Bio-whatsits? Discover The World Of Biodynamic Winemaking
Biodynamic viticulture uses all the practices of organic winemaking, and then some.
Two factors distinguish biodynamic winemaking from organic: the use of herbal sprays and composting techniques for the soil, known as ‘preparations’; and the timing of the operations on the vines, which is strictly regulated by the cycles of the moon. Preparation 500, for instance, involves stuffing cow horns with manure, burying them in a pit and retrieving them come Spring.
On top of avoiding herbicides, pesticides, chemicals and additives, biodynamic winemakers try to achieve a balanced vineyard ecosystem using techniques and tools derived from the vineyard itself, and incorporate the phases of the moon for optimum growth & development.
The lunar cycle breaks down the production process into four periods: flower days, fruit days, root days and leaf days.
At its heart, biodynamics is a supercharged version of organic farming, and together, biodynamic and organic viticulture have become much more common in the past few decades. Still, only a small proportion of Australian vineyards are being farmed this way.
Sounds a little mystical, doesn’t it? But guess what? Many of the great estates in the world, including some of the finest producers of Burgundy and Bordeaux, have made the switch and fully converted to biodynamics.