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Frank Cornelissen MunJebel Bianco 2023

$64.00

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Style: Dry, medium to full-bodied skin-contact white; textured with restrained orange wine character and notable mineral depth
Grapes & Terroir: 50% Grecanico Dorato, 50% Carricante; volcanic lava soils on Etna's northern slopes, 620-1,000m elevation, vines 30+ years old
Winemaking: Spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts; 3-day skin maceration; 16 months aging in neutral epoxy tanks; unfined, no added sulfites
Serving Temperature & Decanting: Serve at 50-54°F; brief decanting recommended to allow aromatics to develop
Pairing: Pasta con le sarde
Similar To: Restrained Friulian skin-contact whites or lighter Georgian amber wines for those seeking textured, mineral-driven wines

Frank Cornelissen MunJebel Bianco 2023 is a skin-contact white wine from the northern slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily. The blend combines 50% Grecanico Dorato and 50% Carricante from organically farmed vines averaging 30 years of age in the contrade of Calderara, Picciolo, and Crasà, situated between 620 and 1,000 meters elevation. Frank Cornelissen MunJebel Bianco 2023 undergoes spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and approximately three days of skin maceration before aging 16 months in neutral epoxy-lined fiberglass tanks. The wine is bottled unfined with minimal or no added sulfites, allowing natural sediments.

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.

Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.

Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.

Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.

Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.

Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Frank Cornelissen

Frank Cornelissen arrived on Mount Etna in 2001, a Belgian former wine broker who had spent years collecting and trading rare Burgundy and Bordeaux. A transformative encounter with Georgian wines during the 1990s redirected his understanding of winemaking toward minimal intervention and terroir expression. He established his estate in Solicchiata on Etna's northern slopes at a time when the volcano remained largely unknown to the international wine world.

The estate spans approximately 24 hectares, with vineyards planted between 600 and 1,000 meters elevation across multiple contrade. Roughly 13 hectares feature old vines trained in traditional alberello formation, while additional plantings follow modern row systems. Olive groves, fruit trees, and beehives occupy the remaining land—part of Cornelissen's commitment to reducing monoculture and fostering biodiversity. Many vines remain ungrafted on their own roots in the highest parcels.

Cornelissen's philosophy centers on observation rather than intervention. He avoids vineyard treatments when possible, preferring to follow nature's indications rather than impose decisions on the land. In the cellar, fermentations proceed spontaneously using only indigenous yeasts. Early vintages were aged in buried terracotta amphorae, but Cornelissen now primarily uses epoxy-lined fiberglass tanks ranging from 1,500 to 4,500 liters to preserve fruit purity. Wines are typically bottled unfined with minimal or no added sulfites.

The name "MunJebel" derives from the ancient Sicilian-Arabic term for Mount Etna—"Mongibello" or "The Mountain." Cornelissen produces this white wine with shorter skin contact than his earlier orange wine experiments, seeking what he describes as "elegance, purity, and density" inspired by Loire Valley whites while maintaining Etna's distinctive volcanic character.

Discover more from Frank Cornelissen: Susucaru Rosato, Susucaru Rosso, MunJebel Rosso, and Magma. Browse best-selling natural wines.

Wine region

Sicily, Italy

Mount Etna stands as Europe's tallest active volcano, rising to 3,357 meters on Sicily's northeastern coast. The wine region occupies the mountain's slopes between 400 and 1,100 meters, where vineyards have been cultivated for centuries on terraces carved from successive lava flows. This extreme terrain produces some of Italy's most distinctive wines, with growing conditions that differ dramatically from Sicily's hot coastal plains.

Volcanic soils dominate the landscape—a complex mixture of basalt, pumice, mineral-rich ash, and solidified lava. These soils vary considerably between contrade, the traditional vineyard districts that define Etna's viticultural identity. The northern slopes, where Frank Cornelissen's estate is located near Solicchiata, are particularly prized for their cooler temperatures, optimal sun exposure, and extended ripening season.

The climate combines Mediterranean warmth with mountain influences. Significant temperature swings between day and night preserve grape acidity while achieving full aromatic development. Rainfall exceeds much of Sicily, and periodic volcanic activity continues to deposit fresh mineral matter across the vineyards. At higher elevations, snow can fall during winter months, and many of the oldest vines remain ungrafted—phylloxera never established in Etna's porous sandy volcanic soils.

Indigenous grape varieties have adapted to these conditions over generations. For white wines, Carricante leads as Etna's signature variety, while Grecanico Dorato (also known as Garganega in northern Italy) brings aromatic complexity. Other traditional white varieties include Catarratto, Minnella Bianca, and Coda di Volpe. The traditional alberello (bush vine) training system remains prevalent, allowing vines to withstand wind and heat stress.

The Etna DOC was established in 1968. However, several producers bottle under the broader Terre Siciliane IGT designation to maintain winemaking flexibility.

Explore Sicilian natural wines and discover Italian natural wines.

Frequently asked question

When is my order shipping?

We are doing your best to ship your order in 2-3 business days.

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Do I have to sign upon delivery?

Yes, someone 21 years or older must sign for the package.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

What if I miss a delivery?

Worry not, we have options, but please read carefully.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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What is natural wine?

Natural wine is a type of wine made in small batches from organic or biodynamic grapes with minimal intervention.

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What is Biodynamics?

Biodynamic wine is wine made from grapes farmed biodynamically. Biodynamic farming is a holistic approach.

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Organic wine is made with grapes farmed organically. Organic farming is an alternative to conventional farming.

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