Bio-Dynamism
It would seem odd, on the face of it, that Burgundy, the most disperse and morcellated of all France's vignobles, should have such a large proportion of its territory now cultivated bio-dynamically – 1600 hectares, or 5.3 percent of the total surface, at the last count. After all what your neighbours do, only a few rows of vines away, is bound to impinge on what you have done in your vines. How bio-dynamic is it possible to be in this situation?
But then Burgundy, God bless, is nothing if not a vineyard area of individualists. The refreshing fact is that here the proprietor is the wine-maker, the chef de cave and the chef de culture, as well as probably the book-keeper in his or her spare time. Decisions can be taken, perfectionism persued, without reference to endless committees of finance wizards and shareholders. Bio-dynamism works, though it is more expensive than the lutte raisonnée (the ordinary, sensible, reactive viticultural approach). The wines are better, and more representative of their origins.
Within a decade, I predict that 10 percent of Burgundy will be bio-dynamic.