In Part 1, I briefly discussed the history, significance and basic tenets of Biodynamics. Before I get into too many details, I should take a moment and talk about certification. Many producers employ only some, not all, of the practices of Biodynamics. Demeter International and Biodivin are the two most recognized certification organizations. Many (if not most) wineries that use biodynamic practices choose to not get certified. Many refrain from certification on principal, holding that getting certified can potentially be viewed as “selling out” or attempting to jump on the “green” marketing hype train. Certainly, someone’s motives for getting certified can be debated but I typically stand with those who farm biodynamically on principal alone, not seeking additional marketing avenues through certification. They humbly go about their ways, doing what they feel is right, not looking for recognition.

Closed nutrient systems (composting), self-regulation (hands-free maintenance based on naturally occurring predator-prey relationships within a diverse habitat of plants, animals and organisms) and the minimal use of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, etc. are all standard fare in the world of alternative farming. Biodynamics takes one of it’s two biggest deviations from conventional and alternative farming techniques with the use of “preparations” in the vineyard, as well as on the compost heap. Some of the preps include: chamomile, dandelion, stinging nettle, yarrow, valerian, horsetail, quartz, manure and oh yeah, some really fun stuff: deer bladders, cattle intestines, domesticated animal skulls, cow stomachs… you know, the usual. The preparations are used as sprays or buried in the soil. They all serve unique purposes but ultimately work to regulate and stimulate the life process of a farm or vineyard.

The other major deviation for Biodynamics is the integration of cosmic forces. It is contended that all living things have an intimate connection to their environment, including the movement of the sun, the seasons and the lunar cycles. By understanding these universal energies, we can enhance the harmonious environment and promote the natural drive and rhythms of nature within a vineyard or farm. The penultimate goal of a biodynamic practitioner is that through these practices, an awareness and intuition can be established that connects them with the unique spirit of a place. Got all that? Good.

I know that is not a lot of information, I don’t have a lot of space here. There are several sources out there with more info then you could ever want and I will be happy to refer them to you. I warn you though, from this point forward, expect your future reading to be highly technical, although very interesting.

So… does it work? Is the wine better? Some folks say yes, others say no. Most say “I have no idea.” Many vintners swear it makes a big difference in the health of the vineyard, which of course reflects in the final product. Is it better then other compost-based farming methods? We might not ever know. This is due in part to the very nature of biodynamics… the cosmic simply cannot be quantified. How does one say anything definitive about the cosmic? The bottom line though is that it’s environmentally reasonable. I don’t see how that can be a bad thing. That being said, there is no way in hell I could tell the difference between a wine made from biodynamic grapes compared to other faming methods in a blind test. However, knowing the level of passion and integrity that goes into a biodynamically farmed bottle of wine, for me, only adds to the pleasure gleaned from consuming it. As soon as you can, visit a biodynamic vineyard and prepare to be amazed. Seek out biodynamically produced wines and drink them post haste!

If you have an opinion one way or the other in regards to biodynamic farming, please let me know in the comments section. Questions are welcomed as well. Also, please join me next week for Part 3 as I wrap up this whole mess with my interview of one of the worlds great wine makers, who just happens to have an intimate understanding of Biodynamic farming. Cheers! 

The only real encounter I had with Greek wine before a couple years ago was in a dark little cafe in New York called Snack Taverna in 2003 – inexpensive pitchers of classic, cheap Retsina were the only thing we knew to order with our octopus salad and olives with salted almonds. The Retsina was fine, pleasantly pine-scented, and completely forgettable.

Then, about two years ago we started carrying a white called Moschofilero at my old shop in New York. I didn’t think twice about it. And then one day it was open. I pulled up a glass. The mineral, fruity freshness with a saline silver lining made me laugh out loud. Dang! I poured a little more, and swallowed. My curiosity popped.

All I knew of Greek wine before this synesthetic epiphany was the aforementioned Retsina, which had become the national beverage of Greece in the 1960′s. This gave Greek wine a reputation as frivolous, insipid, unserious. Luckily, Greek wine has been around for 6,500 years: clearly it can weather a storm. Appellation laws were established in the early 1970′s and now, armed with indigenous varietals, an ideal climate, interesting terroirs, forward-thinking winemakers, modern technology, moving-and-shaking exporters, and a hip little PR engine New Wines of Greece, Greece is back on the wine scene and poised to make Aegean-sized waves.

All the elements for success are in place, the most important of which are the wines themselves. Pink-skinned Moschofilero from Mantinia unleashes an awesome freshness on one’s senses, while steely Assyrtiko is full of salty minerals and bracing acidity (especially in volcanic Santorini) and begs for hot temps, sunny days, and light Mezes (Mediterranean tapas). Red Agiorgitiko from the Peloponnese is dark ruby red in color, complex of aroma and definitively ageworthy, while Naoussa Xinomavro will satisfy the Nebbiolo lover with its bright color, high acidity, and rich, strong tannins. This is the wine for your roasted lamb or meatballs.

Like I said, Greek wine barely passed my ‘who cares?’ test for the larger part of the last decade, but they’re onto something, and their siren song is certainly worth a listen if you’re into mixing it up a bit.  Here are some of my current faves for contemplation:

2010 Zafirakis Malagousia –  this wine is sprightly but mineral with good herbaceousness on the nose and an oily palate that’s balanced out with firm acidity.

2010 Tetramythos Roditis Patras –  Bright and guzzlable, this inexpensive white is pretty, with lots of apple and bergamot.

2008 Kir-Yianni Xinomavro Ramnista –  this rich, ageworthy red is finely built with good tannin and fresh acidity. Sun dried tomato and black olive on the palate make it super food-friendly.

We’ll be tasting all these and more with Greek Wine expert Markus Stolz of Elloinos, Friday January 27^th  from 5–7 PM if you’re interested in Greeking out with us here at WHWC in Los Angeles. Opa!

You are really going to have to follow me down the rabbit hole for this one. Right now, your reaction to biodynamics is probably something along the lines of… “You mean, that crazy vineyard witch doctor voodoo shaman stuff?” Yes, that stuff. In Part 1, I hope to give you a basic education on biodynamics in general, including a brief history, why it is significant and it’s basic tenets, just to see if I catch your interest. If I do, you can follow me further down the rabbit hole to Part 2, where I will cover some of the more technical aspects as well as the cosmic influences and briefly discuss the controversy surrounding certification. Part 3 will be my interview of an internationally renowned winemaking guru with experience working with biodynamic vineyards. Yes, you have to wait and read Part 3 to find out who it is. Hopefully somewhere along the way, I can address the million-dollar question… does it work? Although every one needs to answer that question for themselves, I will certainly offer my opinion.

Biodynamic farming is part of a much larger worldview, an all-encompassing philosophy developed by Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher, social activist, architect and all around wacky guy. He is most noted for developing Anthroposophy, a spiritual movement that encompasses the Waldorf/Steiner method of education, Biodynamic agriculture, social finance principles, the performing arts, architecture, medicine and much more in an effort to bridge the gap between science and mysticism. He wrote more then I want to mention (for fear of revealing my own inefficiency as an author) but he thankfully wrote an autobiography that detailed his life, even admitting the times people called him crazy, including Hitler. Go figure. The book is called “The story of my life.” It won’t change yours (or will it?), but it is entertaining.

Putting everything else aside and just focusing on the agricultural aspect of biodynamics, Steiner got the proverbial “ball” rolling with a seminar he taught in Germany as a response to local musings that modern chemical fertilizers were hurting, not helping, their crops and land. He introduced a comprehensive, all-natural philosophy for farming that covered all the bases: pest management, composting, soil fertility, greenhouses, sustainability, synergy with the surrounding environment, animal welfare, etc. The rest, as they say, is history.

It’s practices are already used extensively worldwide and it is growing in significance daily. The movement is a major “hot-topic” in the wine community right now, as evidenced by large international studies, buzz in the blogosphere, many magazine articles and more. Just how extensive is it? Let me mention some Burgundy Domaines you may have heard of: Romanee-Conti, Dujac, Vogue, Leflaive, Leroy, Mugnier, Tremblay… anything ringing a bell? There are literally hundreds of producers all around the world using biodynamics (certified or not): Araujo, Chapoutier, Gaja, Frog’s Leap, Grgich Hills, Littorai, Quivira, Zind Humbrect, Mordoree, Alois Lageder, Nikolaihof, Pingus, Casa Lapostolle… and the list goes on and on.

So… what is it? The basic tenets of Biodynamic farming begin with the recognition that the Earth as a whole is a single, yet multi-dimensional ecosystem that is bio-diverse, self-regulating and sustainable. Farmers following the biodynamic principles attempt to recreate that on a smaller scale within their own farm. This is for the benefit of their communities and the planet as a whole. The second major tenet is that there are cosmic forces in nature not yet fully understood by science and that the health of a farm (and consequently, the quality of the products being grown), the farm’s environment, and really, the whole planet and all its inhabitants, can be enhanced by working with and utilizing those forces.

By now, you are most likely thinking one of two things… 1) This seems weird, I’m outta here. Or 2) This seems weird, tell me more. In either case, you’re right, it’s weird. It gets weirder, trust me, but, that’s it for now. If you have questions or comments, please post them below. This is a controversial and confusing, yet significant topic. Part 2 will be live next week, where I will cover some of the technical details of biodynamics and how they tie into the cosmic forces.

Recently, my wife and I moved to Tarzana and have been scouring the neighborhood looking for delicious restaurants that don’t break the bank.  We visited several that were quite the fail and then we found our current favorite.  I present to you: Vino Wine & Tapas Room.  Located on Ventura in Encino, this small, comfortable eatery whips up delicious fare. 

We have been to Vino several times now and they have many different dishes and wines.  Although their wine list has a nice array from different regions around the world, we usually pay corkage.  We took my grandparents recently and had a wonderful time at a semi-private table near the back.  I brought one of my favorite rosé Champagnes, Billiot, and it paired wonderfully with many of the tapas.  Billiot is a grower champagne with grapes from Ambonnay.  All Grand Cru juice, the value is outstanding.  Pairing with the Billiot, we had Manchego, a thick slice of the cheese on a croqueta smothered with a sweet tomato vinaigrette.  We also had Albondigas, a sirloin meatball on top of savory mashed taters.  I love how rosé Champagne (or any rosé for that matter) pairs with so many different foods and can even cross over and pair with meats. The Billiot rosé is beautiful and offers a nose of dough, cinnamon, orange zest, and berries like raspberry and cherry.  Full creamy bubbles and delicious lip-smacking acidity constitute the palate.

My favorite “big” small bite is the New Zealand Lamb Chop.  I love pairing lamb with Syrah, and one of my favorite Syrahs is JL Chave Crozes-Hermitage from the Northern Rhone valley.  It pairs magically with lamb.  Soft tannins with tart raspberry flavors, all meshed together with fresh cracked black pepper, this is a classic French Syrah.  Syrah is fast becoming one of my favorite varietals.  It’s very versatile with food and I simply relish the peppery flavors.  The chops are prepared with, what do ya know, pepper and herbs encrusted with a wine reduction sauce on top. 

The ambience is terrific and on most weekends, they have live saxophone crooning at the front of the restaurant.  The chairs are very comfortable and the service is super friendly.  I like to describe the lighting as happy and dark.  All wine is served in Riedel stemware (specifically, Vinum Extreme).  For a less personal experience, there is always at least a small crowd at the bar where energetic conversations abound.  I highly recommend checking Vino out, but make sure you come by and pick up a couple bottles from me, custom matched for your food. 

Cheers!

It was a month of anticipation and questions to decide where to go for Labor weekend. But one thing I did know for sure: wherever I ended up going I would bring the bottle of wine I’d been wanting to have for a long time. I’d had the previous vintage of this particular wine and right away it became one of my favorite wines in the store.

The 2008 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee Napa Valley a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec & Cabernet Franc. I haven’t had this new vintage yet and was very excited to see how the ’08 would compare with the ’07. The conditions during the growing season and harvest weren’t as perfect as the previous vintage. Because of the dry Spring season and long cold nights, vines pushed out early. On the other hand, vines experienced perfect daytime temperature during this season which made the wine more rich and balanced.

In addition to Labor Day weekend, it happened to be my girlfriend’s anticipated b-day. What to do for it? Well I wanted to get away for sure, so I researched and made reservations for a great Labor day/b-day getaway celebration weekend on beautiful Catalina Island. After a long drive to Long Beach Port and a hour long boat ride, we finally got to our destination. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect. The sun was out, the island was alive and the people there were enjoying everything as we made our way to our hotel. Word of mouth from previous visitors was that Steve’s Steak House Bar & Grille was the place to go if you want a really good steak. Without thinking twice, I called the restaurant and made reservation for that same night of our arrival. Dropped our bags at our hotel room and hit the town for the rest of the day.

After a long morning and afternoon of exploring Catalina and its wonders we headed back to our room to get ready for dinner. In one hand I had my girlfriend’s hand and in the other hand my precious bottle; I couldn’t have asked for a better evening. The weather of the island at night was cool, not too hot and the sky clear. I had asked the waiter to please open the bottle of wine right away, to give it some air to open up before having it with steak. We started with salad. The steak arrived and we had it with the wine. What a good combo. Chappellet has the complexity of a Bordeaux, with the richness of California growth. The nose shows a touch of spice, plums, mocha and ripe fruit. On the palate you get hints of black cherry, soft but rich tannins, which lead to a much anticipated long finish. What can I say but: “It was a perfect pair with an amazing steak.” The whole night was a good experience, the restaurant, the island, the company, and the wine. I highly recommend this bottle of wine to be pair with some good steak.