Jean-Michel Florin - Biodynamic Wine Growing: Understanding the Vine and Its Rhythms

Like wheat, vines have accompanied human development since ancient times. Compared to all other areas of conventional agriculture, viticulture today uses the largest number of chemical treatments in order to protect its vines. This situation came about in a dramatic way as a result of the grape louse depredations more than 150 years ago. The vine is even referred to as a museum of plant pathologies.

Rather than seeking to solve each problem on its own and thereby merely address symptoms, we need to recognise that the vine is severely weakened: it has become sick and ever more prone to disease and pest attack thanks largely to the modernisation of vine cultivation.

How did we get to this point? What is the current situation? And what possibilities are there for the future regeneration of the vine and viticulture?

More and more wine growers are waking up to this situation and looking to change their approach in a fundamental way and understand the vine better. Since the 1980s wine growers have been converting to the biodynamic approach in increasing numbers. They are often amazed at the positive response of the vine and indeed the whole vineyard: improved soil, healthier plants and above all better grape and wine quality. In many countries (Germany, Italy, France, Spain, USA) biodynamic viticulture is becoming the public face and ambassador for biodynamic agriculture. Some of the worlds best wines are now biodynamic.

Over the decades growers have had many positive experiences with biodynamic viticulture. But of course, many new questions have arisen about the future of the vine itself. This book offers an interim summary of the wide range of experiences with biodynamic viticulture in order to develop a vision for the future of vine cultivation.

This book follows three steps. The first step ( ) offers a holistic, phenomenological observation of the vine. If we want to understand the current situation of the vine we need to try and understand its inner nature. The more intimate understanding of the vine made possible by these observation techniques enables us to determine whether the practical measures applied are appropriate to the vine or whether they weaken the plant. Knowledge of the vines cultural history, and the way it has changed over the last 150 years, is also part of this.

In the second step ( ), consideration will be given to the conditions required for healthy vine cultivation how should the vine of today be cared for to ensure it remains healthy? In this section various aspects of biodynamic practice will be described, drawing on concrete examples.

But in the long term none of this will be sufficient. A third step is needed how can weakened vines be fundamentally regenerated? And what is the future mission of this plant? The third section of the book ( ) will explore the possible direction of travel for practice-based research.

May this book give its readers inspiration for the future of the vine.