Frank Cornelissen "Susucaru" Rosso Terre Siciliane IGP 2024

Susucaru is Frank Cornelissen's most approachable wine, bottling Etna's volcanic wildness for your weeknight enjoyment. Indeed, “Susucaru” means “they stole it all,” referring to how quickly this wine typically sells out. This field blend of local varietals from all of Cornelissen's vineyards on Mt. Etna is 85% Nerello Mascalese, with the remainder split between Nerello Capuccio, Alicante Boushet, Minella and Uva Francesca. After destemming and light crushing of the grapes, the juice is fermented with indigenous yeasts, and remains in contact with the skins for 60 days. The aging takes place in neutral tanks made of epoxy. Depending on the vintage quality, very little to no sulfur is added. The resulting wine is full of personality – vibrant aromas of brambly berries, herbs, and ash, with crunchy flavors of pomegranate and cranberry. Smokey minerality lingers behind the fruit. Cleansing acidity and fine-grained tannins guide the wine across the palate, making it incredibly versatile at the table. With a slight chill, this wine really takes off. A juicy, light-bodied red wine that vibrates with life but stays clean, without the distracting funk that turns people off natural wine.

Within the last five years, the name Frank Cornelissen has become synonymous with the natural wine movement in Italy. It seems like these days the allocation for his wines is highly anticipated and is almost impossible to keep on the shelf. The estate was first established back in 2001 when the area of Mt. Etna was still a misunderstood region for wine. The Cornelissen estate is located especially in the Northern valley of the active volcano. This valley is known as Contrada or “Contrade” as the locals call it today and is recognized for producing the highest quality single-vineyard crus. Cornelissen is noted for producing several small parcels of single-vineyard site wines and for his intricate farming style. Almost all the vineyards use the Albarello training system and have a combination of new and old planted ungrafted vines. He works naturally and only uses sulfur when absolutely necessary and to a minimal extent.