Azienda Agricola Frank Cornelissen, Munjebel MC, Terre Siciliane 2019

The 2019 Munjebel Rosso MC (Monte Colla) is deep and inward in character, but also remarkably pretty. This dark beauty wafts up with dried cherries and crushed rocks complemented by nuances of rosemary and balsam. It greets the palate with the silkiest of textures and ripe wild berry fruits, yet with a core of nervous acidity that builds an energetic tension. This is like the proverbial iron fist in the velvet glove, tapering off long with talcum-like tannins, as sweet tobacco and lavender tones fade over a contrasting savory bitter twang of balsamic spice. It’s an utter beauty, and it’s already showing so well. The Rosso MC is from the steeply-terraced Monte Colla vineyard, with its seventy-five-year-old Nerello Mascalese vines planted in sandy clay soils.

• Drinking Window: 2023 - 2028
• Reviewer Name: Eric Guido
• Review Date: June 2022