Frank Cornelissen

'Susucaru Rosato' 2024

Belgian native turned cult natural winemaking hero, Frank Cornelissen makes some of the most intriguing raw wines in Sicily's Etna region.

Cornelissen rejects the notion of interfering with Mother Earth at any point in the grape-growing and winemaking process. No additions of any kind - neither in the vineyard nor the cellar - just a stripped-back representation of some of the world's most fascinating volcanic terroir.

Scrambling for allocations of these wines regularly hits a fever pitch. They are only ever available for a limited time. They are one of the gems of the natural wine world.

This isn’t your poolside Provence rosé. It’s Susucaru - Etna-born, skin-fermented, and punk to the core.

Made with the same stripped-back philosophy as the rest of Cornelissen’s wines, this is a blend of Nerello Mascalese, Malvasia, Moscadella and Insolia, with a solid ten days on skins and full malo for texture and stability. It pours a hazy salmon-garnet, more in line with Jura Trousseau than anything pink and polished.

The nose leans savoury - wild berries, stewed cherry, fennel, alpine herbs and a flicker of game. On the palate, there’s red fruit, stone fruit, rosewater, jasmine tea and a lick of minerality, all framed by featherweight tannin and a twist of bitterness on the finish.