2021 Munjebel Rosso CS
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Tasting notes
The medium red 2021 MunJebel Rosso CS comes from Zottorinoto Chiusa Spagnolo and reveals notes of ripe raspberries, wild strawberries, herbes de Provence, white pepper, and orange peel. Medium-bodied, the tannins are fine, with light, sanguine, dusty earth. It has a Nebbiolo-like structure, with a highly elegant feel. Drink 2025-2040. 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?
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The organic Frank Cornelissen 2021 Munjebel CS is Nerello Mascalese on its own roots from the Vigneto Chiusa Spagnolo across 2.5 hectares at 620 meters in elevation. The grapes are destemmed and lightly pressed to produce a lightweight red with lots of bright primary fruit and a punchy style. There is a spicy hint of entrapped carbon dioxide that you feel like a pinch on the tongue. This wine's alcohol content is an elevated 15.5%. Due to these factors, I suggest a near-term drinking window for a wine that might prove less stable in the long term. This is a release of 3,700 bottles.