Biodynamic wines at not easy to find at the LCBO. This is partly because Biodynamic practices are so fussy and labour-intensive that they’re hard perform in a large scale vineyard. As a result, true Biodynamic wines tend to be made in small, hand-fashioned lots. This artisanal approach is one of the true reasons why Biodynamic wine is so good, but (unfortunately) it is also the reason why it’s usually so expensive.
If you want to try this mystical style of wine, here are my top picks:
- Montirius 2004 Terre de Aînés, Gigondas, France (
$35.00[Ed. note: No longer available], Vintages #116079)
The Terre de Aînés is made with Grenache and 20 percent Mourvèdre from vines that date back to 1925. The Mourvèdre gives the wine a potent funkiness that integrates surprisingly well into the fruit that drives the palate. The end result is a sort of musky elegance — like an attractive model who needs a bath. The palate is floral and sweet, with notes of lilacs, violet and blueberry. The grippy structure suggests that it can mature nicely to 2015. 90/100 - Southbrook 2008 Triomphe Chardonnay VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake (
$21.95[Ed. Note: 2008 no longer available], Vintages #172338)
Southbrook is in the process of converting to a fully Biodynamic practice. Their Triomphe is for lovers of spicy, vibrant Chardonnays. The bouquet has rich notes of caramel and MacIntosh apples, complemented by an unusual (and unusually pleasant) saline note. It is light and agile as it dances around your tongue, making it refreshing and engaging. Highly recommended. 90/100 - Nikolaihof 2006 Hefeabzug Grüner Veltliner, Austria ($27.95, Vintages #85274).
Austria makes some of the best values in Europe, and this is no exception. Grüner Veltliner is a lithe, aromatic white grape. The Nikolaihof offers a clean nose with hints of peapod and melon, followed by breezy and balanced palate. Notes of citrus and grass are particularly charming. This is a wine painted in watercolours. 90/100 - Le Clos Jordanne 2007 Claystone Terrace Chardonnay VQA Twenty Mile Bench (
$40.00[Ed. note: No longer available], Vintages #56929)
Le Clos Jordanne is not certified, but they do use Biodynamic practices. When I asked them about this, they told me, “We are practicing biodynamic, but given we are working with 56 hectares, it is difficult to accomplish all tasks on the perfect biodynamic day.” Whatever they’re doing, it’s working for them. This fantastic wine challenges the drinker because it juxtaposes a number of strong characteristics that ought to conflict with each other: great acidity, ultra-ripe tropical fruit and striking oak influence. It could be messy or massive, but instead it’s oddly delicate. Slightly perverse and close to perfect. 94/100
Matthew Sullivan is a civil litigator in Toronto. He blogs weekly here on lawandstyle.ca. The Short Cellar column also appears in the print edition of Precedent. Matthew can be reached at matthew@lawandstyle.beta-site.ca. Follow along on Twitter: @shortcellar.
Photo by Daniel Spiess