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Grape: Mostly Syrah with a splash of Mourvèdre and tiny sprinklings of old Rhône varieties like Picpoul Noir, Vaccarèse, Muscardin, and Counoise
ABV: 13.5%
The Story: Cosmoculture is a system of farming of which Phillippe Viret is the only practitioner and for which he holds an actual patent. It employs knowledge of the earth’s energy fields, known as telluric currents, in deciding where to plant, how to plant, when to harvest, and many other viticultural activities, as well as dictating the construction and operation of the winery itself. A well-established if not widely exposed field of inquiry—knowledge of telluric currents informs research into ground-water sources (Viret is built atop a large underground spring, in fact), geothermal activity, and many more areas. Insofar as it involves homeopathic vineyard treatments, polycultural principles, and attention to lunar cycles, Cosmoculture can be seen as a sort of extension of biodynamics. And, like biodynamics, Cosmoculture involves practices which may seem at first esoteric but are in fact connected to ancient wisdom—to knowledge humans cultivated and transmitted for millennia before we allowed technology to begin to supplant it. Of course, this would all threaten to become grand eco-philosophical performance art if Philippe’s wines were simply ordinary; thankfully, however, they are among the most soulful and evocative wines in the entire region.
Personality: We love this wine for its.... energy (you probably saw that one coming!), it's a fantastic bottle and a prime example of a wine that punches well above its weight. True to place, this cuvee checks most, if not all boxes you may be looking for in a good value natural wine from the Rhone. There are earthy aromatics, but neatly integrated with really inviting concentration of fruit and structure.
Harmony: This wine is unfiltered so watch out for “wine diamonds”, but please enjoy with anything meaty - broiled ribeye perhaps.