To infinity and beyond! In celebration of Global Astronomy Month, I’m popping open a bottle of Gérard Bertrand Kosmos 2014. Kosmos is the symbol of the alliance of Gérard Bertrand and his winemakers’ spirit to blend varieties from the finest terroirs in the South of France, and the influence of the planetary forces from our solar system.

The blend is made up of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Marselan. It is made exclusively from organic grapes and the mechanical action is reduced to the minimum. Leaf thinning takes place before the harvest and the grapes are picked when perfectly ripe to get the full potential out of the grape varieties. The harvest is carefully sorted at the time of picking and upon reception of the grapes. The grapes are de-stemmed and crushed before being transferred into vats. Each grape variety is macerated separately and the temperatures are controlled and managed with precision to bring out the flavors of each varietal. They practice a very gentle maceration to extract the maximum of the fruit and to preserve all the characteristics of the varietals. Once the malolactic fermentation is completed, the wine is aged in French oak barrels for fifteen months.

It is deep ruby red in color with long legs on the glass. It’s fragrant on the nose with the sweetness of berries and plum. It’s smooth and velvety on the mouth with notes of blackberry, cherries, elderberry, and tannins. It has an earthy aftertaste with a hint of cough syrup vibes, which is not always a bad thing. I paired it with a side of pepperoni pizza (NOM). You can find it online for about $20, so it’s a great value. It should be drunk now through 2020. 4/5.