2020 Frank Cornelissen 'Magma'

Magma is the pinnacle of Cornelissen’s craft: the Grand Vin that embodies the soul of Mount Etna. Drawn from the legendary Barbabecchi vineyard at 910 meters above sea level, this cru is among the highest and most prestigious in the Northern Valley. Planted around 1910, the ungrafted Nerello Mascalese vines receive the first, delicate rays of the morning sun, maturing slowly in a cool, volcanic microclimate. Only in vintages of true phenolic perfection is this wine produced, ensuring that every bottle expresses both power and elegance, depth and finesse, personality and precision.

In the glass, Magma presents a radiant, ruby hue with garnet highlights, capturing the energy and altitude of its terroir. The bouquet is profound, revealing an extraordinary interplay of red berries, wild rose petals, dried herbs, volcanic smoke, and subtle mineral whispers — a perfume of Etna itself. With air, secondary layers emerge: hints of incense, tobacco, and delicate spice, all weaving a narrative of time, age, and the volcanic soils beneath.

On the palate, this is a wine of majestic structure and seamless balance. Silky, yet firm tannins provide a sculpted frame for the pure, layered fruit, while the wine’s mineral backbone and ethereal freshness elevate its elegance. Flavors of cherry, raspberry, and wild herb intertwine with an almost imperceptible smokiness, revealing a wine that is simultaneously intense, refined, and profoundly expressive. The finish is extraordinary: long, layered and persistent, inviting both contemplation and reverence.

To say that Magma is just a wine would be reductive. It is the very essence of Etna captured in bottle, a masterpiece of terroir, history, and the patient rhythm of a century-old vineyard; brought to life through the Heroic Viticulture required to tend and harvest in such a remote and formidable place.

Serve: 16–18 °C
Drink: 2028–2060