Man has been making wine in sync with nature for centuries. Many a prehistoric party started with grapes planted and harvested by the moon. Animals roamed the vineyards, mixing up the soil with their hooves and claws, adding a variety of elements to the process. It is only in more recent history that winemakers replaced natural fertilizers and pesticides with industrial chemicals in the name of progress.Biodynamic wines have gained a strong following, but does this affectionately called “viticultural voodoo” actually make a difference where it counts? Since the same exact grape cannot be grown both conventionally and biodynamically, empirical tasting evidence remains elusive. Still, the biodynamic fan base seems to be trending upward as sippers seek simplicity and authenticity.Cover CropsPlanting clover, grasses, and various perennial mixes on the vineyard floor improves the soil. Biodynamic practitioners believe that cover crops reduce acidity, increasing wine pH and volatile compounds like alcohol, esters and fatty acids in grapes, while enhancing flavours and aromas in the wine.Different cover crops have different influences. Types of alfalfa add compounds that hint of clove, or citronella, for instance. Other crops containing ethyl compounds deliver strawberry, apple, or floral notes, for example. Cover crops also reduce erosion and increase nitrogen, making for healthier vines, more robust grapes, and more vigorous flavours.Baa, Moo, ChirpBiodynamic wines are the result of the grapevines’ dance with nature. Chickens scratch, goats graze, and birds flit about, depositing their own elements into the soil. Native microbes on the grapes, such as yeasts and fungi, are encouraged by the biodynamic winemaking style, contributing to a diversity of aromas and flavours in fermentation, adding to the complexity of the finished product.Replacing the chemistry of a conventional vineyard, biodynamic farmers instead fill cow horns with manure or silica, plant them for six months, then dig them up, dilute the contents with water, and spray the liquid on the vines to encourage growth. Internal organs and bones of animals are filled with things like bark, nettle, or camomile, similarly buried, then dug up and added to compost along with dung, for a superb natural fertilizer. Voodoo? Maybe. But many biodynamic winemakers, intent on improving their wines, swear by it.Tastes Like SagittariusTrue biodynamic viticulturists plant and harvest in harmony with the lunar calendar, believing that observation results in improved growing conditions that translate into better grapes and more interesting wines. The year is divided up into four seasons, each with its own focus: root, which favours the moon in Capricorn, Taurus, or Virgo; leaf, which aligns with Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces; flower, which is Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius; and fruit, which embraces Aries, Leo or Sagittarius.Root vs FruitIn addition to seasons, individual days are labeled on a special tasting calendar as a root, leaf, flower, or fruit day. Biodynamic supporters claim that wine tasting favours fruit days for best aromas, flavours, and body, with root days being the least pleasant. Critics and fans alike acknowledge that many other factors influence the taste of wine. Biodynamics dictates that everything tastes better on a fruit day.Biodynamic SwirlingClockwise for northern, counterclockwise for southern. That’s what they say. Once in the glass, swirling wine in harmony with the hemisphere you’re in enhances the nose and strengthens the palate. Studies on both sides of this claim abound with equal passion.Strong Sense of PlaceIt is a fine line defining differences in taste between biodynamic and conventional wines. Many claim biodynamic wines are silkier, cleaner, more concentrated on the palate, with more pronounced terroir. Others find differences undetectable. Like many preferences, the biodyanmic choice remains with the person holding the glass.Biodynamic wines, proactively cultivating healthy soils and vibrant vineyards as opposed to simply treating symptoms, will always draw a crowd interested in purity, harmony, and something new to try. Running the gamut in price and grape variety, some from highly regarded wineries at upwards of $3500 a bottle, and others priced popularly under $20, there are definitely choices for everyone’s cellar. Cheers!Author: KL TurnerBio: KL Turner writes about water and the things we do with it, like making wine. She also writes about sailing, travel, and luxury markets through the lens of sustainability. A veteran of 20+ years in the Rocky Mountain West and the Sawtooths of Idaho, she recently traded her skis for sailing gear and life on the magnificent Florida gulf coast.
