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Organic and Biodynamic Wines: What are they and are they worth the hype?
Organic and biodynamic wine are becoming more popular than ever before not only for consumers but also for winemakers with many around the world’s wine regions shifting their practices. If you’ve been wondering what is the difference between organic and biodynamic wines and how they differ from conventional wines, your questions will be answered here!
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What is organic wine?
The standards for what constitutes “organic farming” and “organic wine” vary from country to country, but the most important common factor for all is that wines have to be made from grapes sourced from a vineyard that follows organic viticulture and uses naturally occurring substances instead of the industrially produced chemicals. In other words, an organic winemaker must implement an entirely different set of agricultural practices to maintain the health of the vines than what is typically done in a conventional winery. Living soil is important and all life in the vineyard is cherished and carefully monitored. There are no synthetic pesticides or additives and organic winemakers work with nature and make maximum use of animal and vegetable fertilisers. They use animals like small sheep or even donkeys that graze between the vine rows, eating the grass and weeds. Their aim is to create a friendly ecosystem, to eliminate the need for artificial intervention and to avoid the use of toxic chemicals that are harmful to the earth and to people drinking their wines.
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Organic winemaking does not differ much from that of conventional wines. However, it requires and implements practices that have an impact on the final quality of the wine made. The harvesting of the grapes is usually done manually which compared to mechanical harvesting causes less damage to the grapes. Damaged grapes are more sensitive to mould that is detrimental to the final quality of the wines. In the cellar, filtration is limited as much as possible, so the wine retains its natural character.
Worldwide organic viticulture uses less energy and has a positive impact on the environment as well as employment in rural areas. However, it is more labour intensive and wine prices might be higher.
What is biodynamic wine?
Biodynamic wines are wines made from grapes farmed with practices that adhere to the principles of biodynamic agriculture as these were set by spiritual philosopher Rudolf Steiner in the 1920’s. The main pillar of Steiner’s philosophy is that everything in the universe is interconnected and that the farm or vineyard is a living, self-sustaining system. The vines, the soil beneath them and the other plants in the area are growing together interdependently. This interconnectivity of everything also includes celestial bodies like the moon and the sun and that’s why certain tasks such as planting, pruning, picking, etc should be done in accordance with a special lunar biodynamic calendar.
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All biodynamic vineyards practice organic viticulture. That means that only natural materials are used in the vineyard. Chemical fertilisers and pesticides are strictly forbidden. Instead the vineyard is only treated regularly with nine herb based biodynamic preparations that enhance the life of the soil. These too have to be applied at appropriate times following the biodynamic calendar and nature’s rhythms.
In the winery, biodynamic wines are made using indigenous, ambient yeast instead of commercial, manufactured strains and without any acidity adjustments. In terms of sulphites, biodynamic wines can contain up to 100 parts per million and it depends on the winemaker if they are going to use this allowance or not.
What’s the story with sulphites?
Sulphites are commonly blamed for the wine headache the day after even though there is no scientific evidence supporting a correlation between headaches and sulphites. They act as preservatives that prevent oxidation and bacterial spoilage of the wine. They are a natural by-product of fermentation so no wine is completely sulphite-free, but those without added sulphites will often have sulphite levels so low they are undetectable. Sulphites have been used in viticulture for centuries but their inclusion in organic wine is an area of contention. While in the United States certified organic wine cannot contain sulphites, French and Italian organic standards allow them. The amount of sulphites in regular wine is pretty minimal compared to other food products, such as dried fruits. It is worth noting that they do cause allergic reactions but only 1% of the population is believed to be affected.
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Are Organic and Biodynamic wines better?
There is not a universally accepted and definitive way to determine if a biodynamic or organic wine is better than a conventionally produced wine. But various studies suggest that because of the lack of additives, wines produced in these methods display the truest expression of their terroir, as they are made in harmony with earth’s cycles. Organic grapes are much healthier and therefore have higher concentrations of anthocyanins and antioxidants. Winemakers are more satisfied with the quality of organic wines and claim that their wines are cleaner, richer and tastier and remain preserved longer. Whether this is the case depends strongly on the location of the vineyard, the winegrower and your taste.
The biodynamic approach could be a bit “esoteric”, but there’s no denying that there are some great biodynamic and organic wines available these days three of which I had the opportunity to taste and recommend for you.
Come back tomorrow for a selection of organic wines
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About the author:
Maria was born in Greece but spent most of her life living abroad. She studied Political Science and Media and Communication at the London School of Economics and worked alongside the Greek Minister of Finance for 3 years. However, it was wine that captured her heart and became her passion. She is passionate about making wine accessible to everyone and loves teaching about it through fun yet informative seminars. She holds the WSET Level 3 certification and will be starting the WSET Diploma soon. In April 2019, she founded the Geneva Wine Society. She organises wine tastings and wine events in Geneva as well as online. Maria has lived and worked in various countries over the past 20 years and is a proud mom of a very active 3 year old boy.
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