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WITH the popularity of organic food, organic wine is the next logical step. But while the concept of organically grown grapes is easy enough to grasp, biodynamic wines require a slightly different mindset.
The term refers to the holistic practice of cultivating land based on principles set down by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner late in his life. Some aspects of the philosophy can be difficult to swallow, and we're not talking about the tartness of a bottle of cheap wine. Biodynamic principles involve taking into account lunar cycles, and fermenting dung by filling cow horns with it and then burying them, among others. To some, it's mumbo jumbo while others swear by tangible improvements in vines and wine.
Bearing in mind the controversy surrounding biodynamics, it's little wonder that fervour varies from producer to producer. Looking at Italian wineries Le Macchiole and Querciabella in Tuscany, as well as French Thibault Liger-Belair in Burgundy, gives an idea of the breadth of approaches.
Le Macchiole's only just started dipping its toe into biodynamics. Thibault Liger-Belair, however, is neck deep in it but doesn't adhere to every stricture religiously. And Querciabella is so devoted that it sees itself as having risen "beyond biodynamics". Each of them has its own reasons for reticence or recklessness.
Cinzia Merli doesn't have the luxury of making impetuous decisions. When she founded Le Macchiole in Bolgheri with her husband, Eugenio Campolmi, in 1983 at the tender age of 16, she never expected to be widowed less than two decades later in 2002. And in spite of scepticism, the mother of two built Le Macchiole into a unique example of Super Tuscans that stray from the beaten path.
The Paleo Rosso wine ($149 for 2006 and 2007; $133 for 2008; from local distributor Richfield), is made only from Cabernet Franc, and is a stunning example of the heights the varietal can reach. With the 2005 and 2007 Messorio Rosso both going for $313.50, you don't make capricious vineyard decisions when customers are paying that much for your wines.
That's why even though Ms Merli's been a passionate fan of biodynamics and tracked the trend even while her husband was alive, she only started doing trials of biodynamics on a 5 ha test parcel two years ago. The winery's been organic for a decade but Ms Merli says that she's going to wait at least a few more years before deciding whether or not to go all the way.
Natural approach to wine
"I love biodynamics because it's a natural approach," said Ms Merli, 45, in an interview last Friday on her first visit to Singapore. "When my grandfather worked on the land to grow vegetables, he also paid attention to the moon. When I discovered biodynamics, it felt so familiar to me because of its similarity to ancient practices," she adds.
But personal affinity isn't a good enough reason for her. "I want to start only with one parcel because I have a big responsibility to customers to find out how these practices will change the vines in terms of flowering, the taste of wines, etc, before I decide to make the whole winery biodynamic.
"I also want to be honest because I have many wineries around me that aren't biodynamic and I need to find out how that will affect biodynamic practices on my land."
Thibault Liger-Belair - whose domaine in the Nuits-Saint-Georges area of Burgundy's Cote d'Or department is named after him - was less hesitant about taking the plunge. When he created his domaine in 2001, he was already organic. After noticing instant improvement with biodynamics on some plots in 2004, he immediately decided to convert all his vineyards.
The twist is that though the domaine in its current incarnation is new, the vineyards have been in his family for more than 21/2 centuries. So, what we've got here is a case of a new generation embracing new approaches to put its stamp on traditional holdings.
"I definitely see improvements in the vineyards and I'm glad I made the decision," said Mr Liger-Belair, 37, over lunch last Thursday. His NSG les St George 1er Cru ($178 for 2010 from Vinum), which he says is most representative of his domaine, is full of concentrated fruit.
But even though he's an enthusiastic believer in the system, he's not dogmatic about it. "If the biodynamic says that a particular day is Fruit Day or Root Day and it doesn't make sense for what I'm doing in the vineyard, I won't follow it just for the sake of following it," he adds. "I believe that winemaking comes from the heart and not analysis."
But moderation's not for everyone. Meet Querciabella, a Super Tuscan located in the Chianti region of Tuscany. Owner Sebastiano Castiglioni is a vegetarian who decided to combine veganism with biodynamics. What that means is that no actual manure is used. Even the cow horns involved are made from ceramic, even though they still imitate the physical form of horns.
Mr Castiglioni's wife has even adapted biodynamics principles to conserve bee habitats, although that isn't directly related to winemaking.
The zeal of the Castiglionis may be extraordinary but it's hard to argue with the results. Querciabella's 2010 Batar white ($144.50 for 2009 from Richfield) is an absolutely phenomenal blend evenly split between Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc, and shows just how good white Super Tuscans can be even though reds have been the mainstay of the Super Tuscan movement.
The 2010's got ripe lemon zest and popcorn on the nose, and a palate of pears supported by a clean acidity that carries all the way through to the finish. And a 1998 Batar opened at a media dinner on Wednesday had a deep gold colour and a palate of water chestnut supported by the same amazing acidity present in the 2010.
It's impossible to say whether Querciabella's wines could have been achieved this quality without vegan biodynamics. And it's equally futile to guess at whether increased strictness would benefit Mr Liger-Belair's wines in Burgundy.
What's clear though is that biodynamics is far from a monolithic school in the winemaking world, so it's worth exploring just how far the potential of such wines can go.