And biodynamic wines scored even higher — 5.8 points above organics. Biodynamic wines scored even higher, reasoned wines did no better, and in some cases worse, than conventional wines.
That’s the conclusion of an analysis of the ratings of more than 128,000 French wines, 8% from the broadly defined organic and biodynamic categories, published in three leading French wine publications. The analysis was conducted by UCLA Anderson’s Magali Delmas and Kedge Business School’s Olivier Gergaud
- The lack of added sulfites in U.S. organic wines may account for some wine marketplace concerns about quality; without preservatives, a wine is likelier to go “off” sooner. The USDA even has a separate certification for wines “made with organically grown grapes” that permits added sulfites.
- Biodynamic wines are a separate category. They’re produced without artificial fertilizers and pesticides and follow even more stringent farming practices. Biodynamic wineries, based on principles developed in the 1920s by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, stress the creation of a self-sufficient and healthy ecosystem. Many raise livestock for fertilizer, and they water, prune and harvest according to lunar and astrological cycles. Some added sulfites are permitted. Wines that follow these principles are certified by independent organizations, such as Demeter International and Biodyvin, not by governments.
- France has a third group of wines that falls between conventional and organic. Producers practice what they call “reasoned agriculture,” which claims to use more sustainable and less environmentally harmful methods but lacks the imprimatur of organic or biodynamic third-party certification.
What accounts for the strong performance of organic and biodynamic wines in the study? Some wine experts contend that these wines have higher “aromatic purity” because, in conventional wines, pesticide residues can leave a hint of chlorine in the bouquet. Biodynamic producers say their practices enhance a vineyard’s natural “terroir,” the characteristic taste imparted by a wine’s environment.