Biodiversity
The secret is hidden behind the work in the vineyard.
- Diversity: Demeter winegrowers regard their vineyards as ecosystems, as a living organism. Instead of a monoculture, the greatest possible diversity of plants and insects is sought to create a balanced and stable environment for the vines.
- Biodynamic: Demeter viticulture is much more than a guaranteed renunciation of chemical synthetic pesticides. In fact, the winegrower gives back more to the vineyard than they take away from it through harvesting and cultivation. Biodynamic preparations for the soil and plant support this.
- Rhythmic: The vines follows the course of the sun in their growth. Biodynamic winegrowers therefore have a sense of rhythm when pruning, applying the preparations and harvesting the grapes, supporting the vines in their natural growth. This is more important to the winegrowers than work processes based on purely economic criteria.
- Logical: Living wines need living soils. The soil is the “treasure chest” of every Demeter biodynamic vineyard, explaining why biodynamic winegrowers are particularly careful with it. They make sure that the humus layer of the soil grows continuously so that their vineyard can withstand both droughts and heavy rainfall, allowing a variety of micro-organisms to settle in it. All this contributes to the expression of terroir and aroma in wine.
What is biodymaic practise in winemaking?
Imagine a vineyard where everything is connected—the soil, the vines, the moon, even the stars above. That’s biodynamics. It’s a way of farming that treats the vineyard as a living being, working with nature rather than against it.
No Chemicals. Like organic farming, but stricter. No synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers—just natural solutions.
Special “Recipes” for Soil & Vines. Think of them as herbal teas or homeopathic remedies for plants. For example: Cow horn manure helps to boost root health, silica spray helps vines to absorb sunlight.
Moon & Cosmic Rhythms. Pruning, planting, and harvesting follow nature’s calendar—like gardening by the phases of the moon.
Self-Sufficient Farms. Everything stays on the property, compost from vineyard waste, animals for natural fertilizer, wild plants for biodiversity.
Why Biodiversity Matters in Biodynamic Vineyards
In biodynamic farming, a vineyard isn’t just rows of grapes—it’s a living ecosystem where every plant, insect, and microbe plays a vital role.
Stronger, Healthier Vines. Diversity of animals like birds, ladybugs, and bees keep harmful insects in checks, so no pesticides needed. Diverse plants and fungi in the soil create natural defenses against mold and mildew.
Living Soil = Better Wine. Billions of tiny organisms break down compost, feeding vines deep nutrients. A mix of roots (grasses, herbs, trees) helps soil absorb and hold water to resist draught or flood.
True “Terroir” Expression. Wild Herbs & Flowers (like chamomile or yarrow) grow between vines, adding subtle mineral and floral notes to the grapes. Old trees & hedges bring shade, wind protection, and even change how sunlight reflects onto the grapes.
A Self-Sustaining Farm. Sheep graze cover crops, providing manure to feed the soil, healthy soil grows flavorful grapes.
How do we practise biodynamics in our vineyard?
In our vineyard, we don’t just grow grapes – we cultivate relationships. With the soil, with the plants, and with the invisible life that connects them all.
Listening to the Land
Every morning, we walk through the rows not just to work, but to listen. The way a vine holds its leaves tells us if it’s happy. The color of the soil shows us if it’s hungry. We’ve learned that sometimes the best action is no action – leaving wildflowers to grow between rows, or resisting the urge to over-prune. The vines thank us for this patience.
Feeding the Invisible World
Beneath our feet, a universe of microbes and fungi work miracles. We support them with special preparations:
• Horn manure (500) – Wakes up sleepy soil like morning coffee
• Silica spray (501) – Helps leaves “drink” sunlight
• Herbal teas – Like medicine for plants, made from chamomile, nettle and oak bark
These aren’t fertilizers – they’re messages to the soil, written in nature’s language.
Working with Nature’s Rhythm
We time our work like dancers following music. Prune when the moon pulls energy down to the roots. Spray when the morning dew can carry our preparations into the plant. Harvest when the grapes tell us they’re ready, not when the calendar says.
The Greatest Lesson
After years of this practice, we’ve learned something beautiful – the vineyard doesn’t belong to us. We belong to the vineyard. When we pick grapes each September, we’re not taking – we’re receiving gifts from a living world that trusted us to care for it.
What makes biodynamic wines unique?
In every bottle – wine that doesn’t just taste good, but tastes true. Not of chemicals or tricks, but of this particular piece of earth, in this particular year, cared for by these particular hands. That’s biodynamics – not a method, but a conversation that never ends.
At the heart of biodynamics lies deep respect—for the land, the ecosystem, and the authentic expression of each vineyard. Demeter winemakers approach their craft with patience and responsibility, using preventive care and intimate knowledge of their terroir to minimize intervention. Great wine isn’t made, it’s nurtured.