uncorked No Comments April 28th, 2013 General, Italy Tour Visit Post, Wine Region Review, Wine Review

Cornelissen wine: heart of Etna mascalese

On entering the cantina at Frank Cornelissen in Solicchiata (CT) there is a big feeling of anticipation. I have drunk the wines for years but never visited the place of their conception.

Now is the moment. Frank is very easy on the explanation. First point to understand that Etna is a sloping vineyard expanse shaped by its eruptions, so the soil type is basalt, or weathered lava rock, immensely deep and free draining.

Spotless ageing area for amphorae

At this property, all the carefully hand-selected grapes from vineyards higher up the mountain are processed in one tonne fermenters, with individual management. After pressing they are matured in ampho

rae-in a beautifully-prepared amphorae room where one spies a spotless storage facility.

Now let’s be real. These odd-shaped wine containers, usually about 400 litre capacity, are difficult to manage, clean, fill etc. So Frank has set his up in an easily-established mezzanine floor to view, taste, sample and work around. It’s the sort of place which feels good, and one expects some pretty clean looking wines as result. This place ticks.

What will the style be? Unwooded red wines from the ancient vineyards up the Etna slopes, there for decades, and made from the inhabitants-nerello mascalese and to a lesser extent, nerello capuccio (Cornelissen uses very little capuccio). Pale coloured yet voluminous, apparently light in the mouth yet they build as you swallow and de-bunk that thought. They are just plain serious Etna DOC, naturally-made, wines of origin reflecting a unique terroir.

Frank offered a selection of his 2011 harvest sampled from the amphorae. A very good year on Etna, late though, finishing at the end of October.

Check out the limpid colour-amphorae tasting

Munjebel Rosso 8 Classico 2011 (8th edition of this wine); is a blend of 2010 and 2011 (16% of the older year passed over the younger, and pressed); AUD 45 ; 16%; 100% mascalese; a wine of mild density but volumes of black fruit aroma, fresh and heady, fruit passion generated while aging in such a pristine environ; palate restrained then mouth sweet from fruit+alcohol, not hot; long savoury tannins which are bitters-sweet as in morello cherry; yummy with mature salumi. Vineyards supplying: Porcaria, Marchesa Soprana, Verzella, Chiusa Spagola and Monte Colla.

I retasted this wine again five months late, again in Sicily, in a mascalese brand assessment tasting, finding the wine even more ethereal. The wine simply smells heavenly, then there is the long, slow building palate of black fruits and dancing flavours from the elegance.

Munjebel Rosso 8

The Cornelissen reds get more exciting as we go up the brand chain-into single vineyard wines, or just plain special places.

I was very stoked by the Munjabel Rosso 8 VA (Vigne Alta) 2011, AUD 55; 15.6%; a “high vines” blend of two high elevation contrada-Barbabecchi (910 m) and Guardiola (850m); nose intensity shows up the floral notes of mascalese from altitude, herbs, mint, spice, powdery tannins; so there is plenty to think about.

Barbabecchi vineyard-910 metres; centurion vines

Munjebel Rosso 8 MC 2011 (8th edition of this wine); AUD 55 ; 17%; 100% mascalese planted ungrafted in 1948 (780 m) single vineyard wine; comes from a non-lava rock vineyard, sandy-clay topsoils which do not mute the perfume, but give a different palate, much more tannin and brilliant reds in the colour. Also tasted a second time in Sicily, in late October.

Spring scene-Frank Cornelissen in his Barbabecchi vineyard

There was no tasting of Magma Rosso IGT ; usually a super single vineyard selection (USD 200), assuming that a wine was not made or not declared from the 2011 vintage. Yet reading afterwards, the 9th edition from this vintage has since been released from the Barbabecchi vineyard. Magma is the molten volcanic material thrown out by Etna in its periodic eruptions, one is happening currently on a minor scale.

Top wine of the house-single vineyard selection

So look out for a bottle of Munjebel.

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uncorked No Comments August 26th, 2012 Italy Tour Visit Post, Wine Region Review, Wine Review

Tour of Sicily 12-Benanti

Etna’s best-nerello mascalese grapes

Benanti is one great Etna DOC winery that everyone should visit-it’s a very old place set on a small hill (Monte Serre, 450 m) in the village of Viagrande-on Mount Etna’s eastern slopes.

For a start it is one of the originals to resurrect the Etnean vineyards which had fallen foul of development and the bulk mentality taken towards Sicilian wines in general from the 60s onwards.

Evidence of grape culture millions of years pre the settlement of Sicily was discovered on Etna in 1860 and since that time vineyard production has both expanded and contracted. Today it is expanding again.

The heart and soul of Etnean producers is their palmenti-original yet abandoned wineries that operated by gravity feed and totally by hand labour from the 1860s until the depression in the 1930s where the industry died but the vines survived.

Benanti’s palmento in Viagrande is mid-way through revitalisation but has not been restored for winemaking while other farmhouses are now the tasting cellars and reception halls.

The large wooden grape press handle counterbalanced by a huge granite boulder however gives prominance to the palmento’s doorway. These men must have been one tough race of winemakers to operate such fearsome manual equipment.

Old Palmento Press

Benanti’s seminal white wine is made from the native carricante grape-the best expression being in the Milo region a little north of the cellars, also growing at high elevation (900-950 m).

This wine rides on its fineness. It is pale, slow maturing, unassuming in the mouth until you strike the minerality and acidity, coming around your mouth in a thin stream.

Pietramarina-from carricante grape

It is high end seafood wine which the province of Catania exudes with-swordfish, sea bass, sea urchin, tuna, octapus, calamari and more.

Benanti’s best white is Pietramarina 2008 (96); not yet released; 12%; elegant, smells of small white apples; is lean and restrained; then 2006 (95); subtle and toasty to a small degree, is pale emerald green; then 2001 (96); green, no more colour than that, toasty but still chalky to taste from the dominant minerality.

Three gems, having also drunk the fourth one-2007 (95) when visiting last year.

Serre della Contessa; Etna Rosso DOC (designated red Etna wine) 2006 (90) 14%; contains the two great red grapes of the mountain, nerello mascalese (80%) and nerello cappucio (20%); just a lovely pair to drink here, and take with you.

It’s tobacco, sour cherry, lean and lingering, 2006 is drying, then 2004 (92), 14%; a little funky, dry also, then 2002 (97); 14%; positively great with its cherry-jam notes, extra fineness and line. Great drinks.

Why so good? Well its a mixed-age blend of vines; some pre-phylloxera, over 80 y-olds; falling all over the ground as untrellised and misshapen bushes, low cropping vines, others more recent no doubt giving the blend its vitality.

Ungrafted, 80-100 year-old nerello, pre-phylloxera

Benanti produce a single varietal red; Monovitigno Nerello Cappucio IGT Rosso di Sicilia 2005 (92) from Verzella; 13.5%; having perfume, sweet fruit and very easy to get into; somewhat uncomplicated, spicy and soft; as were 2000 (91); 14%; and 1998 (92); 13.5%; soft landing wines, nice drinks, easy to see that this variety softens the Etna Rosso DOC two grape blend.

Benanti make another super Etna Rosso DOC called Rovitello from a northern Etna site in Guardiola contrada, 750 m altitude, the same 80/20 blend of the two designated red varieties.

This was a great visit. The challenge now is to drink more of these excellent varieties native to Mount Etna.

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uncorked No Comments August 1st, 2012 Italy Tour Visit Post, Wine Region Review, Wine Review

Tour of Sicily 12-Cottanera

Masters of Wine Tasting-Cottanera

What a pleasant day to visit the Cambria family, makers of Cottanera, on a sunny spring morning.

Etna was behaving itself though there was a thin cloud of steam emitting as one looked across the nerello mascalese vines towards the south.

This visit was hailed as a property taking the international approach-the philosophy focussed on international varietals and a more international style of winemaking.

Cottanera today is reversing its trend and philosophy, and I was there to investigate. We were in Castiglione di Sicilia.

This brand is current in Australia and is becoming well known.

The welcoming party was extensive-principal Vincenzo explained the wines, assisted by Enzo, Emanuele, Francesco and Mariangela.

I took to the Etnabianco immediately because the grape used is really going to be the white face of Etna in future-carricante. It just loves growing at this elevation and produces great results.

Etnabianco 2011 (88) 13%; DOC Etna is pale, not an aromatic or tropical wine, its making in stainless steel actually preserves its terroir; its all about the taste, the minerally, stony notes, long and lean, mouth salivating and delicacy to boot.

The international winemaking here is all about the cool ferment-it preserves fruit and the delicate notes which the grape possesses.Curiously there is is ten percent catarratto included (the western Sicily white used in Marsala) which must be an experiment to see how it performs on Etna. Good so far.

The more international style white is Barbazzale Bianco 2011 (88) 12.5%; IGT which blends a terrific local white-inzolia with Rhone-origin viognier, and gives it a big slap of skin components.

The word barbazzale means golden beard for those curious about the naming.

This looks like work in progress as both varieties have a tendency to taste chewy. This is a step up in body over the loveable, racy, carricante.

Classic Etna Red

The Barbazzale Rosso 2011 (89) 13% DOC Etna is back to traditional Etna red grapes-nerello mascalese and nerello capuccio housed in some new French oak which was evident; these grapes have a lovely texture and softness, even at entry level wines.

The internationalisation of Etna’s prima red grape, nerello mascalese goes one stage further when blended with merlot and shiraz at 15 percent.

That makes Fatagione 2009 (93) 13.5% IGT; a hybrid of flavours which captures the silkiness of nerello with the bigger and fleshier merlot and shiraz; it works well in a new French oak barrel for a year.

The key to this style appears to not being heavy handed with the international pair-keep them in small proportions so the long fleshiness of nerello is not interrupted. Other vintages 2008 (90) and 2010 (92).

Cottonera make a big monster chewy Merlot called Grammonte 2008 (87) 14.5% IGT; other vintages 2007 (90) and 2009 (88). And a curio variety, a savoury Mondeuse called L’Ardenza 2007 (90) 13.5% IGT.

Finally I had to deal with how cabernet sauvignon grows on this mountainside. Cabernet is a very important grape, and the better ones around the world become the domain of collectors. It’s a variety with a great capacity to age and also excite.

This was my first Sicilian cabernet. It did not come across as a cool climate style (Yarra Valley) so I had to make warmer regions-McLaren Vale comparisons.

Nume 2007 (90) 14.5% IGT is a big chunky style of rich and ripe cabernet, has fifteen percent franc, ample layers of ripe cassis and minty fruit, powdery tannins and plenty to satisfy hearty drinkers. Other vintages 2006 (90) and 2008 (91).

The verdict: international versus indigeneous varieties; both types are well-made wines, people chasing honest and original wine will ask for carricante and nerello; new drinkers will just buy international if they are allowed to do so.

A true test of the winemaking is in the straddle of international varieties with local so that the wines produced become the unique personality of the property, local terroir and therefore the lasting and distinctive part of branding.

Owner Vincenzo Cambria (right) | Etna smokes

Etna has special values-it’s a great destination.

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uncorked No Comments October 22nd, 2011 Italy Tour Visit Post, Wine Region Review, Wine Review

New Sicily: Etna in ancient diversity

Touring Sicily on wine and food exploration turned into an adventure – as I expected.

There were grapes to discover. They were relatively new to an enduring Aussie palate but oh so ancient to the Sicilians in the know.

And the number of vineyard investments, many non-Sicilian, are growing steadily as time passes is a sign of more prosperity to come.

A quick look at the vineyard landscape would not suggest an inviting environment for cultivating its natural red inhabitants, mainly nerello mascalese and its lesser cousin nerello capuccio.

Over eons the volcano Etna above has showered the countryside with both eruptive lava, and sometimes daily doses of ash powder.

The vine environment looks more lunar than viticultural – uninviting, cactus-strewn, rugged, craggy laval monuments sited between, amongst and encircling some vineyard sites. Lava rock is the fence of choice.

This has not denied Etnan development in the least; the lava weathers well, the soils are limiting but presumably sufficiently fertile. The local water is certainly mineralised!

Viticulture is not new here, but is undergoing rejuvenation of the same varieties which have existed for over a century, or more, and probably since antiquity, given the past Roman and Greek influences.

The best influence is the modern thinking: forget the crazy DOC/DOCG system founded by traditionalists and therefore held to be inflexible, and labelling as IGT (Sicilia IGT) indicates contemporary, real-world Sicilian wine (the variety is revealed).

So the process of recognising “crus” or the Sicilian equivalent as “contrade” around the Etna DOC is accelerating nicely, with a greater recognition also according to elevation, starting at 600 m, extending to 1000 m.

Obviously there is greater viticultural risk ripening nerellos at 1000 m, protracted harvest dates, slow times to physiological ripeness, while the few examples I tasted demonstrate greater aromatic character than their equivalents grown at lower heights.

Contrade (crus) of Castiglione di Sicilia

Passopisciaro’s tasting host Letizia Patane presented three 2010 nerello mascalese from differing contrade (there are four):

Rampante of 2 ha (1000 m), Sciaranouva, meaning new lava flow site, these vines are 50 years going older, (800 m) and Porcaria, meaning ugly thing.

To find Passopisciaro-go up the hill!

These wines are sold as single vineyard contrade.

Ramparte showed a lot of flowers, roses, small floral notes, attractive cool-grown influence, sweet in the mouth (the only one to do so), long in fruitiness, distinctive acid and tannin-acid balance; Sciaranouva showed funk (natural yeast effect), some oak aromas, volumes of nose, then black fruits palate, fine and long; Porcaria showed red fruits on nose, black fruits on palate, warming alcohol, yet retains its elegance.

Ramparte contrade-single vineyard nerello

What is the taste anatomy of nerello mascalese. Not a heavily coloured varietal wine, in sync with pinot nero or nebbiolo there. The nose aromatics range from red cherry, black cherry, wild yeast effects, tobacco, earth, spearmint and a range of herbal nuances.

Palate: never full bodied, closer to light-bodied, more textured with a length of flavour which needs to be supported by drying tannin and rising acidity (nebbiolo similarities), oak is subliminal and hardly detectable; minerality on finish is a given. Savouriness.

Sensations in this varietal rise when tasted while eating; in drinking solo the flavours are present but the tannins will often appear unbalanced.

So here is a process for enjoying Etna IGT varietals.

Peter Scudamore-Smith is a Brisbane-based Master of Wine, winemaker and educator www.uncorkedandcultivated.com.au