by Damion Reid, Grammy-nominated drummer
Within every craft there are trailblazers and trendsetters that push their own communities forward into
the future. Domaine Mosse does for Chenin Blanc what Miles Davis did for music. One can only be
inspired by what these individuals have done for their very different mediums.
I had the pleasure of speaking with natural wine pioneer René Mosse about what makes his wines so
special and he simply said, "terroir.” The soil and climate affect the vines, creating a unique product that's inseparable from its environment. This is similar in music, because your fundamentals must be intact when creating with a group of musicians so that you may fully express what is needed in every moment.
Mosse's Chenin Blanc always transports me because it remains on the palate, reminding me of why I love natural wine. The true essence of the variety is presented with an unpredictability that forces you to focus on the clean, slightly oxidative taste that only a Mosse Chenin seems to acquire from wooden barrels. Mosse is one of the originators of this progressive taste that's changed the wine world, in my opinion.
The Complete Live At The Plugged Nickel 1965 by Miles Davis achieves the same life-changing effect on how I will hear music forever. Each song is correctly played in regard to form, harmony, and melody, while effortlessly interpreted in a manner that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is a box set that consists of eight discs, cataloging a week-long residency at the famous Plugged Nickel club in Chicago. I will dispel all rumors about Miles Davis being sick in the beginning of this residency because I got confirmation from his nephew, who spoke with a member of the quintet who said, “Miles was healthy.” This legendary quintet consists of Miles Davis on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums. What this group was able to achieve rhythmically while playing each piece will change how you feel about the possibilities of interpreting a song. Not only did they effortlessly improvise but they reinvented how you will hear each song forever. Initiating countless alternate harmonies, while exploring triple or duple pulse, alongside tempo changes at will. It should remind you of a transcendent wine that forces you to swirl your glass, smell, and taste once more.
Mosse's Chenin forced me to respect Chenin Blanc as a variety in a different manner. Miles Davis' The Complete Live At The Plugged Nickel 1965 similarly opened my mind up to the power one interpretation of a piece can have on how the listener will perceive that composition for years to come.
- Damion Reid
WINE I'M DRINKING RIGHT NOW: Domaine Mosse's Chenin, the personification of avant-garde in Anjou
LISTENING TO: Miles Davis' The Complete Live At The Plugged Nickel 1965, for motivation and inspiration
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Staff Account
