Frank Cornelissen Munjebel Feudo di Mezzo-Porcaria 2020

Frank Cornelissen Munjebel Feudo di Mezzo-Porcaria is a natural red from a single contrada on the northern slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, made from Nerello Mascalese. Cornelissen, a Belgian who farms and vinifies with minimal intervention, treats the vineyard as the source of the wine and works it meticulously. The grapes come from the volcanic soils of the Feudo di Mezzo-Porcaria contrada, a free-draining mix of decomposed lava, ash and sand at altitude that gives the wine its smoky, saline minerality and keeps acidity high. The wide swing between warm days and cold nights on the mountain holds freshness and aromatic detail, and this is a younger, more elegant cuvée than the estate's denser wines. Fermentation runs on native yeasts with no additions, and gentle skin contact builds a fine tannin structure without heaviness. The colour is bright, pale ruby. The nose shows red cherry, red berries and a floral note over smoke and salt. On the palate it is medium bodied and fresh, with fine tannins, vivid acidity and a long, stony, saline finish. Serve at 15 to 17 degrees. Good with roast chicken, pork and mushroom dishes.