“Sound cellar” reveals the wine song

Prolific, intoxicating, or easy to drink … if this wine could be heard, what melody would it say? A Lyon-based company that specializes in creating audio clips gives voice to Grand Cru’s vocals. “One day, I found myself sticking my glass to my ear and wondering what the sound of this wine is?” Recalls ATS Studios president Alain Coulas, who recounts the genesis of his “sound vault”.

“The algorithm gives composition constraints, but its music is a reflection of the grape grower.”

“For example, red wine has a wave frequency of about 493 terahertz, which corresponds to the frequency range of some instruments, from cello to accordion,” explains Alan Collas. The color of the wine varies with the type of grape used, the climate, or the method of making the wine. “Each winemaker colors his wines differently depending on how he works. This will change the tone of the machines.”

The language of wine

The Sound Paste will then be designed by ATS Studios’ authors, so that the musical language reflects the language of wine. Because the rhythm, harmony or melody must reflect the other characteristics of the wine: its vintage, its aroma, its ground.

“The algorithm gives composition constraints, but its music is a reflection of the grape grower.” Thus a Beaujolais, Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie, or even Sauternes … becomes a piece of jazz, a classical movement, or a Celtic song.

“By the end of the year, we will have produced around fifty specific audio pieces,” confirms Alan Collas.

These audio clips can be streamed during tasting or at points of sale, shared on communication platforms or downloaded via a QR code affixed to the bottle. These custom-made pieces cost between “a few thousand to a few tens of thousands of euros”, depending on the tools used, or the authors’ request to produce them.

Confident in the success of its approach, ATS Studios is already developing a similar project for beer and tea.