Biodynamic Wine Growing

Wine growers are converting to biodynamic viniculture in record numbers. Some of the world’s best wines are now biodynamic. At its heart, biodynamic viniculture is about understanding the nature of vines and their relationship to the environment. This beautifully illustrated and informative book will be of interest to current biodynamic wine growers and those considering converting to biodynamic methods. It includes: an introduction to the theory of biodynamic viniculture and the Goethean method of observation in relation to vines; practical articles on all aspects of wine growing, including biodiversity, pruning, treating and preventing disease; case studies of biodynamic vineyards from around the world. Biodynamic wine expert Jean-Michel Florin has gathered contributions from biodynamic viniculturists to create a beautiful, full-colour book which is both a celebration of sustainable wine growing and an invaluable guide to the future of wine cultivation.

An award-winning and invaluable introduction to sustainable winemaking for all wine growers.

Nicolas Joly is responsible for producing some of the finest and most highly esteemed wines of France at his CoulÉe de Serrant vineyard. Practising the biodynamic method of agriculture - sometimes referred to as ‘premium organic’ - he is at the forefront of a movement to return to the concept of terroir, as full expression and embodiment of a particular grape-growing locality, or appelation. Today even expensive wines, made under strictly regulated controls and standards, are tainted by the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and manipulated in the cellar through the use of osmosis and the additions of aromatic yeasts and enzymes. To counter such trends, a new ‘Charter of Quality’, run by organic and biodynamic viticulturists, guarantees that the appelation comes to full, authentic expression. To aid this process, biodynamic winegrowers like Joly use special planting methods and preparations that enhance and invigorate the soil, bringing it into harmony with the forces of sun, moon and cosmos to embed the vine in a rich, living context.

From France's greatest winegrower-a chemical free, organic, wine-rich in the vital force of life. Nicholas Joly's Loire Valley vineyard produces what has been called France's-or even the world's-best white wine. He grows and produces these wines without using any pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizers in growing the grapes or using chemical additives during the winemaking process. He creates his beautiful wine by understanding and working with the subtle forces of nature. This practice founded by visionary Rudolf Steiner is called biodynamics and Nicholas Joly is one of the world's most respected practitioners and teachers. Sophisticated wine lovers, winegrowers, and new age horticulturists will enjoy this beautiful, poetic book about the earth, our food, and our lives. The striking photos of Mr. Joly's vineyard, planted by the Cisterian monks in 1130 and continuously cultivated, will inspire all to learn more about the Loire Valley, Joly's methods, and wine in general."

Find out more about natural wine – made naturally from organically or biodynamically grown grapes – from leading authority Isabelle Legeron MW.

Wines are generally defined in one of three ways: by their country or region of origin, by their colour (red, white, pink) or by their style (still, sparkling, fortified). Only recently have wines begun to be defined by how their grapes have been grown and the wine made, with a clear distinction between modern 'chemical' wine-growing on one hand, and the chemical-free organic or natural approach on the other. Now the world's most respected wine producers, from Bordeaux to the Barossa, from Chablis to California, increasingly see biodynamics as the method of choice for blue-chip wine-making. Biodynamic wine explains concisely and clearly the theory behind biodynamics, how biodynamics differs from organics, and how the world's wine-makers - from high-end Bordeaux chateaux to under-the-radar family estates - use biodynamics in practice, often with significant and captivating variations according to wine style, local terroir, weather and even lunar cycles. Biodynamic wine is a comprehensive and entertaining guide to the most argued-about green wine-making phenomenon of recent years. It is both an ideal how-to manual for growers and a captivating guide for wine professionals and wine lovers alike.