Domaine du Coulet

Matthieu BARRET

Installed since 1998, Matthieu Barret, 40 years old young winemaker, exploits 20 hectares spread on Cornas and Côtes-du-Rhône but everything remain in Cornas village. He also buys a few grapes from fellow organic winemakers to increase his range. The vines in Cornas are planted on terraces exposed towards the Levant with a soil made up of very degraded old granite named “gore”.

The vines are farmed biodynamically and yields are kept low at an average of 23 hectolitres per hectare.

Harvest is transferred to the tanks using gravity. The fermentation starts with indigenous yeasts. The vinification takes place in stainless steel during which only one pushing down of the cap is operated daily. The ageing occurs in concrete tanks as well as in terra cotta and vats are never “ouillé”. Indeed, Matthieu is looking to make stable and travel worthy wines so is encouraging a small natural oxidation during the vinification process. That’s also the reason why he’s adding a little bit of sulfur, even though the doses are homeopathic. The Cornas are aged for 18 to 24 months and wines are not filtered or fined.

"The wines are electric and of great balance with the vibrant minerality of Cornas"