Wine blogging Wednesday #29 - Biodynamic wine
Fork and bottle are hosting WBW #29. The theme being biodynamic wines.
Despite being sceptical about the process of biodynamics, the fact remains that, some of the world's best wine is biodynamic. Just as you can be atheist and admire St Paul's. So it is that I am sceptical about biodynamic agriculture while still coveting the wines of Domaine Leroy et al.
I selected as my wine, the Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2004.
It is a superb wine, even in its youth, the shape, beauty and grace is plain to see.
Is this because of biodynamics? No.
Cullen have been making superb wines for a many years. Initially following conventional methods, then organic and finally biodynamic. I have had the good fortune of trying their flagship Cabernet Merlot blend from the a variety of vintages spanning two decades and the excellence has always been there, though the wines of the last decade have been particularly superb (for example the 1996, 1999 and 2001).
In a related post I detail some of the viticultural changes that have occurred at Cullen. Biodynamics is the latest change. Does it effect the wine? In my opinion no. But I do think it will keep the wines at an exceptional standard, by keeping the vineyards in optimal health.
Cullen recently announced that they had become a carbon neutral winery. I see parallels with their foray into biodynamics. Neither will result in a change to the wine. Both reveal an interest in the well being of the environment and the earth and that is something we all need to emulate.
technorati tags: wine, australian wine, wbw
3 comments:
Edward, thanks for the comment on my blog about the dates.
Cheers
TB
One thing tough to figure out is wmany wineries converted to biodynamics. One winemaker I've talked told me it takes a full ten years to get its full effects.
I wonder, too, if un-oaked wines show effects easier. Ms. Cullen is also just a very smart winemaker; as you say, she's going to make excellent wine no matter if her grapes are conventional, organic or biodynamic.
Jack,
As I alluded to - part of the problem is the compression of time and the amount of change over that time.
In 3 decades - 3 changes to how the earth is looked after, changes to the trellis system, changes in use of yeast, changes in how wine is sealed, some dabbling with sulphur levels (mainly in the chardonnay), changes to when grapes are picked etc etc.
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