Rachel and Raphaël Pommier, the winemakers at Domaine de Cousignac.
Domaine de Cousignac
At Domaine de Cousignac in France’s Rhône Valley, winemaker Raphael Pommier has found a unique way to incorporate his love of music into the winemaking process.
By using sound frequencies and collaborating with musicians, Pommier says he creates wines that are shaped not just by the terroir but by the melodies played during fermentation.
“Wine is like music. To taste it, you need a little bit of volume,” says Pommier.
Pommier, who leads the vineyard located in the Rhône Valley near the village of Bourg-Saint-Andéol, believes that music has a direct effect on the microorganisms involved in fermentation. Citing a 2023 study published by the French magazine Pour La Science, Pommier says the vibrations from the music enhance the wine’s development by influencing the yeast cells as they convert sugars into alcohol. This approach aims to stimulate both the plant and the wine itself, introducing a unique layer of complexity to the final product.
“Without sound, you have still cells—the microorganisms of the plant,” Pommier says, via email. “But with sound, you see a movement in the cell that opens up to receive more calcium, increasing the minerality inside.”
Other studies have shown that music can indeed influence fermentation. A 2021 study at the University of Auckland, for example, found that sound waves improved yeast metabolism during the fermentation process, leading to enhanced aroma development in wines.
Thus, the concept of pairing music with wine fermentation is not entirely new, but Pommier has taken it a step further by working with musical artists to compose pieces specifically for his wines. Each vintage is matched with a different piece of music that plays throughout the fermentation process. For example, for a recent vintage, Pommier collaborated with French jazz composer Franck Tortiller, who then created an album inspired by the world of wine. Track titles included “Cinsault,” “Old Red Wine” and a two-part song series called “Grenache.”
“The idea is to create a moment where you have both the wine and the music together,” Pommier says. “You can drink the music and listen to the wine—or the other way around.”
In another one of his more recent collaborations, Pommier worked with the American composer Mark Millett. “Mark says that his music is meant to be ‘eatable,’ which was a powerful concept,” Pommier says.
Millett, who resides in Chicago, crafted an album that was paired with Pommier’s wines as they fermented. The project featured a unique approach where each grape varietal was associated with a different musical instrument. For instance, Pommier likens grenache to the cello—powerful, round and generous. Syrah, on the other hand, is more similar to the viola, offering complexity and depth.
“Each grape varietal is like an instrument,” Pommier says. “We created a musical score that resembles the vintage we are working with, and we blend the wine in accordance with the music.”
This blending process is crucial to the overall harmony of the wine, which Pommier insists is different from balance. “Most of my clients or friends say my wines are balanced but I say ‘No, don’t tell me that.’ Balance means strengths that equal zero—it’s a tension,” Pommier explains.
Instead, he emphasized the use of the term harmony, in which each grape varietal and musical note complement one another without being in opposition.
“It’s like music: when you play a note, it has to harmonize with the others,” he says. “The same applies to wine. I have to find harmony between the different grape varietals, and that’s my work.”
In another notable collaboration, Pommier partnered with French singer Carina, who sings in both English and French and plays the electric guitar. Her music played throughout the fermentation of a recent vintage, adding modernity and a new dynamic to the process. The vineyard even incorporates technology into this experience by including a QR code on the back of the wine bottles, allowing customers to access the music on Spotify.
The interplay between music and wine at Domaine de Cousignac has also garnered critical attention, including accolades such as a 91-point rating from James Suckling and gold medals in various wine contests, such as the Gaia Natural Wine Contest.
Pommier’s use of music as a tool in winemaking may seem unconventional, but it is grounded in a deep understanding of both disciplines.
“I listen to a song and blend the grapes in the same way,” he explains, likening the creation of a vintage to the composition of a symphony. This approach allows him to craft wines that not only reflect the land from which they come but also the melodies that accompanied them during their transformation from grape to bottle.
Through these musical collaborations—whether it’s jazz or classical, traditional or modern— Pommier wants to push the boundaries of what is possible in winemaking. By merging art and science, Pommier says he wants to create wines that offer more than just taste, but an experience that engages multiple senses. He concludes, “What is wine but a bottle of feelings?”