By Katrina Joy Plam / Originally published in OUT Magazine, May 2008
The religious dogma behind biodynamic farming may be simultaneously over the top and a thing of beauty. Skeptics scoff at a wine whose production details include a cow horn filled with manure and buried in the ground to bathe in autumn and winter only to be dug out in spring and sprayed on the vines. But is there any voodoo to the doodoo?
Biodynamic farming was developed in 1924 by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. He believed a farm should be a self-contained living organism with a vibrant ecology in harmony with the seasons, the moon cycles, and the local environment. Today, the 400-plus winemakers working in biodynamic practices, which focuses on composting and manures eschewing artificial chemicals, believe that the biodiversity they foster engenders resilient and sustainable vines; true believers insist that wines produced in harmony with their environment exhibit a better expression of a wine’s true nature. With sustainable agriculture leading to heartier land, the wine’s character is responding; the taste of theses unique terroirs practically blossoms from the glass.
But the true test lies in the mouth of the beholder. With the emergence of several standout biodynamic wines, we now have the opportunity to kiss them all and decide for ourselves if this affair will be fleeting or steal our hearts.
2005 Francois Chidaine Les Tuffeaux Montlouis: A demi-sec Chenin Blanc, this penetrating wine unfolds with layers of baked fruits, candied apple, and creamy notes of peach, raw honey, and cobbler. Lush and voluminous, an ideal bottle for a carpet picnic or an after-dinner terrace tête-à-tête. $20
2002 Radikon Oslavje Bianco: A radical wine reflective of its maverick winemaker, Stanislao Radikon, this project embodies the unexpected with golden rich fruits and complex aromas possessing a remarkably long finish. $45
2006 Brickhouse “Select” Pinot Noir: Seductive, lush, and complex, this uniquely cloudy beauty delivers vanilla and dark fruits in the mouth with a long lingering finish showing notes of black cherry, cocoa, anise, and cinnamon. $30
2005 Ehlers St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon: Smooth and velvety with a balanced mid-body, this butterscotch candied brute is sure to strip you of your clothes. A big Cab, typical of Napa, this wine engenders conversation, pleasingly pairs with a steak and possesses a classic structure good for the cellar or open on a table near you. $45
2003 Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny : A focused project with a dense, luscious structure carrying flavors of plum, black cherry and dried fruit; this expressive wine is desirable with plenty of refinement. A lingering finish leaves impressions of blueberry, mocha, and anise. It’s the kind of wine fantasies are made with. 100% Cab Franc. $39
I just noticed that this was originally published in a magazine.
WHOA!
My brush with fame; let’s hope it’s contagious!