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Biodynamics and the Voice of the Vineyard

In a society constantly in search of perfection, best and better are terms that are in constant use. With more than 200 biodynamic wines on our wine list at XYZ Restaurant, people often ask whether they are better than their counterparts. The question is a legitimate and important one that ultimately depends on what one means by “better,” and biodynamics provides us with a new context to examine this question.
Biodynamics can best be defined as an intensified form of organic farming. The originality of this kind of agriculture is based on three key points: nourishing the soil by adding living matter, a practice which allows the earth to heal itself; opening the soils and vines to cosmic influences by working the soils according to precise cycles of the earth; and respecting the food chain — from soil microorganisms to vine insect predators through the use of plants like nettles or chamomile and rock powders to keep the entire microclimate in good health.
Ask any grower who has converted their farming practices over to biodynamics, they will say that they did so in order to increase the quality of their grapes in an effort to ultimately produce a better wine. They will also tell you that they started using biodynamics in order to better express the place where the grapes are grown.
To think about it, seems like the second distinction might be dubious. But really, what does one winery have that is different from another? They have the unique place where the wine comes from — the vineyard. If the vineyard is one that has the potential to grow great grapes, then it seems obvious that a grape grower would want his or her vineyard to express its potential and uniqueness to the fullest.
This idea of a vineyard doing so is not new and any “Old World” grower in, say, Burgundy, will say that they are not making Pinot Noir in France. They will say they are making Gevrey-Chambertin or Chambolle-Musigny and the grape that they use to express these unique places happens to be Pinot Noir. Many growers would also argue that biodynamics helps these unique sites better express themselves.
At this point, the skeptic might argue that this line of reasoning begs the question as there is no quantifiable way to measure how much better biodynamics allows a place to express itself. This, however, is where the fun begins for us, the tasters, and anyone who has ever had the chance to taste a Meursault Charmes from a biodynamic grower, such as Dominique Lafon, next to another non-biodynamic grower’s wine of the same vintage and site. Those who have can definitely attest to the uniqueness and excitement that comes from said experiment.
The next time a guest finds themself with an open bottle of biodynamically produced wine on their table at home or at our restaurant, I recommend leaving the Plato on the shelf and not asking if this is the best wine one has ever tasted. Close those eyelids and try to listen to what the wine has to say. After all, it is speaking from a unique place. I can guarantee that this approach will lead to many new discoveries and will allow a lot more fun than those tasters who are constantly in search of the best wine.

Learn the ABCs of biodynamics at www.xyz-sf.com