Biodynamic is in the air

IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS....and this week we decided to try something different in the spirit of upcoming festivities.


When        21st of December 2012

Where       a casual home tasting this time at Anne-Laure’s house in Bordeaux

What         Two biodynamic wines, a white from France and a red from Spain

      Since it was supposed to be the "end of the World", we decided to try something different, in case it would be our very last glass of wine! Anne-Laure did her internship in a wine shop called “Meilleurs Vins Bio”, near Paris. Since then she has been a massive fan of organic and biodynamic wines.

She picked up in her cellar 'easy' vintages and grape varieties so we could focus on the aromas due to the different culture of the vineyards.

Both opened an hour before we started the tasting, they were in perfect condition when  we all arrived (late as usual).

Viré-Clessé 2010 - Domaine de Roally - Gauthier Thévenet - Mâconnais - Bourgogne
Family estate, runned by the younger son, recently converted to biodynamic farming.
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Aging: 12 months in French oak barrels
Appearance: golden and pretty shinny, with honey reflects
Nose: vanilla, white flowers (as honeysuckle) and white fruits (mostly pear)
Taste: mellow and sweet to start, but in the evolution it becomes fresher, juicy and crunchy like a fresh William pear, citrusy on the end and quite long.


Christmas dinner pairing: traditional 'Bresse' poultry in a creamy sauce and risotto, with truffles slices. The freshness of the fruits (citrus and pear) lighten up the creamy risotto, the truffle aromas enhance the vanilla flavour and the tenderness of the meat contrasts with the crunchiness of the wine.

Everyday pairing: Tarte Tatin, typical French apple pie, cooked upside down. The apples remain very soft - baked in toffee and butter, matching with the honeysuckle aromas. The pie crust is as crunchy as the wine and the seeded fruits (apple and pear) go well together. The citrusy feeling refreshes the lasting taste in the mouth.






Desierto 2008 - Azul y Garanza - Navarra – Spain
'Desert' as a wine name is not really appealing, but it refers to the soil and extreme conditions the vine has to go through in the part of Navarra.
Grape variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Aging: 15 months in French oak barrel
Appearance: deep garnet, with violet hints
Nose: ripe black fruits (blueberries or blackcurrants), very straightforward
Taste: Fresh but no wood at all, giving the impression of having a fresh blueberry on the tongue, with its silky texture and a soft delicate flavour, very light tannins, dominated by a nice fruit acidity, medium long as a finish, leaving a hot sensation in the throat but balanced in its own way.

Christmas dinner pairing: Italian beetroot carpaccio with fresh peppered goat cheese and roasted hazelnuts. The raw beetroot offers the same sweet sensation as the blackberries, but the pepper and hazelnuts will underline the very soft tannins to make them a little deeper.

Everyday pairing: fig and pistachio cake - the flavour of the figs brings a sweet contrast to the acidity of the black fruits. The pistachios enhance the freshness of the wine and add an impression of crunchiness.





SO.... Organic and biodynamic wines are supposed to taste really different from the others. The more sceptical often say these wines smell like stable and wet hay. After drinking these two, it was not my impression at all. We were quite surprised by their aromas, but would not be able to distinguish them from conventional grown wines. 

All in all a pleasant evening - be sure to taste some bio-wines yourselves if you are ever offered the chance!