Celestial cycles, monolithic acupuncture, telluric lines, magnetism, geobiology...are we discussing wine or suggesting topics for our next cult meeting? Believe it or not, it’s the former, and they all pertain to Domaine Viret’s singular, patented philosophy of “cosmoculture.” Conceived by father-son team Alain and Philippe Viret in the 1990s, this method subsumes organic and biodynamic culture and adds a mystical, metaphysical twist.

A few examples: the belief that water is sacred and possesses memory retention; spearing rocks into the ground at specific locations and angles to relieve earth’s pressure points; and harnessing magnetic waves in order to ward off vine disease. In the cellar, which is more aptly described as a sacred Egyptian cathedral, these natural wines undergo years of unassisted evolution in concrete and/or amphora vessels. Take today’s astounding red, a powerful, unadulterated blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Carignan that macerated for six weeks and slowly matured in concrete for four years without any additives, including sulfur. I know, I know: It’s a lot to take in, but regardless of what you choose to believe, “Renaissance” has a magical, next-dimension feel on the palate, and at five years old, it’s just getting started. This is a rare opportunity to experience the pure and palpable energy of masterfully crafted, natural French wine—do not, under any circumstances, let it pass you by!

NOTE: This special order is only available on pre-arrival and will be arriving at our warehouse on August 2nd. 

For all of their supernatural and outlandish ideas regarding viticulture, it’s hard to believe Domaine Viret has only been around since the ’90s, but Philippe is connected to the earth in an honest and humble way: He considers himself a peasant, who, like in medieval times, were cultivators of the land first and foremost. Therefore, the decision to farm his 35 hectares of vines organically and biodynamically from the start was an easy one—it was only after familiarizing himself with the terroir and taking a deep dive into metaphysics when he and his father Alain coined up a new farming philosophy: cosmoculture. It is best described on their website as follows: “Agriculture which integrates and develops the various agrobiological, environmental and living aspects. Its specificity comes from the consideration of the energetic and vibratory vectors which influence the elements of nature and physical states.” Essentially, they believe currents of energy—be it telluric, sound, cosmic—can be harnessed and utilized to benefit surrounding organisms. Again, it’s a lot to process but the end product is mindblowing, to the point where even the harshest skeptics will find themselves doing extracurricular research. 

“Renaissance” is largely Grenache and Syrah, with smaller portions of Mourvèdre and Carignan that are sourced from estate vines a short drive north of Gigondas. All grapes are manually farmed without any chemicals and hand-harvested at low yields under strict organic/biodynamic/cosmic principles. At the cellar, all liquid flow occurs via gravity. The juice fermented naturally in large concrete tanks and was in contact with its skins for 45 days. Following this, the wine continued maturing in concrete for nearly four years before bottling. There were absolutely no sulfur additions throughout the entire process and both fining/filtration were avoided.

In the glass, Viret’s 2016 reveals a brooding purple-black core and effuses impeccable soil purity and exceedingly vivid berry fruit. There is a slight prickle due to the wine’s “zero-zero” nature (no added sulfur during winemaking or bottling), so we recommend a 30-minute decant prior to serving in large Burgundy stems. The nose is fragrant and energetic with beautiful black-blue fruit and freshly picked flowers at the forefront. Following, is a vibrant mix of muddled blackberry, red cherry, redcurrant, wild plums, crushed pepper, damp violet, rose petal, garrigue, hot clay, wild herbs, and a touch of olive. On the palate, it's approaching full-bodied yet it’s incredibly lithe and lifted; unlike any wine from Gigondas or Châteauneuf. There is just so much vigor and palpable energy here—the wine practically dances across your palate and finishes with impressive grace. Tannins are crunchy and structured and the acidity provides wild refreshment that creates a long finish. To quote Viret’s importer: “This is expertly rendered zero-sulfur wine that is viscerally expressive of its impeccable fruit of origin.” Additionally, our liaison recently tasted Viret’s first-ever vintage, 1999, and said it was brimming with life and sublime, Burgundy-esque notes. We expect today’s “Renaissance” will also go the distance. NOTE: If you are cellaring this for the long haul, please be sure to keep it consistently cool and out of the sun—natural wines are sensitive! Enjoy.