Wine List - Fairmont

Biodynamic and Organic Wine Selections
Although biodynamic and organic wines fall into the same general category of alternative
farming practices, the two are distinct.
Biodynamics is an organic sustainable farming system that is based on a series of lectures
given by Austrian philosopher-scientist Rudolf Steiner in 1924. Key to biodynamics
is considering the farm in its entirety as a living system. To this end biodynamic farms are
supposed to be closed, self-sustaining systems. Steiner believed that fertilizers and pesticides
were degrading the quality of food due to chemical substances and the spiritual shortcomings of
chemical farming. Biodynamics in the simplest terms brings the attention to the soil or terroir
rather than to the winemaker or winemaking techniques to shape a wine. These practices bring
the soil “back to life,” and truly give wines the “soul” that allow for extra complexity and
personality.
While biodynamic winemaking does have some unusual techniques such as burying cow horns with
manure, or spraying the vineyard with ground quartz (silica) and harvesting by moon cycles, it
remains one of the more exciting trends in the wine world today.
At its most basic level, organic wine is made from grapes that have been grown without the use of
chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. Winemaking techniques should be organic
as well; little or no manipulation of wines by reverse osmosis, excessive filtration, or flavor additives
(such as oak chips). Many organic winemakers also prefer wild yeasts for fermentation.
You will notice two asterisks (**) after certain wines on our list denoting wineries that practice
biodynamic farming techniques. Wines with one asterisk (*) represent wines with organic farming
and grape growing. We believe these wine practices are important and make a difference in the
quality of the wines. It allows you to support a winery that chooses to grow grapes “naturally” and
without the use of herbicides and unnecessary chemicals. We invite you to try one of these wines as
an alternative and see if you can taste the difference.
Joseph Linder, Master Sommelier