Biodynamics

Biodynamics

In brief, the vine grown biodynamically, according to the precepts of Rudolph Steiner, guarantees that no kind of fertilizer (apart from biodynamic compost or manure), insecticide, nor herbicide is used.

Also the vines are fed with different plant infusions and pampered according to the cycles of nature, including the lunar cycle. Thus, Man, animal, and plant find a beneficial synergy together at Domaine Piccard offering you a moment sublime and unforgettable wines!

1924: Rudolf Steiner establishes biodynamic agriculture. This is rooted in the inheritance collected for more than 7'900 years in agriculture. Biodynamics is based on the desire to cultivate nature with ... nature. It regenerates soils and plants and offers consumers products whose aromas and nutritional qualities are unmatched.

Biodynamics is currently experiencing a boom in wine activity. Biodynamic agriculture considers nature as a whole entity producing food while preserving herself for future generations, or even improving herself. The soil, and in particular the first meter of soil, becomes the most important component in this type of agriculture: in fact, it is from this that all life on earth depends.

This first meter of soil rich in humus took thousands of years to have such a large microbiological activity and abundant microfauna. These microorganisms work tirelessly to produce the organic matter which plants need to grow. It is therefore important to take care of it. Conventional agriculture has destroyed most of these microscopic populations with fungicides, insecticides, and weed killers. It has therefore become necessary to turn back before the planet's soils are destroyed. Biodynamic agriculture allows us to return to a state of good soil health in about ten years, which is relatively little time in the life of a soil that has lived many lives before us - and that hopefully will continue to to live a long time after us.

  • Biodynamics at Domaine Piccard

    For more than ten years, insecticides, mineral fertilizers and herbicides have not been used on Domaine Piccard's estates.

    This allows us to obtain great results and respect the best of our ancestors' land. If it is also a political choice, it is the decline of soils and their fertility that are at the base of this first (eco) logical evidence.

    This logic is applied to all the stages necessary for the culmination of our wines: being naturally of lower yield, a simple vinification also allows each grape variety and each vintage to express its potential. Add to that the time needed for their development in our cellar to obtain all the elements synonymous with an incomparable quality.

  • What is the difference between BIO and BIODYNAMIC?

    Bio

    Bio A wine from organic viticulture (called 'organic wine') is a wine made from organically farmed grapes.

    To obtain the Organic Agriculture label (AB label), vines must therefore be managed according to precise specifications: chemical weeding and the use of prohibited synthetic treatment products are prohibited. The vineyard is protected only with chemicals of natural origin such as sulfur dioxide (against powdery mildew) and copper sulphate (against mildew), and also with plant decoctions.

    Organic wine has existed officially for a very short time (2012). Before, only viticulture was taken into account, not vinification. The official European specifications introduced in 2012 now require no synthetic or insecticide treatment in the vineyards. Recently, the EU proposed to reduce (very slightly) the inputs during winemaking. On the other hand, it allows acidification, deacidification, heat treatment, the addition of tannins, the addition of wood chips, sulfur, industrial yeasts, etc.

    Biodynamic

    Biodynamics encompasses the practices of organic agriculture, except that it uses exclusively biodynamic preparations such as plant decoctions, horn dung or horn silica.


    These preparations:
    • restructure and energize the soil,
    • dramatically increase the rooting of plants,
    • improve the resistance of plants,
    • improve the taste quality of foods.
    In its approach to viticulture, biodynamics is also based on different planetary and stellar rhythms related to the development of the land, plants and animals.

    As for the biodynamic vinification, only the collage of the wine and the filtration, the chaptalisation (addition of sugar) are authorized only for the sparkling and the industrial yeasts. The use of sulfur doses is lower than for organic wine.

    Note that a third category exists: natural wines with few or no inputs (such as sulfur) are added during its vinification. No legislation around its exact definition exists yet.

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