Echoes of the Big Bang

We are all spiraling out of control, spinning through space and time, propelled by the giant hiccup that was the creation of our universe. I bet it was a beautiful and violent expression of pure energy, propelling celestial bodies in a race with eternity.

On planet Earth, the big bang has no direct bearing on our day to day life. We humans can’t relate. We go about our daily routine making life easier by quantifying and controlling what we can observe and ignoring the things that are beyond our perception. Are we missing something? Perhaps we lack the antennae.

There are some who think that science falls short, that all but imperceptible forces and energies, some immeasurable by physical science, impact and influence all living things. They believe we have the tools to tap into and benefit from the energy and rhythms of the cosmos. In 1924, Rudolph Steiner gave a lecture that turned this school of thought into an agricultural movement, known as Biodynamics.

The most notorious Biodynamic prep is the sensational BD 500 horn manure. It never fails to raise an eyebrow. Steiner believed cows’ horns serve as antennae, saying that if you could imagine yourself inside the carcass of a live cow, you would feel the energy of the cosmos pouring into the animal through the horns. Forget self-defense, the horns are astral antennae. I can feel you rolling your eyes already, but hang on, the fun is just beginning. BD 500 starts with a cow horn (must be a cow, not a steer or bull, and preferably one that has calved at least once) stuffed full of cow manure (again, a female… and a lactating one at that) and buried on the fall equinox. After winter, on the spring equinox, the horn is unearthed, the contents diluted with rainwater and then the compost tea is energized by stirring in one direction until a vortex is formed and then the vortex is broken by stirring in the opposite direction until another vortex is formed. This is repeated for one hour. The vortex emulates the action of the universe with its spiraling galaxies and captures the primeval energies of the cosmos.

By now you must think we are from Mars, but we too are a little cynical. Some cynics call this ‘Doodoo Voodoo.’ But, we do it, and here’s why. Consider what’s in Prep 500: trillions of microbes. You apply the prep to your soil as a microbial inoculum. Microbes turn organic matter into plant food, obviating the need for synthetic fertilizers by providing nutrients in a natural form. All of RSV’s vineyards are Demeter certified Biodynamic, but we are practicing agnostics and look to modern methods to explain the rituals of Biodynamics. However, some things can’t be explained. It either works or it doesn’t, and sometimes it takes a leap of faith.

A biodynamicist looks on his farm as an individual organism which must be both self-sufficient and integrated with its surroundings. Make the farm fit the place, rather than the other way ‘round. Become part of the surrounding ecosystem, and nature will embrace your efforts. Not just the immediate surroundings either, as biodynamics recommends the timing of key viticultural practices based on the position of celestial bodies. Again, the modern mind offers resistance, but when a farmer gets unprecedented results after pruning according to the position of the moon, stars and planets, why becomes a moot question.

Recently, at a forum on biodynamic viticulture, Alan York, a prominent biodynamic consultant, was asked how to answer objections to biodynamics as a cult or pseudoscience. His answer went something like this: How could you reject an attempt to follow the rhythms of nature, a proven system, in favor of ‘conventional’ agriculture, which runs a playbook written by large international agrichemical companies, whose motives are questionable at best, and whose practices prove to be unsustainable?

Tasting Notes

My favorite Marcien – Herb-scented cassis, licorice and lightly roasted coffee hit amongst exotic smoked spice aromas. A sip brings cherries, plums and olives. Notes of tobacco and leather chime in; all on a texture drawn supple and taut like a drum. A youthful vibrant edge and ripe, sleek tannins make for assertive, but balanced structure, promising the potential for a long-term relationship, if you’re looking for that sort of thing. As always, take with food.

Winegrowing Notes

Some of our neighbors thought we were from Mars when they heard we were planting the cultivars of Bordeaux in Carneros. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were the conventional choice. Well, convention doesn’t mean very much around here, and Merlot loves Carneros. The clay-based soils and maritime influence of the bay must remind it of the Right Bank. Though a little more site-specific than Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, if planted in the right spots, can provide superlative fruit in Carneros. These three grapes are a natural trio, and though each has its own unique voice, they perform best in concert. The beauty of this triad is that each responds to weather patterns in different ways and has its own ripening cycle, so instead of putting all eggs in one varietal basket, the ratios can be adjusted to make the best wine within the parameters of the vintage. Each year, RSV selects several lots that best express the essence of their Bordeaux varieties from their CCOF Certified Organic and Demeter Certified Biodynamic Carneros vineyards. Let the concert begin.

I get a good chuckle every time someone tastes an olive directly from a tree. The poor victim quickly spits out the bitter, tannic fruit and comments just how yucky they taste raw. The reason I chuckle is not from lack of kindness, just the memory of my own experience. Olives only become edible after one of two processes: curing, for the eating kind, or pressing, for the oil varieties. Each variety has differing amounts of oil and bitterness. Olives grown for the table are usually nutty, meaty and less bitter. If you are lucky enough to have a source of raw olives, try to cure some of your own. The veal recipe can be made with store bought or home-cured olives with equally impressive results.

Marcien is great with olives. This bottling possesses a mere hint of the black orb in its impressively complex palate… and a hint is all that’s needed to pair with the richness of the braised veal and the subtle flavor of the olives in the dish. It is a beautifully balanced wine with refreshing crispness and a flair for food. Enjoy!

Until the next wine…
Maria