COVER STORY How Green Is Your ? Today’s organic and biodynamic producers

JULIANNe WILL

bout 40 consumers filled a classroom on a hand to describe the methods used at her fam- A recent weeknight at Just Grapes, a wine store ily’s Sonoma , all of which are either in downtown Chicago, to hear a presentation Demeter-certified Biodynamic, certified organic, on biodynamic . Erinn Benziger was on or sustainably farmed. Almost before she could

Sommelier Journal 47 gredients are all spurring consumers to wonder what’s in their glasses. “I think demand for these types of wines is very high because as a planet, we are starting to think more about what we consume and how it made it to our table,” says Brian Vaughan, a Chi- cago consultant for Distinctive Wine and Spirits. “It seems like more of a psychographic rather than a demographic. More educated consumers are more concerned with global warming and organic wines and foods.” That psychographic is what prompted the class on biodynamics at Just Grapes. Don Sritong, the owner and a corporate , says he has seen a dramatic increase in consumer curi- osity over the past year: “The reasons range from being environmentally conscious and myths of allergies to purity of flavor. What we have found with most customers is that if they can get an organic/ that is as good for the same price or slightly more, they will choose the organic/biodynamic wine eight of 10 times.” That doesn’t necessarily hold true every- where—even within the same city. Tony Basich, owner of Chicago’s Wine Bar, says he hasn’t felt the impact of the green movement

Flow forms used to mix biodynamic preparations at Patianna Organic Vineyards in Mendocino County, Calif. (above); workers till the soil on Domaine Leflaive’s land in Burgundy (right).

begin, hands went up to ask the question: What is biodynamics, and how is it different from or- Julianne Will passed the ganic ? introductory level of the It’s a question consumers are asking now Court of Master Som- more than ever, as interest in green agricultur- meliers last summer. She al practices has skyrocketed. Products labeled left a career in market- “natural” or “organic” have seen double-digit ing and publishing this sales growth in recent years and now net close to spring to pursue freelance $21 billion annually, according to the December writing full time, covering 2007 “Healthy-by-Design Foods Report” from food, wine, fitness, travel, Technomics; the company predicts sales of or- and other subjects. She ganic and natural products to grow at a 15-20% has also authored or co- compounded average annual rate through 2010. authored four best-selling Catholic children’s books. The rise of the Slow Food movement, the She lives in Chicago and explosion of farmers’ markets and gourmet gro- can be reached through ceries, the growth of the foodie culture with its her website, www. omnipresent blogs, and the popularity of chefs

juliannewill.com. who tout their local, seasonal, and natural in- Photos by Marc Plantec, courtesy Domaine of Leflaive (previous page, bottom); photo courtesy Patianna of Organic Vineyards (top)

48 August 2008 how green is your wine?

Workers at Burgundy’s Domaine Leflaive (above); chickens patrol for insects at Pati- anna Organic Vineyards in Mendocino County, Calif. (right).

from the customers filling his establishment. of sulfur dioxide limits a wine to the category of He’s still working on basic wine education for “made with organic ingredients,” where the prod- those who have only recently decided to trade in uct must be at least 70% organic. Even then, total their vodka martinis. concentration cannot exceed 100 ppm. But at The Little Nell in Aspen, Colo., wine That 70% standard is the one most closely director Richard Betts, MS, finds a constant de- aligned with the European Union’s definition of mand for recommendations on organic and bio- “wine made from organically grown grapes.” The Don Sritong of Chicago’s dynamic wines. “I’m hearing more interest in EU applies its certification only to practices in Just Grapes (top); the Loire’s all the time,” Betts says. “Some— the ; winemaking procedures and per- Nicolas Joly (bottom). that’s all they want to drink.” mitted levels of sulfur dioxide may vary among individual certifying bodies. Sulfur dioxide is used by almost every wine What’s in a Label? producer as an antiseptic, preservative, and anti- Organic and Biodynamic certifying orga- oxidant, whether in vineyard spraying, in barrel nizations have sprung up worldwide with the aging, or in bottling. Popular perception blames purpose of reassuring consumers that a precise, for the infamous red-wine , rigorous set of standards has been met. As with but research has shown that or other Benziger Family , certification can dem- sources are as often the cause, and that people onstrate a winemaker’s commitment to these with true sulfite sensitivities may have reactions practices—but can still be a source of confusion to a variety of foods. Even without the addition for many. Frequent changes in U.S. organic la- of sulfur dioxide, the grape seeds, stems, and beling laws aren’t helping matters. skins naturally contain trace amounts of sulfites, The U.S. Department of Agriculture is re- making it impossible to eliminate them from sponsible for food-labeling standards in this wine entirely. country. To be labeled “100% organic,” a product must contain 100% organically produced ingre- dients. To be labeled simply “organic,” a product Digging a Little Deeper must contain at least 95% organic ingredients. While organic winemaking follows a natu- Generally speaking, an organic wine must be ralistic approach to , biodynamics made without the use of genetically modified goes several steps further. Based on a philosophy organisms or artificial pesticides, fertilizers, outlined by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner and other compounds. And because an organic in the 1920s, biodynamics takes a holistic view

Photo courtesyPhoto Patianna of Organic Vineyards (top left); photo by Marc Plantec, courtesy Domaine of Leflaiveproduct (top right) cannot contain added sulfites, the use of growing systems and their interconnectiv- courtesyPhoto Just of Grapes photo by (top); Mick Rock/Cephas (bottom)

Sommelier Journal 49 A biodynamic preparation is sprayed on Domaine Leflaive’s vineyard (left); Domaine Leflaive’s new school of wine and teaches professionals about the importance of soil, biodiversity, and organic viticulture (above).

ity with the earth’s seasonal rhythms and lunar subject, What Is Biodynamic Wine?, was pub- cycles. To wine drinkers who have heard about lished last year, and in 2001, he founded the stuffing cow horns with manure and burying Return to Terroir/Renaissance des Appella- them at a certain time of the year, or of concoct- tions group (see table), whose members adhere ing all-natural sprays that are stirred first in one to organic and biodynamic principles. Many direction and then the other, biodynamics may growers, however, prefer practice over certifica- Rachel Driver of Chicago’s Lush wine shops (top); seem to have more in common with astrology tion—which makes it a challenge to know what German exporter Georg than with agriculture. international wines are made organically or bio- Mueller (bottom). The essence of biodynamic farming, howev- dynamically without reading every label or visit- er, is the development of a self-sustaining, self- ing every website. “This method of cultivation contained ecosystem. Flowers are planted be- is quickly spreading among discerning growers, tween rows to attract the good bugs that eat the so the list is expanding exponentially with little bad bugs that prey on vines; animals are raised to documentation or official certification,” says provide fertilizer and consume unwanted weeds; Rachel Driver, manager of Lush wine shops in ponds are built with natural aeration systems to Chicago. “Some growers quietly get on with it, filter water. True biodynamics is specific in its while others shout about it. And there are always use of horn manure and horn-silica field prepa- those growers that practice ‘almost’ organic and rations. Biodynamic compost includes starters biodynamic, or dabble in it and experiment with such as yarrow and chamomile. And the appli- implementing pieces of the ‘bio-d’ philosophy. cation of these compounds and other vineyard The system is always in flux, shifting as each procedures are timed to the lunar cycle. season presents challenges and opportunities Demeter International is the worldwide Bio- for growers across the world.” dynamic certifying body. Its practices are out- Georg Mueller, sales manager for his wife’s lined in a 41-page document, but its overall goal, wine importing and exporting business in Nack- as stated on its website, is simple: “The aim is enheim, Germany, has seen a surge in demand always to practice agriculture in such a manner for organic wines among his younger clients in that structuring the farm as an integrated unit the United States. But as he notes, many small, results in productivity and health, and that those organic in Europe have no website in inputs needed for production are generated out English to explain their approach. “Here, only the of the farm itself.” salesperson can advise or educate,” Mueller says. Nicolas Joly, who has been farming biody- A good relationship with a trusted repre- namically in the Loire for years, is noted for his sentative is essential, and a little digging can leadership in France. His second book on the also turn up a wealth of information. “I think

50 August 2008 how green is your wine?

The biodynamic approach includes the use of fermented herbal and mineral preparations as compost additives and field sprays (above); Domaine Leflaive’s horse Ouragon plowing the vineyard (right).

the best ‘CliffsNotes’ for a buyer or consumer and quality, of growing more sustainably. “The would be the winemaker’s personal notes on degree of sustainability is where the lines get the winemaking process,” says Vaughan. “The drawn,” Sritong notes. A winemaker or grower winemaker’s notes explain why they believe in might feel that organic or biodynamic farming their process.” is more an agricultural philosophy than a mar- keting point, might not have the capital to invest Burgundy’s Anne Leflaive in certification, might prefer to maintain some (top); - The Process and the Pour flexibility in managing what Mother Nature maker Kerri Thompson Once you determine whether a grower or brings, or might want to avoid the old stigma (bottom). winemaker is truly organic or biodynamic, you attached to low-quality organic wines. On the and your customers can rely on the certification other hand, many producers feel strongly that as an indicator that rigorous agricultural stan- certification provides consistent standards, pro- dards have been met. But organic wines are still tects the investments and efforts of those “play- battling a bit of a perception problem. At one ing by the rules,” and allows wine buyers and time, they were “destined for the local co-op, on consumers to know what they’re getting. the shelf next to the patchouli,” says Betts. Some producers are still sacrificing consistency and quality for process—meaning every bottle in a Getting Down to Basics case is different. “As a sommelier,” Betts adds, If you really want to know what happens in “it’s not serviceable.” the vineyard, however, you might have to get “Organic wines in the past were focused your hands dirty. Kerri Thompson would likely more on the practice as their point of difference,” welcome the help. After making wines at some says Sritong. “You found wineries that entered of the top wineries around the world, she has re- the market with the sole intention of producing cently created her own label, KT and the Falcon, organic wines. The level of quality they accepted in Clare Valley, South Australia. Thompson is was what they felt was the best they could do as an example of a winemaker who is a bit organic, a result of being organic.” a bit biodynamic, and a lot sustainable—and Today, there is a recognition that the organic primarily interested in how those practices can or biodynamic process should not be the only make great grapes. She farms where she lives, so determinant—that a really great pour is still she has additional motivation. “It’s very impor- critical. Conversely, top-end wineries that once tant when you live and work in an environment practiced conventional farming are discovering to make it as healthy and sustainable as possible,”

Photos by Marc Plantec, courtesy Domaine of Leflaive the long-term benefits, in terms of both cost Thompson says. “Initially, we wanted to make Photo by Marc Plantec, courtesy of Domaine Leflaive (top); photo courtesy of KT and the Falcon (bottom)

Sommelier Journal 51 contact information Australian Certified Organic (ACO) P.O. Box 530 L1/766 Gympie Road Chermside Queensland 4032 Australia +61-733-50576 www.australianorganic. com.au Bios s.r.l. Via Monte Grappa 37/C 36063 Marostica Italy +39-424-471125 www.certbios.it Racks at Just Grapes wine store in Chicago. Demeter Association, Inc. P.O. Box 1390 sure we weren’t making ourselves at risk.” Betts is another winemaker who uses a little Philomath, OR 97370 She applied her first round of purchased of this practice and a little of that practice, but (541) 929-7148 biodynamic preparations four years ago, and has has not yet sought certification for his Betts & www.demeter-usa.org since tried making her own preparations, with Scholl label. “It takes an enormous time com- Demeter- varying degrees of success. “We really don’t want mitment, which I totally applaud,” he says. His International e.V. to lock ourselves into any one thing in particu- wine is largely organic, though, “because we re- 194, Rue du Tróne lar,” Thompson says. “For us, it’s been a process alize that that’s the way to get the best grapes. B-1050 Brussels of reduction heading toward elimination.” The best raw material is generally obtained when Belgium She noticed slow progress: first, a change you grow organically.” +32-2646-2117 in the soil and weeds, with more worm activ- Betts’s perspective is echoed in his home life, www.demeter.net ity; next, an increase in the wildlife around where his children talk about being an “organic her patch of dirt. Now, Thompson is seeing family.” That kind of self-identification will con- ECOCERT France the fruits of her labor in grapes that ripen be- tinue to drive consumers to inquire in increas- BP 47 fore bad weather sets in, with thicker skins that ing numbers about organics and biodynamics. 32600 L’Isle Jourdain don’t split during late-season rainfall. She has “The advantage of the good biodynamic/organic France created “a vineyard that’s in tune with itself,” as wines is that even a consumer who is absolutely +33-562-073424 she describes it. The vines “just seem to natu- into the organic nutrition can still enjoy great www.ecocert.fr rally regulate themselves. What I’ve learned this wines and miss nothing compared to the stan- U.S. Department year is that some parcels of grapes know exactly dard processed wines,” notes Mueller. of Agriculture where they’re headed, and, as their custodians, Such interest also presents a great opportu- National Organic we need to stand back and support them steer- nity for the sommelier to share knowledge—to Program ing themselves.” clear up misconceptions about sulfites, to ex- Room 4008, Ultimately, Thompson believes, the result plain what the certifications mean, to address South Building is better fruit and better wine, particularly her quality issues, and to make interesting recom- 1400 Independence . But “if anyone is adopting biodynamics mendations based on an understanding of a Ave. S.W. purely for the marketing opportunity,” she says, winemaker’s process and philosophy. “I think Washington, DC 20250 “then it’s a shortsighted approach. The novelty each wine needs to be looked at from a single www.ams.usda.gov will wear off. Shoveling cow manure at 6 in the standpoint,” says Vaughan. He encourages cus- morning—you must be passionate about it. This tomers “not to just generalize and say, ‘I only

is a lifestyle choice, not a marketing choice.” drink organic wines.’” courtesyPhoto Just of Grapes

52 August 2008 In the end, both the certification on the la- all points on the spectrum. As Betts puts it, “It’s bel and an awareness of a winemaker’s practices not about the superstar sommelier; it’s about the will allow to serve their customers at superstar guest.”

certified producers of biodynamic or organic wine* Australia Domaine Ferran Domaine Les Aphillantes Tenuta di Poggio Castagna Vineyard Domaine Rousset Peyraguet Domaine du Coulet Tenuta di Valgiano Cullen Wines Domaine La Fourmente Terre a Mano Domaine Monier Tre Poggi Jasper Hill Vineyard David Léclapart Domaine Pierre André Ngeringa Vineyard F. Bedel New Zealand Austria Fleury Domaine de Villeneuve Milton Vineyard Domaine Viret Geyerhof Corsica M. Chapoutier Portugal Meinklang Domaine Comte Abbatucci Montirius Quinta de Covela Nikolaihof Domaine Pero Longo Schönberger Savoy Slovenia Jura Cotar France Domaine Prieuré Movia Alsace Domaine André et Saint-Christophe Mireille Tissot Southwest South Africa Domaine Barmes Buecher Domaine Pignier Domaine Josmeyer Château de Mayrague Reyneke Wines Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss Languedoc-Roussillon Domaine Le Bouscas Rozendal Farm Domaine Marc Tempé Domaine Beauthorey Domaine du Pech South America Domaine Marcel Deiss Domaine Cazes Domaine de Souch Antiyal Domaine Martin Schaetzel Domaine Les Enfants Sauvages Santa Emiliana Domaine Ostertag Domaine Fontedicto Germany Domaine Pierre Frick Domaine Léon Barral Christmann Spain Domaine Valentin Zusslin Domaine du Rouge Gorges Eymann Albet i Noya Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Domaine du Traginer Hahnmülle Alvaro Palacios Burgundy Le Petit Domaine de Gimios Sander Descendientes de J. Palacios Wittmann Dominio de Pingus A. et P. de Villaine Loire Lezaun Domaine d’Auvenay Italy Château Tour Grise Mas Estela Domaine Comte Armand Borc Dodon Clos de la Coulée de Serrant Telmo Rodríguez Domaine Derain La Busattina Domaine de l’Ecu Quinta Sardonia Domaine Giboulot Domaine Gaillard Campinuovi Domaine Lafarge Domaine de la Garelière Casavecchia Switzerland Domaine Leflaive Domaine des Maisons Brulées Casina di Cornia Domaine de Beudon Domaine Leroy Domaine Mosse Casina Degli Ulivi United States Domaine Montchovet Domaine des Sablonnettes Casina la Pertica Domaine Pierre Morey Araujo Estate Wines Domaine Saint-Nicolas Cefalicchio Benziger Family Winery Domaine Trapet Père et Fils Ferme de la Sansonnière Emidio Pepe Domaine des Vignes Brick House Vineyards Olivier Cousin Fabbrica di San Martino Cayuse Vineyards du Maynes Pierre Breton Fattoria Castellina SCEA de Quintaine Ceago Estate Wines Provence Fattoria Cerreto Libri Cotturi Winery Bordeaux Loacker Château Romanin Evasham Wood Winery Château Falfas Montesecondo Frogs Leap Winery Château de Roquefort Paolo Francesconi Château Fonroque Château Sainte-Anne McNab Ranch Bonterra Il Paradiso di Manfredi Château Gombaude-Guillot Domaine Les Fouques Mendocino Farms Winery Podere la Cerreta Château La Grave Domaine Hauvette Patianna Organic Vineyards Podere Concori Château La Grolet Domaine de Trévallon Robert Sinskey Vineyards Château Lagarette Poggio Trevvalle Tres Sabores Château Moulin du Cadet Rhône San Giuseppe Château Le Puy Clos du Joncuas San Polino *Members of the Return to Terroir/Renaissance des Appellations group who have applied biodynamic or organic vineyard practices on their entire estates for at least three years and have earned organic or Biodynamic certification.

Sommelier Journal 53