Biodynamics: A Vocab Lesson On The Latest Trend In Wines

Whether you’re a wine buff or an amateur, chances are you’ve been hearing a new wine term being thrown around lately: biodynamics. Some claim it’s viticultural voodoo, while others swear by it. Here’s exactly what it means.

Biodynamics is a rigorous form of organic agriculture that envisions a vineyard as a single organism—soil, plants, livestock, insects, everything combines to produce a healthy, self-sustaining environment without the use of artificial chemicals.

So the next time you head out to Napa Valley for some wine-tasting fun, here's what you should know about biodynamic wines. That is, if you actually care about wine-tasting rather than getting wasted while a hired limo takes you from winery to winery.

Biodynamic wines have been around since 1924, when it was first proposed by a German scientist named Rudolf Steiner. The reason for biodynamics’ bad rep is the fact that it involves several fertilization “preparations,” like stuffing manure into cow horns, burying them for a season and then spraying the decomposed remains over the land in the spring. Kind of gross, right?

However, some of Steiner’s silly-sounding notions, like an astrological planting and sowing calendar, do have some merit. Moon phases affect water in the earth and in plants, so it makes sense to harvest during a particular time of the month in order to get the healthiest produce possible.

Biodynamically produced wines are also good for the environment, and they tend to be very high quality. If you look at a list of biodynamic wineries, you’ll find that many are among the most highly regarded not only in the U.S., but also the world. That is why more and more wineries are turning to the practice. They believe that the grapes they produce and the wines they make from them are of an altogether higher quality than conventionally produced wines. You’ve probably even had some biodynamic wine without knowing it.

Whether you find yourself cruising wineries or just the wine racks in your grocery store, here are some wines to look for:

Ampelos Cellars: Their 2005 Lambda Pinot Noir exhibits flavors of blackberry, vanilla and chocolate, but is still delicate, $35.
Benziger Family Winery: The 2005 Tribute is a classic red Bordeaux blend with deep notes of berry, chocolate and earth, $70.
Grgich Hills: Their 2007 Chardonnay is golden in color with lovely flavors of lemon, honey and a touch of mineral, $42.
Robert Sinskey Vineyards: The 2004 Vandal Cabernet Sauvignon is bright and velvety with classic notes of currants and coffee, $50.