Biodynamic Winemaking, Trick or Treat?

In my last blog I discussed the organic and sustainable approach to winemaking and growing. It is great to see our industry holding such high regard for the environment and concern for the consumer’s health as well.

The next step for many wine estates is the practice of biodynamic farming. These estate growers are not only using ladybugs instead of pesticides, and returning the natural byproducts of wine making back to the land, etc., but are blending in some mysticism and ritualistic practices as well.  Biodynamic growers put a greater emphasis on the vines; and since they believe that plants respond to all the various forces of nature, they also time their activities in accordance with the cycles of the moon, planets and stars.  In short, the goal of biodynamic farming is to be in tune with the totality of life forces affecting the growth of the plant.

The development of biodynamic agriculture began in 1924 with a series of lectures on agriculture given by Rudolf Steiner in what was then Silesia, Germany, (now in Poland). The course was held in response to a request by farmers who noticed degraded soil conditions and deterioration in the health and quality of crops and livestock resulting from the use of chemical fertilizers. These practices first came to the USA in 1938 when the biodynamic farming and gardening association was formed as a New York corporation.

There are currently more than 450 biodynamic wine producers in over 50 countries. Today we are seeing many of the world’s finest viticultural areas turning to the biodynamic approach to growing their grapes. The results…In a blind tasting of 10 pairs of biodynamic and conventionally-made wines, conducted by Fortune and judged by seven wine experts including a Master of Wine and head of sommeliers, nine of the biodynamic wines were judged superior to their conventional counterpart. The biodynamic wines "were found to have better expressions of terroir, the way in which a wine can represent its specific place of origin in its aroma, flavor, and texture”.

Next time you find yourself shopping for a new wine, give one that is made from biodynamically grown grapes a try. You just might find the expression and flavor that you’re looking for.