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Etna Adventure: Frank Cornelissen
Frank Cornelissen has been producing wine on Etna's highest, north-facing vineyards since 2001. His style has changed a lot over the years, but he's perhaps most recognized for his insistence on a zero sulfur approach in the cellar when possible. After years of changing small details, his wines are cleaner and more composed than ever.
Everything exceptional and intriguing about the Cornelissen wines exists in the vineyard. The 100-plus-year-old Nerello Mascalese vines sit on terraces over the valley below and towering mountains in the distance, and the black, sandy volcanic soils are a reminder of the active volcano beneath your feet. The wines are raised in fiberglass-lined tanks, as Frank is interested in the purest expression of Etna with the most minimal intervention, outside of materials from the vineyard.
Frank grew up surrounded by wine in Belgium where his father worked as a wine broker. His studies inspired an intense fascination for the volcanic terroir on Mt. Etna's north side. With a plan to tell his own story of place, he set his eyes on working strictly with old vines. His project started with 1.5 hectares and has grown to 12 hectares, with plantings going back to 1910.
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