At a recent visit to Gérard Bertrand’s Domaine de l’Aigle estate in Limoux, in the Languedoc region in southern France, I was shown a piece of winemaking equipment I had not seen in the flesh before. It was called a “dynamiser” — a 200-litre wooden tub with a paddle in which a small handful of dried flowers is mixed with water.
In biodynamic viticulture, a process that appears to be based on principles similar to those in homeopathy, tinctures are made from minute concentrations of dried flowers and then sprayed onto the vines to ward off a variety of common grape nasties that otherwise might be treated chemically.
An image of the Weird Sisters from Macbeth casting spells sprung to mind as the process was explained to me in a conversation sprinkled liberally with the word “energy” and phrases such as “the chaos of the vortex”.
Bertrand later told me it was not about any molecules or particles of the added flowers, but rather “imparting information”, similar to the water memory theory that proponents of homeopathy talk about.
Biodynamics is not just about magical sprays to ward off mildews and the like, however. It also involves undertaking farming tasks according to the phases of the moon, rather than, say, the weather or subsidy deadlines.
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Days are named as root, leaf, flower or fruit days, and certain tasks should only be carried out on particular days. Tasting, it is claimed, is best done on a fruit day.
Compost is hugely important in biodynamic production, but here too some of the methods are odd. They include burying a cow’s horn full of manure at the autumn equinox and digging it up in the spring.
Biodynamic agriculture is based on the ideas of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, who died in 1925. It is part his wider system of anthroposophy or spiritual science.
A farm or vineyard is seen as a living system whose functioning is explained in terms of “formative” forces. If something is wrong, it is because these forces are out of balance. There might be too much “astrality”, for example, and not enough “etheric” force. (Having googled these terms, I am none the wiser as to what they actually mean.)
It may all sound like snake oil but the important questions are a) does it work and b) is the wine any good? Unfathomably, the answer appears to be “yes” on both fronts.
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Bertrand told me that homeopathy cured him of an illness when he was a young man. The experience inspired him to experiment with the vines on his Cigalus estate in Corbières, and the results proved dramatic.
Within a couple of years the acidity in both the soil and vines had been lowered and, as a result, he was producing far better wines.
That was 20 years ago, and today, Bertrand has several estates, totalling about 750 hectares. All are either farmed biodynamically or are in transition to the system. He works with co-operatives, too, for his less expensive wines, but in this case he insists the grapes supplied are at least organically grown.
Bertrand’s workers were sceptical about the whole biodynamic thing at first, but now they say they would look elsewhere for employment if he went back to conventional agricultural methods — not that there is any chance of that.
They all seemed to be in awe of him and you get the sense at times that they are more like followers than employees, all dedicated to saving the planet one glass of wine at a time.
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Biodynamic viticulture is popular elsewhere, too. South Africa’s leading biodynamically farmed producer is Johan Reyneke in Stellenbosch and his healthy vines are surrounded by a sea of virus-affected vineyards.
The insect that spreads the virus settles on dandelions rather than his vines, Reyneke told me when I visited him one time, and his wines are stunningly good.
Some of the world’s greatest vineyards are now farmed using these methods because they seem to work, and when they do, it is hard to argue against them.
The scientifically minded among us in the industry, meanwhile, are forced to live with a paradox: this is scientific nonsense but produces great wines. The methods might seem like hocus-pocusbut the taste is often magic.
Martin recommends: biodynamic wines
Gérard Bertrand Cigalus 2014, IGP Aude Hauterive; €38.95, O’Briens.
A cabernet-led blend that looks pricey but oozes class. It could easily be mistaken for a more expensive cru classé bordeaux. 93/100
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Gérard Bertrand Naturae Chardonnay 2016, IGP pays d’Oc; €11, Dunnes.
A bargain introduction to zero-added-sulphur wines from organic grapes that works with pristine pear and apple-like fruit. 88/100
Chateau de L’Hospitalet 2014, La Clape; €19.45, O’Briens.
Bertrand’s HQ is a limestone-based vineyard near the Mediterranean coast, and this is a beautiful mix of dark fruits with tapenade-like spice. 90/100
Reyneke Syrah 2014, Stellenbosch; €20.99, jnwine.com.
South Africa’s biodynamic producer Johan Reyneke makes dynamite syrah, with seductive aromas of violets, dark fruits and cured meats. 92/100
Zind Humbrecht Riesling “Terroir d’Alsace” 2013; €24.95, jnwine.com.
This beauty, from one of Alsace’s great estates, is made from young vines from the grand cru Brand vineyard. 91/100
Domaine Chaume-Arnaud Vinsorbes 2014; €20.95, lecaveau.ie, Green Man Wines. Attractive fruit and spice to savour, with a beautiful balance between satisfying richness and freshness. 90/100