In a recent feature from International Wine Report on Frank Cornelissen’s 2013 vintage (read it here), Frank describes his grapes as “cultivated by man in harmony with Nature” and wine as “an expression of culture where man plays an important role in transforming and ‘educating’ wines to their full expression.
Well, we will try a glass of that! Wouldn’t you?
Frank Cornelissen makes single vineyard Nerello Mascalese in the famed Northern valley of Mt. Etna. Imagine wines made from the rugged slopes of an active (and sometimes dangerous) volcano surviving through harsh winters and the intense southern Mediterranean growing season. It all leads to profound grapes in very low yields that produce world class wines. All six wines tasted by the International Wine Report scored 90+ points.
Frank Cornelissen followed his passion for wine from Belgium to Etna in Sicily where he released his first vintage in 2001. He has since become a leading producer of ‘natural wines’ – wines made without anything added and from untreated grapes – in a region known for its challenging growing conditions. You can read our profile on Frank here.
The Etna region was virtually unrecognized for quality wines by few outside of Sicily as little as 10 to 15 years ago. The arrival of Frank Cornelissen, Andrea Franchetti of Passopisciaro and Terre Nere’s Marco De Grazia ignited renewed interest in the area, then described as being “set on fire” by their drive to produce high quality wines. The fruits of their efforts are now producing quality products considered on par with Italy and France’s finest.
Luckily you can experience a taste of the “expression of culture” described above because we import Frank’s wines and they can be found here. We will be receiving the 2013 vintage in the early fall.
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