Biodynamic viticulture

Biodynamischer Weinbau
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This special form of Organic Viticulture (1861-1925) back. He studied mathematics and natural sciences, but also philosophy, literature and history at the Technical University of Vienna. Steiner introduced in the 1920 rules for a "biodynamic farming" to the prosperity of agriculture, and promoted them through numerous lectures. The gist of his philosophy is that the disease is a plant, the sign of a disturbed equilibrium, and of course on the use of chemical additives in the fertilization is due. The natural resources are preserved and promoted life-processes in the interaction of terrestrial and cosmic forces, according to precise guidelines specifically. The main focus is to work in the vineyard. The pruning , fertilizing, weeding and the harvest are based on a planting calendar. The soil should be plowed at least once a year, if possible, with horses and not a tractor. He is with compost to revitalize and treat them with minerals, so he returns to the diverse habitat Microorganisms are natural and equilibrium. In this context, regarding the conservation of biodiversity are the terms biodiversity and sustainability emerged.

In addition to the methods of organic viticulture is required to strengthen the natural forces of the vine and the activation of vital processes in the soil, the use of special funds. A central role as a fertilizer plays the horn of cattle, which is used in combination with other substances such as cow manure or quartz dust in very small, homeopathic doses (a few grams per hectare). There are so-called Defense of plants with resistance-enhancing effect used against pests. For example, infusions of herbs or dried herbs very positive for the vine. Nettles provide balance and harmony in the vineyard. Always like the cosmic forces are Moon Phases and other orb-constellations considered. But especially those affecting the moon according to biodynamic teaching force in the development of terrestrial plants.

What is meant by Biodynamics, has the Swiss journalist Andreas Heller, the NZZ Folio (magazine of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung) described very vividly: Just started on the day of the autumnal equinox in the vineyard of the family Cruchon in Echichens near Morges (area of La Cote in Canton Vaud ), a new era. Michel Cruchon cow horns with cow manure filled six, and buried them in the soil of his best vineyard. Six months, until the next spring equinox, he left the horns rest in the earth, and when he dug up again, the cow dung smell so sharp that the horns had thrown Cruchon best in a high arc. But he did as it had ordered him to his teacher and adviser, François Bouchet: He broke up the dung in the lukewarm water and stirring the broth in a round container, first clockwise, came to an eddy, then compared these, twenty minutes in length.

Then he filled the whole thing into a Sprühampulle to the liquid drop at a spread over the vineyard, and that in the late afternoon, when the soil feels the disappearance of the sun already. Only 120 grams of this "dynamized" cow dung, it had been told would be enough to stimulate a positive effect on one hectare of root growth of the vines. The Kuhhorndung is just one of many preparations of biodynamic viticulture, the Cruchon used now for some time. Quartz dust, which was buried in a cow horn over the summer in the soil and is then dissolved in water is an energetic, even at a concentration of four grams per hectare of vines, the leaves on the Photosynthesis and help ensure a deeper color of the wine. Infusions of herbs, the vine also do only good. Nettles, for example, make the whole vineyard for balance and harmony.

How to explain this extraordinary phenomenon is I'm not Esotericism in winemaking , clarifies Cruchon Michel: I have learned my craft from scratch. I can tell you what effect pesticides. The biodynamics has taught me, however, especially the amazement. Not everything is explainable. But the results are clear. Cruchon shows a traditionally farmed vineyard. The floor is bare, the branches are lanky, rich with fleshy leaves, draped in thick bunches. Right next few neat rows of vines to a new method. The ground covered with grasses and herbs, the branches gnarled, the foliage and the fruit small, light and firm. Twice in the same plant, two conceptions of Agriculture: the then trimmed to yield monoculture, the crop here, embedded in their natural environment. And heterogeneity is reflected in the wines tasted later.

Conventional products are lightweight and more binding, the complex bio-dynamic, strong and focused. These are wines with a strong terroir . This survey was also "sensitive crystallization", which Biodynamiker check the vitality of a plant. To create a mixture of the plant juice (in this case wine) and a copper chloride solution, outputs it into a Petri dish and waits for the result of the crystallization process. The vitality of the product is off, the copper chloride solution dries out easily, leaving an amorphous (shapeless) stain. Does the analysis of material, however, assign its full vigor, the living forces of the copper chloride into a structure reminiscent of frost flowers. The biodynamic wine shows an increased vitality, its crystallization is finer and lasts for up to five days, while the conventional wine begins to disintegrate before (end of NZZ Folio article).

As an absolute guru and pioneer of biodynamic viticulture, the famous French Loire wine is Nicolas Nicolas Joly and his winery and the famous single vineyard classified as a separate appellation Coulée de Serrant . This was by chance to read the writings of Steiner and turned off the mid-1980s, his business consistently. In 1997 he published a book about his experiences, "Le vin - à la terre du ciel" (Ensouled wine, Rand McNally Publishing), and thus initiated a movement in modern viticulture, which has now also reached the New World wine regions. Joly notes on biodynamic system: modern agriculture, which is focused exclusively on quantitative and commercial aspects, leads to a dead end. It destroys the soil, poisoning the food, the variety and kills the taste. The paradox of modern agricultural economics, science in general, is that although we know much, but poorly understood, has related how it all together.

Others are Chapoutier (Rhône), Arnold Christmann (Pfalz), Colome (Argentina), Dirler-Cadé (Alsace), Didier Dagueneau (Loire) Domaine Gauby (Roussillon), (Burgundy), Domaine de la Romanee-Conti (Burgundy), Bürklin-Wolf (Pfalz), Jürgen Ellwanger (Württemberg), Fetzer Bonterra with (California), Peter Jakob Kuhn (Rheingau), My sound - Vineyard Michlits (Lake Neusiedl) Nikolaihof (Wachau), Franz Weninger (Central Burgenland), Wimmer-Czerny (Wagram) and Philipp Wittmann (Rheinhessen). In 2001 founded the Bio-Nicolas Joly Association Appellations of La Renaissance . Biodynamics is a worldwide association DEMETER . As a wide development of biodynamic viticulture is sometimes Bioenergetic wine called, but which also is not without controversy. A scientifically accepted unconditionally and also widely used form is better known as biological or Ökologischer Weinbau .