Strano (thus the name; COS), took over Joseph Cilia’s family winery in Bastonaca (close to Vittoria, South-East Sicily) and became some of the  youngest winemakers in Italy - and most revolutionary for their region.

Today COS is run by Cilia and Occhipinti with biodynamic and natural principles, and with both modern and traditional Sicilian-winemaking (amphora etc.).

The grapes are hand harvested from biodynamic vineyards located around Vittoria (South-East Sicily) in 230 MAMSL.

Spontaneous fermentation on the skins in concrete tanks, and aging in concrete tanks for 12 months to preserve the fruit-driven profile.

Only a tiny amount of sulphur is added, it’s vegan, unfiltered and unfined.

The bouquet is somehow super light yet quite intense offering dried cranberry, sugared redcurrant, rooibos tea, orange oil, dried blood orange peel, green olives and a scent of Cola. It’s a little perfumed reminding me of a floral day cream.

The palate is ultra light, almost water-like, but still with some depth with a lovely prickling acidity and super mild tannins. Super juicy! I get some redcurrant juice, raspberry sorbet, raw liquorice and menthol. It’s pretty mineral but in general very primary fruit-driven.