Community Tasting Notes 4

• forceberry wrote:

  August 29, 2023 - 100% organically farmed Nerello Mascalese blended from several Crus on the Northern Valley of Etna, the average vine age is +50 years. The grapes are destemmed, lightly crushed and fermented with indigenous yeasts using pied de cuve. Fermented and macerated for 50 days, aged for 12 months in neutral epoxy tanks ranging from 2500 to 7500 liters. Bottled unfined and lightly filtered. 15% alcohol.
  
  Dark, rather old and almost fully opaque reddish-brown color. The nose feels sweet, quite tertiary and even slightly unclean with aromas of ethery VA, some wizened cherry tones, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit, light nutty notes of rancio, a hint of rancio and a touch of animale. The wine feels ripe, evolved and quite sweet-toned with a rather full body and a bit tired flavors of raisins and dried cherries, some earthy tones, a little bit of nail polish and ethery VA, light balsamic tones, an oxidative hint of beef jerky and a touch of barnyardy funk. The overall feel is rather high in acidity with medium-plus tannins that slowly pile up on the gums, making the wine feel pretty grippy. The finish is ripe, dry-ish and somewhat hot with a rather long but also a bit tired aftertaste of wizened cherries, some pruney tones, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit, light ethery notes of VA, a hint of nutty rancio and a touch of sweet strawberry.
  
  I was surprised how old and tertiary this wine was - Munjebels are known to be wines capable of aging really well and 2014 was supposedly a great vintage in Etna, so my expectations were quite high. Then again, this was a rather recent auction purchase - and you really can't know what you're getting. This time the results were not encouraging. Although the wine was very reasonably priced (76€ for a lot of three bottles; 32,10€ per bottle after the additional fees), I must say that this still wasn't worth the price. It's hard to assess whether we had an off bottle or if this vintage just isn't holding up that well, so I'm leaving the wine unrated. If I were to rate this wine, I'd give it something around 80 points.

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• Ernestas Likes this wine: 93 points

  November 4, 2022 - My first Etna Rosso from this legendary producer, a single varietal of Nerello Mascalese, planted in 1946. Medium garnet red. Medium intensity rich and complex aroma of dried cherries, pencil shavings, camphor, raspberries, earth, figs, dried plums, balsamic touch, tobacco. Medium body, same as aroma palate is rich and elaborated, lots of layers, feels complex and mature filled with deep red and black fruits, spices, smoky and earthy tones. Coated in fine tannic structure and long dried fruit and spice finish.

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• melvinyeowq wrote: 91 points

  March 12, 2022 - Rather divisive. I wasn't sure if I'd like this producer but this was on the right side of the natural spectrum for me. Lots of VA on the nose that became more apparent with air, slight barley and nail polish notes that emerged. Lots of unresolved tannins and high acidity but at the same time it appeared a little advanced. Certainly made in a very natural style but for the price that I got it at (<S$70) I couldn't complain as it was definitely a wine with character. Became rather plummy and raisined on the second day.

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• dead puddle wrote: 94 points

  July 31, 2019 - Blind tasting. Served at 15°C in summer. Nose quite discreet, old flesh, wet ground, dried petals, humus. Mouth explosive, complex and refined for me: indeed some reduction notes, radish but mostly full of red berries fresh juice, smoked tea, smoked ham, wet and rainy dust. Needs perhap an hour of decanting. Difficult to evaluate the potential, so exptionnal now. Be aware that some tasters did not agree with me, reduction and graveyard style could be perturbating. One of the best natural wine i've tasted.

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Pro Reviews 1

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2014
• Type Red
• Producer Frank Cornelissen
• Varietal Nerello Mascalese
• Designation Munjebel
• Vineyard n/a
• Country Italy
• Region Sicily
• SubRegion n/a
• Appellation Terre Siciliane

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 9 (64%)
• Consumed 5 (36%)

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