Organic wineries from around the world showcased their wines at this year's Millésime Bio 2011, held in Montpellier, France from January 24th to 26th. Almost 450 wineries from fifteen countries participated, with the majority coming from France, Italy and Spain.
What began in 1993 as a small gathering of local winegrowers from the Languedoc-Rouillon region has turned into a global event, growing in both size, reputation and quality. This year they had to add a second exhibition hall to accommodate everyone. Here are some interesting moments, people and wineries from the show.
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way you are going to be fascinated by my research that shows
the science behind biodynamic wine making, finally proving how the
methodology works scientifically. It will now be possible to dispense
with all of the mysticism surrounding this process so that it can be
taken up by more and more farmers who will be shown that the process
follows very simple scientific principles.
I have spent the past two years researching a book that looks at
science from a slightly different angle, using existing peer reviewed
double blind studies. The conclusions I have made will, I hope, be of
great interest to the wine community.
I am surprisingly giving away the book for free as I am very keen to
get the message out to as many people as possible. You can download
the book for free at www.blindedbyscience.co.uk . The chapter that is
most relevant to biodynamic farming is chapter three although to
understand it fully you have to read the first two chapters as well.
If you read also the chapters on magnetism and plants you will be
amazed to discover that it is possible to improve a crops output by
50% by using electromagnetic fields on seeds.
If you would like to chat about any of the points that I raise in my
book, then please feel free to contact me.
Best wishes,
Matthew Silverstone
Would you say adding fertiliser to your crops is a christian philosphy?
The problem with biodynamic farming is not the methods that they use, it is the fact that it has been hijacked by people who seem to have made it into something it is not.
I like organic products. Its great that we are becoming more aware of our agriculutral practices. But the organic wine industry would not exist without the use of chemical pesticides. That's the reality that organic disciples don't seem to want to discuss. You want to continue to perpetuate the myth than organic viticulture is chemical free. You are leaving science behind which I don't think is a positive way move forward.
The truth is a lot more complicated. Sustainability is not a government program - its a pathway that changes with research and understanding the science. Materials are being researched to control pathogens that will be more effective and environmentally friendly than using heavy metals and products like phosphorus which are being touted as its potential replacement.
I'm sure sustainable growers would be happy to include glypohsate on their label (similar to phosphoric acid btw) as long as organic growers do the same. That means mentioning the copper sulfate produced by Shenyang Kairui Chemical in China and the sulfur from Cerexagri, India.
I think this is why he stopped responding to you. You're not even listening to what he's saying, and he actually made attempts to find common ground with you, without any sweeping statements that you keep alluding to.
More importantly, how is organic wine of higher quality, more environmentally friendly and healthier than wines made from sustainable growers or not following the organic guidelines? I think it would be helpful to your readers if you could clarify this here.
1. Organic wine is whatever the government of that particular country calls organic. The U.S. does not allow additional sulfites added to organic wines. Those that have them are called Made with Organic Grapes. The European Union is still trying to agree on their own rules.
2. The quality of a wine is up to the individual winemaker. There are bad organic wines and bad conventional ones. Some wine drinkers may want a wine simply because they want organic everything. The majority of organic winemakers, however, want to be judged on the individual merit of their wine, and organic is just the method they believe is the way they can make the best wine.
3. There is no set definition for sustainable, so given the extremes, a winery that is dumping tons of chemicals into the soil is less environmentally friendly than an organic winery not using them. In reality, there are many sustainable wineries that are very conscientious about what they are using, and even those that claim they are better than organic, since organic rules still allow for sulphur and copper spraying. These are arguments that go round and round. In all cases, the best thing is for the individual wine buyer to decide what, if anything, is important to them and get to know the wineries and their practices better.
Also you seem to want to perpetuate the black and white description of organic vs. conventional. Sustainable vineyards and wineries are not considered conventional in the pejorative sense you describe. It is a false dichotomy. Conventional producers I would consider large scale, mass production companies that are producing wine in an international style with little respect for terroir. Sustainable wineries are located all over the country, are smaller in scale and are trying to be as safe and environmentally friendly as possible. This also means no copper sulfate (as allowed in organic production) excessive sulfur applications and no fish based fertilizers produced through the by products of the unsustainable large scale commercial fishing industry.
My point is that in the wine business, the use of organic production practices are in fact not pesticide free and may not always be the safest or best local practices available. Even more of a reason for someone to get to know their local winery as well as a good contact in their local shop.
Badger Organic Boxed Red is also BPA free bad & Vegan.
And less waste.
www.getskinnygovegan.blogspot.com
What wine isn't vegan?