Biodynamic Wines

Biodynamic agriculture is a type of organic farming with a level of spiritualism thrown in the mix. Biodynamic wines, or BD wines, are made from grapes grown in the biodynamic manner. What is the deal with biodynamic wines?

Rudolf Steiner

The roots of biodynamic wines start with Rudolf Steiner, born in what is now Slovenia in 1861. Over the course of Steiner’s life, the world that Steiner grew up in changed from a largely agrarian way of life to a more industrialized, mechanized lifestyle. As a way of life changed, Steiner noticed that the peasants, who had worked the land for generations, seemed “connected” to the earth in a way that was being lost.

Steiner, over the course of his life, explored fields including philosophy, architecture, science, education, and mathematics. In addition, Steiner is known for developing Athroposophy, or the science of the spirit, with a goal to gain insights into the spiritual world.

Steiner became involved in agriculture in 1924. His theories on agriculture became to be known as biodynamic farming. The basis of biodynamics is to treat a farm, or in our case, a vineyard, as living both in fact and spiritually, that can self-nourish itself without outside or synthetic help.

Biodynamic Vineyards

What sets biodynamic vineyards apart from organic vineyards? In a sense, a biodynamic vineyard is more “organic” than an organic vineyard. Rather than “push” a vineyard to produce, a biodynamic vineyard uses itself, in conjunction with time and nature, to produce grapes without the use of additives. Since the vineyard as part of the living earth, the vineyard cannot be separated from itself and its surroundings. Some of the spiritual principles of Athroposhophy are applied to the vineyard as well.

On a practical level, you may see cattle or sheep grazing among the vines at a biodynamic vineyard. You will also see a diversity of plants and herbs growing between different vineyard plots. The only inorganic or mineral substance that you may find being used at the vineyard is quartz as part of a fungal disease treatment.

Demeter USA

Demeter USA sets standards for biodynamic certification. This not only covers how the grapes are grown, but the equipment used to make the wine. Demeter certified labeling is as follows:

• Biodynamic Wine, or Demeter Wine: No yeast, enzymes, or tannins added. The acidity of the wine cannot be adjusted. The wine cannot be oaked or chappalized.
   
• Wine Made from Biodynamic Grapes or Wine made from Demeter Certified Grapes: The vineyard has used biodynamically grown grapes, but has used additives according to Demeter standards.

Demeter Certified Vineyards

Vineyards that are Demeter certified in the United States include:

• Ceago Vineyards, California
• Copper Mountain Vineyards, Oregon
• Frey Vineyards, California
• Quivira Vineyards, California
• Patianna Vineyards, California

Other Demeter Certified Wine Producers Include:

• Robinvale, Australia
• Weingut Wimmer-Czerny, Austria
• Santa Emaliana, Chile
• Francois Bouchot, France
• Jean-Luc Devert, France
• Weingut Schuber, Germany
• Dimoli, Italy
• Milton, New Zealand
• Rozendal Farm, South Africa

Biodynamic Wine Taste

Proponents of biodynamic wines say that the wine just simply tastes better.

Try a bottle and let us at Garden and Hearth know what you think!

~Laura Evans Staff Editor

Laura Evans is a freelance writer living in Southern California.