What is a biodynamic wine?

There are various definitions on what exactly biodynamic farming means, but in summary, it is an "ecological, spiritual and ethical approach" to agriculture and thus to food production and final nutrition. Producing biodynamic wine thus follows ecological, spiritual and ethical guidelines.

Biodynamic wine is made within the philosophy that a wine domain with its vineyards is one independent organism. The ecosystem of this domain functions as a whole, with each component within the domain and its vineyards contributing to being a self-sufficient system. In this, only natural materials, soil and compost are used. These stimulate the soil for plant growth and vitality by feeding beneficial bacteria and fungi. Thus, chemical fertilisers and pesticides are not used for the sake of soil fertility. Any animals present (poultry, horses, sheep, cows), live within and fertilise this ecosystem, creating a natural and fertile environment for the wine grapes to grow in. An additional effect is that biodynamic viticulture also strives for sustainability: the estate and its vineyards are left in at least as good a state for future generations.

It is generally believed that biodynamic farming originated in the early 1920s. The Austrian philosopher and anthroposopher - Rudolf Steiner - launched the idea of biodynamic agriculture around 1920. This philosopher also promoted the use of agricultural practices based on the lunar calendar and astrological influences as opposed to a purely scientific approach.

Wineproducers from all over the world follow biodynamic farming, like many Burgundy wine producers and Bordeaux wine producers, wine producers from Napa valley, just to name a few areas. And on various scales: from famous winemakers like Domaine de la Romanee Conti to very small local producers as Nicolas Pavie.  

How is biodynamic wine made?

Biodynamic wine is thus made by considering and working on all the individual parts of a wine estate as a whole, using only natural materials and thus no chemicals. In addition, (mostly) the biodynamic calendar is followed. This calendar is used from the first growth of the vines to the final harvest and even fermentation of the grapes. This calendar divides all tasks within the winery into four types of days according to the four different lunar cycles. Each day type corresponds to a different stage in grape development:

• Fruit days - Fire, is considered the best days to harvest grapes.
• Root days - Earth, considered the ideal days for pruning.
• Flower days - Air, a time to rest the vineyard.
• Leaf days - Water, days to keep busy growing, water and compost the land.

There are certain tasks associated with each of these days that reflect the four classical elements (earth, water, air, fire). This approach may seem a bit floaty, but for biodynamic winemakers it is an essential part of wine making.

After harvesting, fermentation of the grapes takes place naturally.

Biodynamic winemaking generally comes with a higher price tag than traditional winemaking. To classify a wine as biodynamic, winemakers must work according to strict regulations. Two of the best-known bodies for this classification are Demeter and Biodyvin.

When did organic or biodynamic farming begin?

It is generally believed that biodynamic agriculture originated in the early 1920s. The Austrian philosopher and anthroposopher - Rudolf Steiner - launched the idea of biodynamic agriculture around 1920. This philosopher also promoted the use of agricultural practices based on the lunar calendar and astrological influences as opposed to a purely scientific approach.

What is an organic wine?

This is a wine that is, as you would expect, made organically. As with biodynamic viticulture, no chemical fertilisers, pesticides, fungicides or herbicides are used here.

It is important to keep in mind that non-organic additives (such as sulphites or PH regulators) can be added during vinification. These can be chosen to increase shelf life, for example. This means that although the grapes have been grown organically, the wine is not organic. These are then non-organic wines made from organic grapes.

Many world renowm wine estates produce wine using organic methods, like for example Chateau Pavie.

Can organic wine contain sulphite?

Every wine naturally contains sulphite. Sulphite is released during the fermentation of grapes, but these amounts are minimal. However, sulphite is important for the shelf life of wine. In Europe, a limited amount of sulphite may therefore be added when making wine, while allowing the wine to retain the 'organic' label. In the USA, this permitted amount is even slightly lower than in Europe.

Is an organic or biodynamic wine by definition 'Vegan'?

Whether a wine is vegan depends on whether animal products are used in its making. For example, wines are clarified with egg whites. So a Vegan wine would have to do that in a different way. By the way, Vegan wines go beyond just the vinification process, for example, even the label should not contain fish glue and only vegetable dyes should be used for the ink or capsule.

Are organic, biodynamic or natural wines sustainable?

It is important to always keep a definition of sustainability in the back of your mind. The idea of organic and biodynamic viticulture is, of course, sustainability. Organic viticulture is all about keeping the land as well-tended as possible, leaving the soil intact and working and disturbing the vines as little as possible in their growth process. Apart from quality, the aim here is often to leave the soil uncontaminated and healthy for future generations of winemakers.

With biodynamic wine, this is taken even a little further. This involves the creation of a virtually self-sufficient vineyard, in which everything that lives - the plants, the animals, the insects, the soil, the vines - contributes to this micro-ecosystem. The philosophy behind this approach is that the vineyard will eventually be increasingly balanced and thus contribute more and more to the sustainability of viticulture.

Natural wines actually eschew any form of human intervention. So this is the method where nature is really given free rein with only minimal intervention and when it does intervene, it will be done completely naturally.

Do organic or biodynamic wines taste different?

The answer to this question is both yes and no. In a blind tasting, it is almost impossible to taste whether a wine has been made organically, for instance. In the vinification process, however, there may be indications that the wine has been made naturally. Think, for example, of a cloudy wine showing that it has not been filtered.

Generally speaking, however, it can be said that the attention paid to the vineyards and the winemaking process is so much more intense that higher quality is achieved faster. And you can definitely taste that. Because of that some of the best-known names that are almost synonymous with quality are made biodynamically. For example Domaine de la Romanee Conti, Chateau Palmer or Domaine Vincent Dauvissat, just to name but a few.

Is it easy to switch to organic or biodynamic viticulture?

Switching to this type of viticulture is very invasive. The winemaker will have to change several methods and start finding many alternatives to the initially non-organic means used. In the first few years of the transition, there may be yield losses as winemakers have to work in a different way. A good example of a different approach is the use of pesticides. Chemical pesticides are usually absorbed by the roots of the vines. They therefore provide protection from within. Organic products often provide a protective layer on the outside rather than inside. So after every rainfall, they will have to be sprayed again. So apart from the change in products, the work will also have to be changed, such as spraying after a rain. In practice, it takes several years to find a regular working method that maintains the quality of the grapes and in most cases improves them.

Currently, there are three main reasons why winemakers choose an organic or even biodynamic approach. The most important reason is the positive impact on the environment, and thus preserving the quality of the land. Improving the quality of the grapes is also an important factor for many farmers. Employee health is also often cited as an argument for switching to a sustainable form of viticulture. Chemical pesticides are harmful to both the vines and the employees who inhale them.

We can see that sustainability has taken an important role in viticulture for some years now. In particular, wines of high quality and prestige no longer escape this marketing expression. By now, we can easily say that sustainability in winemaking has become a differentiator.