Biodynamic Wines
Biodynamic wines
The earth has music for those who listen.
Remember the Bionic Woman? If you were born after 1978, you’re too young. Protagonist, Jamie Sommers (Lindsay Wagner) put her bionically built body to work for the good of the country, and for much too long a time afterward, whenever I heard the term biodynamic, my mind was inclined to think of some form of bionic do-gooding. Only now do I see that perhaps the do-gooding part was valid, for biodynamic agriculture does do us good on many levels.
Biodynamy is the oldest organic agriculture movement dating from 1920s and the philosophy of Rudolph Steiner. It’s a holistic approach that looks beyond the vine and its profit to the land, even the cosmos, in a concept of interconnectedness and respect that encourages biodiversity, and works with nature not against it. When it comes to biodynamic wines, sometimes I think it’s only the name that puts people off. That, and the usual demon of what we don’t understand, we tend to misunderstand and fear. Planting in harmony with nature not only makes beautiful sense, but it seems also common sense that we treat the vines, trees or plants and their soil with respect. When we do, they thrive. But the proof is in the wine. In the wine business what matters is taste. Do you like it or not?
When asked if I believe in biodynamic wines, my answer is an emphatic yet conditional yes. I do seek out organic wines, for if we are what we eat and drink, then do we really want to be a bunch of pesticides? Still, if you don’t like the taste of a wine, no amount of chemical-free grape juice will convince you to buy. I can’t force you to believe in biodynamy, but maybe your conscience or taste buds can. Smell, taste, then savour. And keep an open mind. Remember, once we all believed the earth was flat and the sun revolved around it.
In the end, what is perhaps most magical about wine is that it’s alive, and it continues to evolve in the bottle, even more so when poured and shared. It’s about the pleasure wine offers, which is as different for each wine as it is for each gullet guzzling. I mean tasting.
Guillemot-Michel, Viré-Clessé, 2014 (biodynamic) – Viré-Clessé is an appellation in France’s Mâconnais, which is known for steely, lighter whites. Guillemot-Michel’s wines are superlative examples of what the Chardonnay grape is capable of producing when treated with respect. Husband and wife, Marc and Pierette, both oenologists, grow biodynamically and when I first tasted this wine years ago, I couldn’t quite believe I was tasting Chardonnay from the Mâconnais, so fragrant and fruit-driven is their wine. Notes of passion fruit, pineapple, white peach, lime and honey. $33.99
Pont de Gassac, Mas de Daumas Gassac, 2014 (biodynamic) – Called the Lafite of the Languedoc, Daumas Gassac’s high-end wines wear big price tags, but the Pont de Gassac offers not only great fruit (think blueberries, raspberries, and spice) but also great value. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. $15.99
Kay Pfaltz