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Biodynamic wine comes to the fore (or Four!) in September with a new series on making wine biodynamically in southern France.

A biodynamic wine is essentially an organic wine, avoiding pesticides and fertilisers in the vineyard and (as far as possible) any artifical chemicals in the winemaking process. But there is also an added “cosmic” dimension which determines key stages in the winemaking process from vine to bottle which are influenced by the phases of the moon and alignment of the planets.

Other examples of Biodynamic vineyards are Domaine Leflaive and Domaine Leroy in Burgundy, Domaine Huet in Vouvray and Coulée de Serrant in the small Loire appellation of Savennieres.

Few are convinced that this approach is more than just a little bizarre, or that it produces distinctly better wines, although each of the established vineyards listed do have an excellent reputation.

Channel 4 will be showing a 6-part series about an Englishman’s quest to create a biodynamic wine in the Roussillon in the south of France starting on 4 September 2008 with Chateau Monty

Top wine critic and author, Monty Waldin, has decided to put his money where his opinionated mouth is and pack it all in to make wine biodynamically in rural France. He has just over a year to turn 5.4 acres into top selling organic wine. Renovating an old cabin on his vineyard so he can babysit his vines 24/7, his only company will be his donkey and occasionally his high maintenance girlfriend Silvana when she jets in from Italy. Regarded by peers as a bit loopy because of his views about Biodynamics, and even as the enfant terrible of the wine world (he’s upset the establishment for his harsh criticisms of the wine industry), Monty’s nonetheless forged a successful career and written several award-winning books…But now he’s abandoning life behind the laptop for a new one making his own wine in the French Pyrenees.

As always there is a book to accompany the series - Chateau Montyand respected wine merchant Adnams is stocking the wine - Monty’s Red 2007, Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes - “The aromas of young, herby red fruits and a lively, juicy mouthful of charmingly rustic hedgrow flavours.”
If you want to know more about Biodynamic wines, here is our list of suggested reading:-
Nicolas Joly (owner of Coulée de Serrant) - Biodynamic Wine, Demystified
Monty Waldin (of Chateau Monty) - Biodynamic Wines
George Andrews and Nicolas Joly’s Wine from Sky to Earth: Growing & Appreciating Biodynamic Wine
Wendy E Cook’s The Biodynamic Food and Cookbook: Real Nutrition That Doesn’t Cost the Earth

UPDATE:-
Jamie Goode, writing in the Sunday Express (17 Aug 08) adds: Think of biodynamic wines as “supercharged version of organic,” he says. Work in the vineyard is fitted in around the alignment of the moon and the planets, and growers claim it has improved the quality of their wine. Some of his recommendations include:-

• 2006 Chapoutier Organic Côtes du Rhône, France (£7.99, Waitrose)
• 2005 Bertie Collection Syrah, Minervois, France (£7.99, Oddbins)
• 2004 Didier Barral Faugeres “Jadis”, France (£17.30, Les Caves de Pyrene)

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