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The grand cru of the estate, the 2021 Magma Rosso is a medium red color and is from the vineyard Barbecchi. With notes of anise, nutmeg, bright pomegranate, raspberry, incense, and dried wildflowers, it’s medium-bodied and weightless. A pretty, delicious, refined red, it has fine tannins, even acidity, and a long, floating finish, with a resonance that’s just superb. Drink 2025-2045 . This was my first visit to the cellar of Frank Cornelissen, located in the northern valley of Etna, and I am already looking forward to my next visit. In this cellar, there’s no oak, and everything is aged in fiberglass tanks. It doesn’t take long to realize the numerous pitfalls imitators might face in trying to mimic this winemaking style. While on paper the winemaking might sound hands-off or cavalier, nothing could be further from the truth. Frank Cornelissen may very well be one of the most exacting and hardest-working winemakers I have met to date. He has thought everything through, and nothing is off-limits to analyze, improve on, and correct. There’s more to be said about all this, but for the time being, I’ll just say that my expectations were blown out of the water by these wines, which have a precision and detail that raises the bar both intellectually and hedonistically. Now isn’t that what great wines should be all about?
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Jeb Dunnuck
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
A wine with an enduring and well-merited cult following, Frank Cornelissen's 2021 Sicilia Magma is an organic expression of Nerello Mascalese on its own roots from the Vigna Barbabecchi, which is 900 meters above sea level on volcanic soils across three hectares. The wine embraces a natural philosophy, and the aromas, along with that touch of spiciness from entrapped carbon dioxide on the tip of the tongue, are punchy, bright and lifted. This wine shows a lean texture with a pretty mix of blue flower, cassis and grilled watermelon. The alcohol content is high at 15%, but you hardly notice. Magma finishes with softly glossy tannins. This is a 3,400-bottle release.
Dark depths of blackberry, lavender and ashen stone mix with lifted notes of spiced orange peel and menthol as the 2021 Rosso Magma smolders up from the glass. This is pure elegance, with silken depths of ripe, wild berry fruit and mineral tones, all guided by cooling acidity. An array of exotic spices adds amazing complexity toward the close. Dramatically long and saturating, the 2021 leaves the palate reeling with concentration while still boasting remarkable harmony. This is a showstopper and a perfect example of the power of old vines at high elevations on Etna.