The Difference Between

Organic, Biodynamic,
and Natural Wine

Organic Wines
Organic wine is wine made from grapes grown in
vineyards that exclude the use of synthetic chemicals
fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides and pesticides.
The idea is that the best grapes possible are used in the
manufacture of the wine. The soil is respected and biodiversity of
the environment is encouraged. Vines grow in soil rich in worms,
insects and bacteria. Cover crops of mineral rich leguminous
plants, herbs and flowers are grown. This results in soil being full
of nutrients and trace elements that the vines can take up. The
vines are also stronger, healthier and more resistant to disease.
Natural predators are added to the vineyard: ladybirds to tackle
aphid problems, insectivorous birds to eat spiders or beetles, and
chickens, emerging from mobile chicken coops placed around the
vineyard, to eat grubs and vine weevils from the ground.

Biodynamic Wine
For a vineyard to be considered biodynamic the vinegrower must follow the organic criteria plus some or all of
the philosophies first voiced in 1924 by Rudolf Steiner.
Steiner was an Austrian cultural philosopher, social reformer and
spiritual scientist; a genius who also worked on artistic media,
drama, education methods, architecture and finally agriculture. His
idea was to apply a holistic approach to the farm wherein every
organism contributes and has part to play in the "circle of life." The
farm should encourage biodiversity, be self-sustainable and resist
monoculture through cultivation of a variety of plants (vineyards
are normally monocultures as they grow just vines). It combines a
planting, sowing, harvesting and pruning regime determined by the
position of the sun, moon and planets. This approach, later refined
by agriculturalist Maria Thun, provides the basis to modern
biodynamics.
Steiner outlined nine preparations (500-508) these are made from
cow manure, quartz (silica) and seven medicinal plants. Some of
these materials are first transformed using animal organs as
sheaths (the animal organs are not used on the vineyards). Of the
nine biodynamic preparations three are used as sprays (horn
manure, horn silica and common horsetail) and the other six are
applied to the vineyard via solid compost.
It is the circle of life. Animals eat the plants and plants eat the
animals, everything is reduced to its basic carbon state and then
rebuilt, its a continuous cycle
~ Alvaro Espinosa, Chilean biodynamic superstar, winemaker of
Emiliana and Antiyal

Natural Wines
There is no official or legal classification or standard set of operating procedures, which makes
natural wine hard to define.
Natural winemaking is very much a philosophy and a nose-to-tail approach to producing wine, extending from vineyard
to bottling. In general, organic and biodynamic philosophies concentrate on the vineyard (and similar standards of
care should pass into the winery), but with natural winemakers stricter, self-imposed standards exist. For example,
copper sulfate sprays and cultivated yeasts are never used in natural wine. The biggest misconception is about sulfur
dioxide, which has been used since Roman times as a disinfectant and an antioxidant. It is the only additive used in
natural winemaking, and then only in small quantitiesand only if the winemaker wishes to do so. By the very nature
of this philosophy, natural winemakers are small-scale, artisan operations that may risk their entire years production
by sticking to their principles, following an ancient and historical method that combines great care in the vineyard and
winery to produce the best product that nature can provide.

Presented by www.CellarsWineClub.com
Source: https://www.guildsomm.com/stay_current/features/b/guest_blog/posts/organic-biodynamic-and-natural-wines-explained