Biodynamic wine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please improve this article if you can. (January 2007)

Biodynamic wines are made using the principles of biodynamic agriculture. In most cases, one speaks of wine made from biodynamic grapes. Increasingly these biodynamic wines are becoming known as BD wines.

The practice of biodynamics in viticulture (grape growing) has become popular in recent years in several growing regions, including France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, Australia, Chile, South Africa, Canada, and the United States.

Like biodynamic agriculture in general, biodynamic grape-growing stems from the ideas and suggestions of Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925), who gave his now famous "Agriculture Course" in 1924, predating most of the organic movement. The principles and practices of biodynamics are based on his spiritual/practical philosophy, called anthroposophy, which includes understanding the ecological, the energetic, and the spiritual in nature.

Many grape growers claim to have tried biodynamic methods and found immediate improvements^{[citation needed]} in the health of their vineyards, specifically speaking in the areas of biodiversity, soil fertility, crop nutrition, and pest, weed, and disease management. Winemakers claim to have noted stronger, clearer, more vibrant tastes, as well as wines that remain drinkable longer. Critics say that many of these improvements would have happened if organic farming were used, without the mysticism involved in biodynamics. Nonetheless, there is an upsurge of interest among grape growers worldwide and in the media, with a number of very high-end, high-profile commercial growers also converting to biodynamic practices^{[citation needed]}.

As a practical method of farming, biodynamics embodies the ideal of ever-increasing ecological self-sufficiency just as with modern agro-ecology, but includes ethical-spiritual considerations.

1 See also
2 References
3 Articles
4 External links

[edit] See also

[edit] References

Monty Waldin, Biodynamic Wines ISBN 1-84000-964-0
Nicholas Joly, Wine from Sky to Earth: Growing & Appreciating Biodynamic Wine ISBN 0-911311-60-2
Paul Howard "Biodynamic Bibliography". Extensive list of books and papers/articles on biodynamicsWine Alchemy
Paul Howard "Biodynamic Directory". Listing of Biodynamic wine producers worldwide Wine Alchemy
Max Allen, "www.redwhiteandgreen.com.au - Biodynamic wines in Australia". [1]