Du Coulet
Stéphane Tissot called him "Petit Ours Brun" – little brown bear. The nickname stuck and today adorns Matthieu Barret's entry-level wines. Domaine du Coulet in Cornas stands for uncompromising Syrah from steep granite terraces. Seventh generation, biodynamic since 2002, no barriques since 2017. Mules instead of tractors, concrete instead of wood.
From grandfather to granite
In 1997 Matthieu Barret joined his grandfather in Cornas. A year later he took over the vineyards, and in 2000 he bottled his first vintage. The estate had previously sold its grapes to Chapoutier and Delas; now it makes wines in its own right, with scores above 95 points from Robert Parker. The 20 hectares are spread across steep, south-facing terraces cut into the granite rock.
Demeter-certified since 2002
Matthieu worked organically from day one. By his second vintage the estate had already received biodynamic Demeter certification. In 2012 he went further still: tractors gave way to mules and horses, and green spaces around the vineyards encourage biodiversity. The vines average 40 to 55 years of age, and yields are a mere 23 hectolitres per hectare. His credo: 100% grape, minimal sulphur, no fining, no filtration.Concrete instead of barrique
In 2006 Matthieu began experimenting with concrete eggs and diamond-shaped tanks. The aim: pure fruit without the influence of oak. From the 2017 vintage he eliminated barriques entirely. The Cornas Brise Cailloux 2022 matures for 14 months in diamond-shaped 20-hectolitre concrete tanks and amphorae. Whole-bunch fermentation with wild yeasts and gentle punching down of the cap: Syrah from terroirs like these needs nothing more. At d'Ouréa in Gigondas, too, concrete reigns over barrique, except that there it is Grenache rather than Syrah that ferments.