(SUSUCARU Frank Cornelissen) Frank Cornelissen Dear Friends, I'm offering this on a Monday morning simply because the experience is fresh enough in my mind and I want to get this right. I would normally save something this special for a Thursday or Friday when more of you are paying attention but, Monday or not, here goes... After spending the weekend with Frank Cornelissen in Italy (I basically haven't slept since Friday, if that tells you anything) I can say with certainty that he is doing something so unique that it would be almost impossible to replicate in another situation - I've visited many (hundreds if not thousands) of winemakers from every creed and nationality and he stands out for a complete dedication to a cause of terroir, vision, passion and heritage that is yet to be written. His insatiable appetite for energy and the natural lifestyle are untamed and loyal to no one but himself. The combination of extreme terroir (6-10 feet of snow in winter - 100-105 degree days in summer with 50-60 degree differentials in day/night temperatures, elevation above 3000 ft, sea influence from the southern Mediterranean off of Africa) and a cadre of pre-phylloxera vines that have gone untouched by the intervention of man for decades give him a painter's palate to work with that is truly unmatched. Combine that with some of the most natural winemaking on earth and you have a very explosive situation (from an intrigue and fermentation standpoint). It is no coincidence that others (with deep pockets, such as Andrea Franchetti of Tenuta di Trinoro) have come to Etna to follow in his footsteps but Frank Cornelissen remains the pioneer of this region and the one that newcomers seek for advice on how to tame this wild and active volcanic land. In his mind, there is no advice to give - only nature can speak for itself. In my mind, Frank prefers to walk softly but he carries a very big wine stick. After supporting Cornelissen through the tough and crazy years (we were his first US outlet), Frank is unknown no longer. In the past few months he's been featured in the New York Times, Wine & Spirits and various European and Japanese rags that have ordained him our generation's new inspiration in wine. Through all of this, he remains the same as when I first met him - a complete and total renegade but not for the purpose of being so (an important distinction). He is deemed a renegade for no other reason than he lives (and says) what he believes: that life, liberty and and the pursuit of freedom (artistic or other) is the basis of any human existence. Since his first vintage (2000-2001), Cornelissen has gone nearly mad on the flank of the snowy and torrid mountain (alone in complete isolation to grow his vines and vinify his wine) and at the same time he has gained fame and a golden level of cult status among wine enthusiasts world-wide. He has also fallen in love and is about to bring a baby daughter into this world and the new summer of 1969 aura that pervades his everyday life shows in the current crop of wine - by far the finest he has ever produced and a group of vinous treasures that should make him a household name among a further level of the wine geek faithful (in the same realm as Clos Rougeard and others). In my mind, there is no wine collection complete without the addition of Cornelissen - simply by pulling the cork, the taster is educated and inspired (whether the concoctions are enjoyed or not). On to the wine... 2008 was a great vintage on Etna - the entire portfolio has actual tannins, structure and presence not seen since the 2001s (including the new 2008 Munjabel Bianco which we will offer later this month - it should be around the same price as the Susucaru). I tasted all of the wines over three days, some as many as 6-8 times - all contain that magical eccentricity that winemakers around the world have studied but simply cannot figure out how to copy. The new set of wines is less extreme than in the past but it is even more wondrous and multi-dimensional (which is hard to believe). From a blend of Malvasia, Black Muscat and Nerello Mascalese (Frank's signature varietal, this portion is pre-phyloxera planted in 1871, 138 years of age) the "Susucaru" is his most limited wine (even more limited than the Magma R) - it is not exported and not sold to the US. To be blunt, this wine is indescribable and it cannot be compared to any other wine in my experience (nor in Frank's). It is technically a rose', produced from free-run juice and no actual pressings of solid matter/seeds/skins. Whole clusters are allowed to gently leak their juice and the most pristine, unfiltered liquid is used for this wine. Nothing is added, nothing is taken away and no chemical treatments are used in the vineyard or in the wine (no sulfur, stabilizers, enzymes or yeast) - this is pure grape extract in its most primal, volcanic form. The Susucaru is a wine geek's fantasy beverage full of intrigue at every turn - it is not trying to be hip or cool but it is held in the "coolest" of circles for the very reason that is is trying to be nothing - it just is. Due to its free run nature, the Susucaru requires 3-4 times the grapes than Cornelissen's other wines thus it is very costly to produce. While I cannot describe this wine in proper words, it contains whiffs and flavors of Aramis cologne, Trinidad bitters, orange rind, cinnamon (no oak is used - it's from the grapes), fresh tobacco, nutmeg, wild fennel and a host of other tantalizing aromas and tastes that slather the palate with a luxurious texture and divine length. Full-flavored and unctuous with terrific acidity, this wine is one of a kind - it's that simple. In its fresh state, the color is orange with pink tinges from vinification in completely neutral "vessels" (all of the Cornelissen wines are raised in a trade secret mix of "vessels" that cannot be revealed but I suspect they are various sizes of clay pots). In the end, the Susucaru is not technically what I would refer to as "wine" - it is more a mix of ideology, philosophy and grapes that were grown and vinified with the freest of spirit leading the way. As mentioned above, this wine is not exported for retail and it is not available in the US (besides this small parcel) - the entire Italian retail allocation is less than 50 bottles and they are very expensive. In total, only 43 cases were produced (as opposed to the little wonder beverage, the Contadino, of which there are nearly 500 cases). Most of the production of Susucaru is reserved for the top restaurants in Italy (Cornelissen's wines are now on the list at half of the Tre Forchetti restaurants in Italy and all of them have come to him to purchase wine directly - he has no distributor in Italy). Please note: Those looking for the typical wine experience of red, white or rose' need to recalibrate their thinking - this is about an open mind and palate and the Susucaru fits no description of red, white or rose' - it defies all of our perceptions about wine and it is happy to redefine the term "wine" for all of us. For past Cornelissen offers (to get a gist of the style), please see: http://tinyurl.com/r993qu I will post video (on the Forum Boards) of my weekend with Frank Cornelissen over the next few weeks. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as one of the most unique and rarest wines produced in the world (this wine receives one of the highest recommendations of the year so far). ONE SHIPMENT ONLY directly from the cellar on Mt. Etna: 2008 Frank Cornelissen "Susucaru" (Mt. Etna). Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Italy6009
By Jon Rimmerman
(SUSUCARU Frank Cornelissen) Frank Cornelissen Dear Friends, I'm offering this on a Monday morning simply because the experience is fresh enough in my mind and I want to get this right. I would normally save something this special for a Thursday or Friday when more of you are paying attention but, Monday or not, here goes... After spending the weekend with Frank Cornelissen in Italy (I basically haven't slept since Friday, if that tells you anything) I can say with certainty that he is doing something so unique that it would be almost impossible to replicate in another situation - I've visited many (hundreds if not thousands) of winemakers from every creed and nationality and he stands out for a complete dedication to a cause of terroir, vision, passion and heritage that is yet to be written. His insatiable appetite for energy and the natural lifestyle are untamed and loyal to no one but himself. The combination of extreme terroir (6-10 feet of snow in winter - 100-105 degree days in summer with 50-60 degree differentials in day/night temperatures, elevation above 3000 ft, sea influence from the southern Mediterranean off of Africa) and a cadre of pre-phylloxera vines that have gone untouched by the intervention of man for decades give him a painter's palate to work with that is truly unmatched. Combine that with some of the most natural winemaking on earth and you have a very explosive situation (from an intrigue and fermentation standpoint). It is no coincidence that others (with deep pockets, such as Andrea Franchetti of Tenuta di Trinoro) have come to Etna to follow in his footsteps but Frank Cornelissen remains the pioneer of this region and the one that newcomers seek for advice on how to tame this wild and active volcanic land. In his mind, there is no advice to give - only nature can speak for itself. In my mind, Frank prefers to walk softly but he carries a very big wine stick. After supporting Cornelissen through the tough and crazy years (we were his first US outlet), Frank is unknown no longer. In the past few months he's been featured in the New York Times, Wine & Spirits and various European and Japanese rags that have ordained him our generation's new inspiration in wine. Through all of this, he remains the same as when I first met him - a complete and total renegade but not for the purpose of being so (an important distinction). He is deemed a renegade for no other reason than he lives (and says) what he believes: that life, liberty and and the pursuit of freedom (artistic or other) is the basis of any human existence. Since his first vintage (2000-2001), Cornelissen has gone nearly mad on the flank of the snowy and torrid mountain (alone in complete isolation to grow his vines and vinify his wine) and at the same time he has gained fame and a golden level of cult status among wine enthusiasts world-wide. He has also fallen in love and is about to bring a baby daughter into this world and the new summer of 1969 aura that pervades his everyday life shows in the current crop of wine - by far the finest he has ever produced and a group of vinous treasures that should make him a household name among a further level of the wine geek faithful (in the same realm as Clos Rougeard and others). In my mind, there is no wine collection complete without the addition of Cornelissen - simply by pulling the cork, the taster is educated and inspired (whether the concoctions are enjoyed or not). On to the wine... 2008 was a great vintage on Etna - the entire portfolio has actual tannins, structure and presence not seen since the 2001s (including the new 2008 Munjabel Bianco which we will offer later this month - it should be around the same price as the Susucaru). I tasted all of the wines over three days, some as many as 6-8 times - all contain that magical eccentricity that winemakers around the world have studied but simply cannot figure out how to copy. The new set of wines is less extreme than in the past but it is even more wondrous and multi-dimensional (which is hard to believe). From a blend of Malvasia, Black Muscat and Nerello Mascalese (Frank's signature varietal, this portion is pre-phyloxera planted in 1871, 138 years of age) the "Susucaru" is his most limited wine (even more limited than the Magma R) - it is not exported and not sold to the US. To be blunt, this wine is indescribable and it cannot be compared to any other wine in my experience (nor in Frank's). It is technically a rose', produced from free-run juice and no actual pressings of solid matter/seeds/skins. Whole clusters are allowed to gently leak their juice and the most pristine, unfiltered liquid is used for this wine. Nothing is added, nothing is taken away and no chemical treatments are used in the vineyard or in the wine (no sulfur, stabilizers, enzymes or yeast) - this is pure grape extract in its most primal, volcanic form. The Susucaru is a wine geek's fantasy beverage full of intrigue at every turn - it is not trying to be hip or cool but it is held in the "coolest" of circles for the very reason that is is trying to be nothing - it just is. Due to its free run nature, the Susucaru requires 3-4 times the grapes than Cornelissen's other wines thus it is very costly to produce. While I cannot describe this wine in proper words, it contains whiffs and flavors of Aramis cologne, Trinidad bitters, orange rind, cinnamon (no oak is used - it's from the grapes), fresh tobacco, nutmeg, wild fennel and a host of other tantalizing aromas and tastes that slather the palate with a luxurious texture and divine length. Full-flavored and unctuous with terrific acidity, this wine is one of a kind - it's that simple. In its fresh state, the color is orange with pink tinges from vinification in completely neutral "vessels" (all of the Cornelissen wines are raised in a trade secret mix of "vessels" that cannot be revealed but I suspect they are various sizes of clay pots). In the end, the Susucaru is not technically what I would refer to as "wine" - it is more a mix of ideology, philosophy and grapes that were grown and vinified with the freest of spirit leading the way. As mentioned above, this wine is not exported for retail and it is not available in the US (besides this small parcel) - the entire Italian retail allocation is less than 50 bottles and they are very expensive. In total, only 43 cases were produced (as opposed to the little wonder beverage, the Contadino, of which there are nearly 500 cases). Most of the production of Susucaru is reserved for the top restaurants in Italy (Cornelissen's wines are now on the list at half of the Tre Forchetti restaurants in Italy and all of them have come to him to purchase wine directly - he has no distributor in Italy). Please note: Those looking for the typical wine experience of red, white or rose' need to recalibrate their thinking - this is about an open mind and palate and the Susucaru fits no description of red, white or rose' - it defies all of our perceptions about wine and it is happy to redefine the term "wine" for all of us. For past Cornelissen offers (to get a gist of the style), please see: http://tinyurl.com/r993qu I will post video (on the Forum Boards) of my weekend with Frank Cornelissen over the next few weeks. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as one of the most unique and rarest wines produced in the world (this wine receives one of the highest recommendations of the year so far). ONE SHIPMENT ONLY directly from the cellar on Mt. Etna: 2008 Frank Cornelissen "Susucaru" (Mt. Etna). Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Italy60095/18/2009, (See more on Garagiste...)