Biodynamic Wine Explained

By Guest Blogger: Peter Wilke

Certified Sommelier

How One Man Transformed Farming Across the Globe

Biodynamics. The word itself inspires questions; shrouded in mystery and the wonders of the cosmos, biodynamic farming combines the influence of celestial bodies with sustainable and organic agriculture. Now over 90 years old, the practice is truly focused around responsible energy management. Biodynamics treats all aspect of a farm, garden, vineyard, or ecosystem as a single, living entity. That living unit being just one part of the greater whole which is the planet we call home.

The Man who Started it All

In 1924, Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner gave a series of lectures that opened the minds of many of his colleagues. The drive to increase food production across Europe after the ravages of a world war caused many farmers to utilize synthetic fertilizer in an effort to ramp up the food supply. In Steiner’s lectures, he warned of long-term damage to the soil and wanted to refocus attention on maintaining a symbiotic relationship with the earth.

Steiner’s lectures outlined several preparations that could be utilized to reinvigorate necessary minerals, nutrients, and microbiological life within the soil. The bases for these preparations are readily available and help to create a singularity within the ecosystem. The goal of the practice is to ensure that everything that comes out of the soil will ultimately be returned. The healthy soil that results help with water management, pest control, and reduce the need for fungicides and herbicides.

Steiner also spoke extensively on the influence of the moon and stars in agriculture. Steiner’s studies lead him to discover how the moon’s position relative to different stars and constellations would affect the growth of plants. This study gave him insight into astrological influences on a variety of types of plants, as well as different aspects of the plants themselves. His cosmic examination encouraged the development of the biodynamic calendar with its focus on root, leaf, flower, and fruit days.

Composting and Dynamising - Reinvigorating your soil

Composting and dynamising are both critical in a healthy biodynamic vineyard. Composting is the act of allowing organic material to break down over time, releasing heat and creating fertilizer. Composted soils have increased microbiological diversity and better water retention. Dynamising involves taking a preparation and mixing it in a round container filled with water. The mixture is first rotated one way, and then another. This creates ‘vortex’ and ‘chaos’ within the solution. After mixing, the dynamised concoction is then sprayed onto parts of the plant and soil.

During Rudolf Steiner’s lectures, he laid out 9 different preparations which were to be used in a healthy biodynamic farm. They were codified as preparations 500-508, supposedly as a way of getting information passed Nazi intelligence, whose agents were constantly harassing anthropomorphists (Steiner’s followers) all across occupied Europe during World War II. With the correct balance of these preparations and a bit of patience, vitality can return to virtually any soil.

Preparation 500 (Horn Manure) begins its journey in the Fall. It involves taking a cow horn and filling it with fresh manure. The horns are buried in soil for the winter before being dug up and mixed into a dynamiser. The solution is sprayed over vineyard soils before being ploughed over. Preparation 500 tends to make the soil much more porous, encouraging root growth and increasing mineral uptake.

Preparation 501 (Horn Silica) is produced in the spring by taking cow horns and filling them with ground quartz to be buried during the summer. Quartz contains silica, a light and electrical conducting compound. When sprayed on the leaves, 501 helps to ensure a good bloom. It also encourages photosynthesis and reinforce immune defense.

Preparation 502 (Yarrow) is made by picking Yarrow flowers, drying them, and leaving them, stuffed in a hanging deer bladder over the summer. The bladder is then buried for the winter before being composted. Yarrow’s high levels of potassium and silica help to create balanced compost, while sulfur protects the vine from insects and pests.

Preparation 503 (Chamomile) involves drying chamomile and hanging it in the intestines of a cow over the summer, then digging it into the soil for the winter. 503 stabilizes both the Nitrogen and the Calcium in the compost, important for regulating pH. This preparation helps the plant to regenerate which is incredibly useful after winter pruning.

Preparation 504 (Stinging Nettles) is probably the easiest to make. Stinging nettles are harvested before they flower in late spring or early summer. They are then submerged in soil for a year. Nettles contain iron and aid in sap flow within the vine and in the formation of chlorophyll.

Preparation 505 (Oak Bark) is a bit more complicated and involves grating oak bark and placing it in the skull of a sheep, pig, cow, or horse. The skull is buried in a very wet environment such as a swamp. Steiner spoke of the importance of calcium balance within soils, claiming it naturally fortifies plants while maintaining a healthy pH. Over time, 505 will fortify your soil and help prevent fungal infection.

Preparation 506 (Dandelion) balances potassium and silica in compost and encourages microbial growth. The flowers are picked and dried, then sewn into the mesentery of a cow. The small packets are then buried until spring to be added back into the compost. The silica in the dandelion helps with fruiting and flowering while aiding in the silicic acid uptake of the vine.

Preparation 507 (Valerian) is made by grinding valerian flowers and then letting the powder sit in filtered water for four to seven days. The solution is strained and filled to capacity in a bottle, preventing any access to air. 507 raises the temperature of your compost, stimulating humus formation. It mobilizes phosphorus, magnesium, and selenium bacteria in the soil as well. 507 helps prevent excessive flowering and fruiting while providing protection against spring frosts.

Preparation 508 (Horsetail) serves as a fantastic fungicide. The common plant is rich in both silica and sulphur. Sulphur acts as a natural retardant to many fungi and bacteria and is a natural result of fermentation. It increases stability and longevity in wine. Preparation 508 is sprayed on the soil around the vines during times of high fungal stress, such as rainy periods.

Great wine is made in the vineyard, and healthy vines start with healthy soils. Having an understanding of what strong soil entails is critical to healthy plants. These preparations, while ideally being crafted from the same farm as they will be utilized, contain plants and animal products that are readily available. You don’t need an entire working farm to revitalize your soils biodynamically. Many of these preparations are used based on the biodynamic calendar, their application depending on celestial influences.

Cheers!

Peter