Located in Sicily, Domaine Frank Cornelissen was founded in 2001 and spans around 24 hectares of land between 650 and 980m of altitude, including 2 hectares for growing olive trees (for making olive oil) and buckwheat. The main grape varieties grown here are Nerello Mascalese, Allicante-Bouschet, Minella Nera, Uva Francese, Nerello Capuccio, Minella Bianca and Inzolia for the reds, and Carricante, Grecanico Dorato and Coda di Volpe for the whites. Ideally situated, this domain is very natural in its methods. The use of additives is avoided apart from sulphur in the more complicated vintages. Yields are limited and harvesting takes place quite late in order to obtain optimal maturity in the grapes. Work in the winery is careful, with maturation taking place in terracotta pots. These wines express their terroir and strong personality wonderfully.

This cuvée is made mainly from the Nerello Mascalese variety, and it is blended with Nerello Capuccio, Minella Nera, Alicante Bouschet and Minella Bianco, and the vines are 50 years old on average. The grapes are destemmed and lightly pressed before undergoing fermentation that begins with a pied-de-cuve. The juice is in contact with the grape skins for around 60 days. The wine is then matured in epoxy steel vats ranging from 2,500 – 7,000 litres. The wines are lightly filtered and no additives are used apart from a small amount of sulphur when necessary. The sulphur is added only in a dose of 5 – 30 mg/L. This is the domain’s discovery cuvée, characterised by an elegant bouquet of strawberries, flavourful and very charming. On the palate, this is a powerful and structured wine that is nonetheless balanced with a lovely freshness.