Frank Cornelissen Nerello Mascalese Magma 2017

The 2017 vintage's warmth and generosity play right into Magma's hands. Crushed raspberry, wild cherry, star anise, and balsamic herbs tumble out of the glass with an almost exotic intensity, this is Etna at its most untamed. Waves of mineral-edged red fruit and warm spice fill the mouth, buoyed by cooling acidity, while the tannins build quietly toward the finish rather than announce themselves upfront. The sheer mass of the wine nearly absorbs all that structure, dissolving slowly and leaving behind traces of mint and tart berry. One of the most layered 2017s to come off the volcano. The fruit is sourced from the Barbabecchi cru on Etna's north slope, ungrafted vines over a century old, planted at 870–910 meters, then given a sixty-day maceration and raised entirely in neutral epoxy tanks. Just 1,500 bottles produced annually.