Another one bites the dust
The word from one of my Sonoma Valley contacts at a local wine release party the weekend before last: a local Sonoma organic Syrah grower was overheard saying they were going certified Biodynamic (BioD)...
If all went to plan as the conversation was related to me, then a Demeter rep was on site Thursday of last week (8/31) to inspect the vineyard and give the growers an assessment of their progress so far.
But that's not all that was reported from the conversation...
The grower stated they were moving to BioD for 2 main reasons: 1) they felt being "organic" in the wine business still has a negative connotation [some segments of wine drinkers still remember and equate all "organic wine" with some of the truly horrid experiments of the 70's & early 80's], and 2) they feel BioD will bring them out into the vineyards more often, forcing/allowing them to spot any potential problems before they get out of hand.
When I asked if the grower really believed in the BioD preparations and their "cosmic influences", my informant replied- "No, but they believe the change will bring them a step closer to better stewardship and more sustainable agriculture..."
They also reportedly stated flatly that they didn't believe that BioD would produce better wines.
One of the key ingredients for this change also appeared to be the respect the growers held for the Benzigers, and their conversations with them over the past several years - though my source reports that they were embarrassed for all the zeal the Benzigers use to promote the more "esoteric" and "wacky" aspects (that's how it was told to me) of the BioD regimen.
All I can say is that better stewardship & sustainability are the real goals - and if they can be reached organically, then even better! But the inclusion of some mumbo-jumbo from the 30's isn't needed to get to that end, and in fact may hinder & hamper us from attaining it.
Plus I just can't see PAYING someone - no, make that ANYONE - for suposedly "magical" bullshit.
If all went to plan as the conversation was related to me, then a Demeter rep was on site Thursday of last week (8/31) to inspect the vineyard and give the growers an assessment of their progress so far.
But that's not all that was reported from the conversation...
The grower stated they were moving to BioD for 2 main reasons: 1) they felt being "organic" in the wine business still has a negative connotation [some segments of wine drinkers still remember and equate all "organic wine" with some of the truly horrid experiments of the 70's & early 80's], and 2) they feel BioD will bring them out into the vineyards more often, forcing/allowing them to spot any potential problems before they get out of hand.
When I asked if the grower really believed in the BioD preparations and their "cosmic influences", my informant replied- "No, but they believe the change will bring them a step closer to better stewardship and more sustainable agriculture..."
They also reportedly stated flatly that they didn't believe that BioD would produce better wines.
One of the key ingredients for this change also appeared to be the respect the growers held for the Benzigers, and their conversations with them over the past several years - though my source reports that they were embarrassed for all the zeal the Benzigers use to promote the more "esoteric" and "wacky" aspects (that's how it was told to me) of the BioD regimen.
All I can say is that better stewardship & sustainability are the real goals - and if they can be reached organically, then even better! But the inclusion of some mumbo-jumbo from the 30's isn't needed to get to that end, and in fact may hinder & hamper us from attaining it.
Plus I just can't see PAYING someone - no, make that ANYONE - for suposedly "magical" bullshit.
Labels: biodynamic
posted by St. Vini at 6:28 AM
5 Comments:
Should be 'another one bites the horn'...vini, where is that hidden beaudelaire in you, art will always vanquish logic, love always wins (remember what baby jesus said).
But seriously dude, most of the people I know who practice bio-d actually believe it does make better wine, and probably spent a lot of time on the ground even before they switched (it strikes me as a weird justification to wanting to go bio-d)... many smart people believe it works...
http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2006/08/10-out-of-10-worms-agree-i-went-into.html
Right on with skepticism. In my world we would devise some kind of test of the hypothesis. Sure, being more attentive to the vines is a good thing. Does anyone who practices bio-d care about Rudolph Steiner and the attendant wackiness?
Anon,
Many people dismiss the wacky portions of Steiner's philosophy.
Unfortunately there's not much left after that.
Search this site for "Steiner" & "BioD" for my other posts on the subject as well as some great comment threads.
/Vini
Farmers, vineyardists, winemakers, producers whatever, who need the principles of Bio-D to "get back to the vineyard" or "become re-acquainted with the earth" should get out of the business. They should have been in the vineyard with their hands in the earth all the time.
(snicker)
You just nailed it on the head Mr.K!
V
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