There are a lot of buzzwords in the wine world and it can be difficult for any newcomer (or pro) to discern what’s fact from fiction. Nothing has taken the central coast wine world by storm quite like the natural wine movement in the last few years. In one corner, we’ve got the big, the boisterous…biodynamic! And in the other corner, we’ve got notorious natty! And, what’s this?! Joining us in the ring, strong and steady…sustainable! In this week’s issue we’re here to give you the deep dive on what these popular terms mean and how it relates to what wines you drink. DING DING DING!

What’s in a wine?
Biodynamic vs. Natural vs. Sustainable

Today’s deep dive is all about how our wine is made and the alphabet soup that can sometimes be overwhelming when describing the winemaking process. We’ll focus on a few “hot” terms that you’re very likely to hear when tasting any wines. We’re also including a non-exhaustive list of local wines and wineries where you can taste some of these styles of wines.

Biodynamic

First up, biodynamic. Biodynamic wines are rooted in biodynamic agriculture and farming principles. So to understand biodynamic wine we must understand biodynamic farming. Biodynamic agriculture was developed by Rudolf Steiner in the 1920’s after seeing that many of the common farming practices or methods at the time resulted in poor soil quality. One quick clarifying item: While biodynamic and organic farming share quite a few of the same methods, they are not the same.

The primary thesis of biodynamic farming is that the land being farmed does not use pesticides or chemicals in the soil, and that the land is treated as one organism. Biodynamic farming also has some spiritual and astrological elements associated with it. Some farmers choose to plant and harvest during specific astrological cycles or according to the lunar calendar. Does this result in better crop yields? That’s still to be determined.

One of the more well known and talked about biodynamic practices is the practice of the burial of cow horns filled with manure into the soil (see below video). The practice involves taking cow horns and stuffing them with a mixture of cow manure and other materials to create a natural compost that can then be absorbed into the soil to replenish nutrients. Additionally, vineyards are sprayed with a natural “tea” (essentially a mixture of various minerals that are steeped like a tea) to help provide additional nutrients and protection to the grapes in lieu of pesticides or harmful chemicals.

By using livestock, natural minerals, and compost, the soil ends up being healthier. As it relates to wine specifically, this means that if we’re drinking a biodynamic wine the vineyard and vines were treated using biodynamic agriculture practices. As you can now tell, biodynamic wine has little to do with how the wine itself is made and more to do with how the land and grapes are cared for.

As for if the wine tastes different, that’s up to you to decide, but generally it is difficult to discern any noticeable difference in taste. Instead, it comes down to knowing that the land was treated with respect and care.

Local Biodynamic Wines:

• Demetria Estate (note there’s also a great video on their homepage explaining biodynamic approaches)

• Alma Rosa

• Holus Bolus

Natural Wine

Low intervention. Minimal intervention. Unfined, unfiltered. There’s a lot of terms used to describe natural wine with a broad range of accepted practices to consider a wine “natural”. One distinction from what we just reviewed with biodynamic practices is that while biodynamic practices refers to the farming of grapes, natural wine refers to what actually happens in the cellar and wine making process.

The most common and generally accepted definition of natural wine means that the wine was made in a low-intervention style. Now, what does that mean? Low intervention refers to a wine that was fermented with native yeast and does not contain additives. Wines that are not made under a natural winemaking method, often called “classic” wines, add a commercial strain of yeast that is not present in the wine prior to fermentation.

Most (but not all) natural wines are also “unfined and unfiltered”. Once a wine has finished fermentation, but before bottling, the wine will have unsettled sediment making it appear cloudy. “Fining” is the process of expediting the settling of any sediment in the wine using fining agents like egg whites or gelatin. The wine is then filtered to remove remaining sediment and microbes present in the wine.

Unfiltered and unfined wines, by contrast, skip this filtering step as well as the use of any fining agents. Instead, the sediment is allowed to settle naturally in barrel or tank where it is then racked into a fresh tank. It is easy to spot an unfiltered natural wine as it will appear cloudier than one that has gone through the traditional filtering method. Unfiltered wines come with a bit of risk in that they can spoil much easier than filtered wines due to the presence of microbes.

The goal with natural wines and natural winemaking is to create a wine that expresses the essence of the grapes and land without a lot of intervention from the winemaker themselves. Keep in mind, it is possible for a natural wine to also be made using biodynamic practices!

Local Natural Wines:

• Lo-Fi Wines

• Story of Soil

• Samsara Wine

Sustainable

Lastly, we come to sustainable wine. This is the biggest grey area out of the previous methods we’ve reviewed. There are certifications that a winemaker can apply to and an agency will determine if a wine was indeed made sustainably. However, a winemaker can also claim to use sustainable practices without being officially certified. They just can’t use any of the certification badges.

While some principles are shared between sustainably made wines and biodynamic wines, the largest difference lies in the fact that sustainable wines don’t adhere to any of the astrological or ritualistic practices employed in biodynamic farming. Instead, it is advised that the use of pesticides or chemicals should be kept to a minimum with sustainable wines with a goal of not using any if possible.

The primary goal of sustainable winemaking is to conserve resources, protect the environment and create healthy sustainable land on which to grow grapes. In practice this means measuring water usage, greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting local wildlife to flourish around the vineyards.

A big component of sustainable wines, like biodynamic wines, revolves around promoting soil health. It is easier to produce sustainable wines at a commercial scale than it would be to produce biodynamic wines at a commercial scale since there is not as stringent of a process to growing the grapes.

Local Sustainable Wines:

• Brewer Clifton

• Dierberg

• Sanford Winery

In the end, this battle is a handshake tie. They all coexist harmoniously in the wonderful world of winemaking. At Up in the Valley we often feature wines that fall into one or multiple of the categories above. If you do find these practices interesting we’d highly recommend the book Dirt to Soil which covers some of these topics more in depth. And let us know if there’s a particular style of wine that you enjoy most!

Uncorked

Alamati Nebbiolo

To celebrate Alamati Wine's launch party this week (peep the events below) we’re featuring one of our favorite wines in their lineup, the Nebbiolo. After falling in love with Nebbiolo in Italy, this varietal kickstarted it all for winemakers Cooper and Niko. While not a widely grown grape in California, you’ll be glad you branched out of your comfort zone to try this!

In case you missed it, check out our full interview with Cooper and Niko from one of our early issues.

Nose: cherry, strawberry

Palette: cranberry, strawberry

Pairs well with: Keep it traditional with an Italian pasta dish.

Available at: Pick some up at the launch party this week!

Le Vigne Sangiovese

We’re on an Italian varietal kick this week. Le Vigne literally translates to “The Vineyard” and this Paso Robles based winery is bringing old world winemaking methods to the new world. The first grapes on the property were planted in the 80’s, just as the Paso Robles region was in its infancy. This is a bolder Sangiovese that can be drank now or aged for a few years.

Nose: cherry cola, peppercorn, cranberry

Palette: chocolate, cranberry, pomegranate

Pairs well with: beef pot roast

Available at: The LeVigne Estate and Vino Divino in Santa Barbara

What’s happening?

After a big weekend last weekend with the California Wine Festival, there’s quite a few lower key events happening that will allow you to get out and enjoy the warm weather.

• Alamati Wine Launch Party: Double feature this week! Our good friends over at Alamati Wine are having their launch party. $10 glasses of wine and food for purchase. Don’t miss it on July 20th from 6-10PM at 118 Gray st. Santa Barbara.

• Firestone Vineyards Friday Night Concert Series: The Friday Night Concert Series at Firestone picks back up this weeke with the Tex PIstols playing from 5:30PM to 8:30PM on July 21st. VIP tables are available to book otherwise entry is free.

• Tasting with Marbeso Wines: Taste the current Marbeso Wines lineup with winemaker Colin McNany at Meritage Wine Market in downtown Santa Barbara. Event is free to attend and is taking place Saturday July 22nd from 2PM-4PM.

• Chef Norwood Wine Pairing Dinner: Saint Barrel in SLO is hosting a special prix fixe menu with Chef Norwood that willbe paired with southern food. The $100 meal includes food and wine pairings. Happening this Saturday July 22nd from 6-9PM.

• Tyler Wines Dinner at the Revere Room: This is going to be a very special evening. The Revere Room at the Miramar is hosting a wine dinner with Tyler Wines. Tickets are $195 / person for dinner and the included wines. Happening July 26th.

Cheers!

Know someone else who might enjoy finding great wines? Consider sharing Up in the Valley with some friends or family.

Issue #10