Art

Rosé Cordyceps

OCT 2023

Funga constantly explores innovative ways to incorporate and infuse mushrooms into our daily lives. It searches for products that enhance our health and inspire enjoyment of life to the fullest. Mushrooms truly encompass these two aspects, which are not so opposite from each other. Above all, mushrooms are connectors, especially Cordyceps, which are known as Nature’s Aphrodisiac.

With that said, I am so very excited to present my newest product. Mexican winery ¨Aborigen¨ produced this Natural Rosé Wine using the grape Rosa del Perú, and the infused Cordyceps were cultivated by ¨Micologica,¨ an Applied Mycology Training Project that has been operating in Mexico since 2010. Cordyceps were the first type of mushroom Funga wanted to work with due to its incredible benefits, such as increasing vitality, stamina, libido, and, most importantly, boosting energy.

The beautiful label was created by artist Rocca Luis César after receiving a download from a therapeutical session with psilocybin:

“I wanted to form a face inspired by various elements such as mushrooms, plants and caterpillars, in order to create a connection with my art and the wisdom of nature.
I had introspection therapy with mushrooms, since for me it is a beautiful tool that nature provides us with. On the trip they showed me several images so I could find answers and integrate them into my personal processes, that is why I wanted to represent with this face how mushrooms can show us a path, since my entire narrative is about the stories we live as people.”

– Rocca Luis César (on the creation of the Funga Label)

This wine will be sold in various places around Mexico City. For private orders, please contact me (milana@fungaonline.com) directly.

For the Funga wine, I gravitated towards natural wine, produced with minimal intervention and no additives. Infusing a mushroom in each bottle has the intention of making it an even healthier option.

As mentioned above, the Cordycep is the first mushroom Funga decided to work with. Below, you can follow the process more closely.

Cordyceps growing at Micologica

Part parasite, part fungus, Cordyceps might be on the fringes of the fungal world, but its medicinal uses should not be underestimated.

According to generations of folk herbalists, Cordyceps are believed to have energizing and vasodilating properties. The rarest and most sought-after variety, Ophiocordyceps sinensis, is found 14,000 feet above sea level in the Himalayan Mountains. It sprouts from the heads of dead caterpillars. Alternatively, mushroom growers have discovered how to synthesize versions of another species, Cordyceps militaris (this is the type I have used in my wine).

Cordyceps have been used since ancient times as a healing modality and have been found in Chinese and Tibetan medical books.

Cordyceps are most famous for increasing vitality and energy and have traditionally been used by the elderly to reduce fatigue and increase strength and sexual desire. This mushroom is known as nature’s Aphrodisiac and Viagra.

Below, you can see some pictures from the Funga Rosé Cordyceps Wine launch at Caimán, which was done in collaboration with Mario Espinosa and Rodrigo Morales Alavez from Tencüi. The menu was created with mushrooms from the restaurant´s lab and the Funga wine was flowing: