Origins et Principles
In 1924, at 8 lectures to farmers, the philosopher Rudolf Steiner states for the first time the principles of Biodynamics. This new way of thinking agriculture resulting from the growing concern of farmers and agronomists on the effects of used cultivation methods of the time especially on the fauna and flora . Biodynamics bases its principle on that we have to not consider only the plant that is cultivated but its surrounding organism as part of a single entity (plant, soil, fauna). As a result, Rudolf Steiner explains that if we look at the environment of our planet as a whole, the disease of this plant could be in fact the result of an imbalance located elsewhere in the system around this plant.
The aim of biodynamics is to preserve or recreate a clean environment and not hostile to the fauna, flora, and the land of our cultures. Also avoid term depletion of soil due to intensive and not reflected farms. Biodynamics includes several preparations from plant, animal and mineral materials; substances that can be applied to our cultures to strengthen the exchange between the plant and the soil. Thanks to its proximity to the Earth, the Moon and the stars affect the plant, wildlife, land.
The work from Maria Thun have proven the impact of cosmic movements on the growth of a plant. This impact is related to several factors such as the position of the moon relative to the Earth, the position of the Sun and planets relative to the constellations. Maria Thun was able to establish a schedule with his comments. This calendar has defined several types of days that favor a different part of the plant:
Flower Day / Leaf Day / Root Day / Fruit Day
These four parts of the plant will be stimulated according to different periods all the parameters outlined above. Maria Thun's calendar is now a tool widely used in biodynamics because it includes all the information needed to optimize the actions that humans will want to perform on his plant.
As with other crops , the use of biodynamics in the vineyard strengthens the interaction between the soil and the plant in its root and leaf system. Two preparations are particularly used:
- Preparation 500 based from horn manure : strengthening and building soil and roots
- Preparation 501 based from horn silica : strengthening aerial plant part
There are other preparations used mostly plant based, each one with the aim to fix a specific imbalance. All preparations used on the vines need to be dynamized, they are diluted in rainwater in a shifter then placed under rapid stirring to form a vortex and changing suddenly the direction of stirring in order to breake the vortex to create an energetic chaos. These preparations are then sprayed directly on the vines.
Biodynamics : Roland La Garde and Sainte-Luce Bellevue
In conversion since 2008, certifications for organic farming are obtained in 2012 and those for biodynamics in 2014 with the Demeter label for all of our wines. Working on biodynamics, both in the winery and in the vineyard, following Maria Thun’s calendar, brought us a wealth preservation and improvement of our soils and a strengthening of the interaction plant / soil. The results of this work are felt in wine tastings where we find a better aromatic expression and a characteristic minerality and purity brought by this work in biodynamics.
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