Part Two: Biodynamic methods in more detail

Biodynamism is rooted in eight lectures delivered in 1924 by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, called the Spiritual foundations for the renewal of agriculture. He was the creator of the ‘spiritual science’ of anthroposophy, which seeks to link education, health and the arts. You might have come across “Steiner Schools”. These are gaining popularity with parents, teachers and governments.

In these lectures he set out the precepts of a healthier and sustainable agriculture based on revitalising the soil to produce better quality food. A convinced teetotaller, he had no interest or involvement with wine at all!

Central to biodynamics is to consider a farm as a single self-sustaining living system. This is influenced by the “micro-environment” (flora, fauna and Man) and the “macro-environment” (Earth, lunar and cosmic rhythms).

Steiner was not an agriculturalist; so detailed modern BD practices were built on top of his guiding principles. BD uses a range of special gentle homeopathic preparations in very dilute form to promote the microbial life of the soil and help the plant combat diseases, as the table below (based on articles by André Ostertag, Maria Thun, Jamie Goode and Monty Waldin) shows:

Preparation	Contents	Use
BD 500	Cow manure fermented in a Cow horn, buried in soil over winter	Spray on the soil 2-4 times p.a.
BD 501	Ground silica (quartz) mixed with water and packed in a Cow’s horn, buried in soil over winter	Spray on vines to reinforce photosynthesis 2-4 times p.a., from sunrise to 8 am
BD 502	Yarrow flowers buried in a Stag’s bladder	Add to compost (with 503-507)
BD 503	Camomile flowers buried in a Cow intestine	Add to compost
BD 504	Stinging Nettle Tea	Add to compost. Spray vines if they are weak
BD 505	Oak bark buried in the skull of a Cow, Sheep, Pig or Horse	Add to compost
BD 506	Dandelion flowers buried in Cow mesentery	Add to compost
BD 507	Valerian flower juice	Spray compost
BD 508	Horsetail-plant tea	Spray soil or vines as a fungicide

BD 500 and BD501 are often regarded as the two most important preparations for the soil and vines. However, composting is also a fundamental element. The compost is a mixture of natural manure and vegetable waste augmented by preparations BD502-BD507. These preparations, added in tiny homeopathic quantities, are said to help break down the compost and make trace elements available to the plant. The compost is spread in the vineyard in the autumn.

Ideally all these preparations should be made at the vineyard, because ideally the farm will not be a monoculture but also have other forms of agriculture. However BD preparations are also commercially available these days.

Miniscule amounts are used: they are all diluted to homeopathic levels in freshwater (preferably rainwater) and are then activated, or “dynamised” before use. This involves extensive stirring for between 20 minutes and 1 hour, first clockwise, then anti-clockwise. The preparations must be used within 3-4 hours while still fresh.

A “dynamiseur” is used to stir the preparations. This is essentially a small cask with rotating paddles. This helps dissolve substances evenly and also encourages rapid multiplication of microbial life. It is important to remember that microbes reproduce rapidly; hence even very dilute quantities of BD500 contain enormous numbers of microbes.

Cover crops e.g. Chicory, Lupin and Vetch are sown between vine rows. These provide “green manure” increase humus in the soil and help fix nitrogen. They also promote biodiversity and may also prevent soil erosion and help weed control. Remaining weeds are left and controlled by mulching, ploughing or grazing.

Bordeaux mixture (Copper Sulphate and Lime) to treat downy mildew and powdered sulphur to treat Oïdium (powdery mildew) are allowable as these form a barrier to the fungi. These are poisonous, but BD advocates claim that the quantities used are far smaller than in organic or conventional viticulture, because lower quantities are still efficacious when used in combination with the BD preparations BD501 and BD 508. Hence any risk of copper toxicity in the soil is much reduced. As prevention is better than cure, increased vineyard surveillance and vine management also helps.

Pest control, rather than pest elimination, is based on maintaining biodiversity. Natural predators in the vineyard will keep pest populations at a level below that injurious to the quality and quantity of the grape harvest.

Another pest control method I have encountered is to make an ash from the bodies of the dead pest and spray this as a dynamised liquid, although here I remain unconvinced that revenge works.

To be most effective the application of biodynamic preventative treatments are timed to coincide with the rhythms of the Earth and various cosmic cycles. Hence Maria Thun devised the “biodynamic sowing and planting calendar”. This is based on her experimental plant research over many years and is used as a guide to the timing of viticultural work.

In this calendar four “formative forces” are ascribed to the individual parts of the plant as follows:

The calendar is complex and divides each year into days that are favourable and unfavourable for different aspects of work, as defined by the movement of the Moon and planets against the backdrop of the Zodiac constellations.

While there is agreement on the overall concept, many biodynamic growers have developed individual practices to best suit their own particular vineyard situation and needs. This is particularly emphasised in the differing and sometimes conflicting advice given by a number of BD consultants.

As a result there are many variations on the main biodynamic theme, although all share a need for increased time and vineyard labour to compensate for replacing agrochemicals.

Should BD be certified?

BD farmers can be certified in a similar way to that found in organics. For biodynamic certification, producers must first meet organic production criteria as defined by various organic certifying bodies (e.g. Ecocert, IFOAM and others). Specific rules therefore vary but the certifier has to be an independent third party and recognised by the state in which it operates. It also requires a conversion process, where the vineyard must have adopted BD methods for a number of years before achieving this status.

Secondly, producers must use the biodynamic preparations BD500-BD508. Any adherence to the cosmic calendars is however entirely optional and never part of certification.

Like most organic certification, biodynamic certification in a strict sense certifies “wine made from biodynamic grapes” rather than “biodynamic wine”. It does not cover winemaking, although wine making standards are now also being discussed and developed.

Until recently Demeter was the main certifying body. Its agricultural standards are not specific to viticulture or concerned with wine quality because they apply across all forms of agriculture.

Since 1993 Biodyvin, (the SIVCBD, Syndicat International des Vignerons en Culture Biodynamique) has become established. Their standards are specific to viticulture. It has also developed a wine quality charter and wine tasting tests are incorporated to ensure that quality is a requirement of certification.

Demeter and Biodyvin have similar philosophies but their specific requirements differ. Producers are allowed membership of both bodies.

As with organics, there are many arguments about the merits of certification. Some biodynamic growers are not certified and won’t mention BD on the label either. One or two other producers have even abandoned certification, citing that they derived no tangible benefit. It certainly has little consumer relevance at this stage in its development and I think this represents a major challenge to be faced.

There are several reasons for not being certified:

But if BD isn’t stated on the label, how will you know? Who are these producers and where are they? Few UK merchants have a section devoted to organics let alone BD. It is heartening to see a handful of merchants now showing the wines stocked as biodynamic.

Hopefully this website can help. Firstly you can search all my reviews to find organic and biodynamic wines.

But really you need Part Three. This is my unique and ever developing resource, The Wine Alchemy Biodynamic Directory™.  Once you know the producers and where they are, tracking them down is much easier.