Frank Cornelissen Nerello Mascalese Magma Rosso 2019

Silky and full-bodied, yet never heavy, the 2019 Magma carries impressive weight with a lively, sapid acidity that keeps it honest. Red-fruited through and through: tart cherry, dried cranberry and pomegranate flesh, woven through with violet, dried lavender and a sweet mineral undercurrent from Etna's volcanic soils. The structure is firm but yielding, and the finish is long, fresh, and faintly bittersweet, licorice and a trace of hard candy lingering before fading cleanly. Fruit sourced exclusively from the Barbabecchi cru, north-facing at 870–910 meters, from ungrafted centenary vines; sixty days of maceration followed by neutral epoxy tank vinification. A year of cellaring will serve it well, but pull one bottle early, the primary energy here is worth experiencing before it settles into something more composed. Drink 2025–2035.