Latest news with #biodynamic


South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Bordeaux is embracing organic for a different class of red
Bordeaux and bio – the French term for 'organic' – are not words that are often seen in the same sentence. The world-renowned wines from the 7,000 or so chateaux that define this part of southwest France have an image of quality that is based on tradition rather than trends. So it is not surprising to learn that even today, official figures from the Bordeaux Wine Council reveal that only about 25 per cent of Bordeaux wines come from vineyards that are certified organic. Nevertheless, as I discovered on a series of recent road trips, behind the conservative, old-fashioned image, tremors of radical change are rippling through France's most famous vineyards. Innovative vignerons are crossing once-sacred boundaries, not just responding to consumer demand for organic wines , but embracing cutting-edge biodynamic production techniques and the unpredictable zero-sulphites world of natural wines. And it is no longer rare to see terracotta amphorae and ceramic jars standing alongside conventional oak casks. At Château La Grande Clotte, owners Julie and Mathieu Mercier do most of the work themselves, with Julie looking after the vines. Photo: Château La Grande Clotte The Bordeaux vineyards are spread over an area of 110,000 hectares, and to explore these new trends, my designated driver and I travelled through the lavish chateaux of the Médoc, Sauternes and Saint-Émilion, visited wineries in Blaye and Entre-Deux-Mers, and even ventured to little-known vineyards in remote corners of the Bordelais (a term used to describe the wine-growing region around the city of Bordeaux). In addition to families who have been making wine here for centuries, we met dynamic female vigneronnes and enthusiastic newcomers who had abandoned business careers to become winemakers. And for the wine-loving traveller, tourism here has moved on from formal cellar tastings to envelop everything from wellness vinotherapy to vineyard picnics and escape games. Heading north from the city of Bordeaux and along the left bank of the Gironde estuary, we soon reach the prestigious Médoc vineyards, which produce wines that you find in gourmet restaurants around the world: Margaux , Saint-Julien, Pauillac. Each chateau seems more opulent and sumptuous than the last, surrounded by perfectly manicured vineyards – so the anarchic vines of elegant 18th century Château Anthonic, broken up into small plots by hedges, ditches, woods and fruit trees, could not look more out of place.


Forbes
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
In The Vines With Gérard Bertrand, A Biodynamic Winemaker In France
Gérard Bertrand in the vines. Three summers ago, I experienced a festival like I've never experienced before, and fell in love with what I've deemed the best rosé in the world, Clos du Temple (in fact, it changed my mind about rosé in general). Meet Gerard Bertrand—former rugby star turned wine wizard who owns 16 châteaux and wine-growing estates across the Languedoc-Roussillon in the South of France. Bertrand started making wine at 10, balanced rugby stardom with winemaking, then took over the family business when tragedy struck at 22. Today he produces award-winning biodynamic wines and created the most spectacular wine festival you've never heard of: Jazz à l'Hospitalet Festival. Picture six consecutive evenings of wine magic nestled between ancient limestone cliffs and the Mediterranean, where each night kicks off with a grand gala dinner in the château park with stunning seafood platters with freshly shucked oysters, truffle-studded everything, and delicious slow-cooked fish à la chef Laurent Chabert. Each evening has its own dress code, which is so fun to partake in. This year runs July 15-19, 2025, featuring Texas, Ibrahim Maalouf, Earth Wind & Fire Experience, Michel Polnareff, and Christophe Maé with themes from bohemian to retro-funk to vintage glamorous. Château L'Hospitalet Wine Resort Beach & Spa is a 13th-century hospice turned luxury resort—41 rooms, including 28 suites, scattered between the main château and exclusive Villa Soleilla with private pools and Mediterranean views. The property spans 1,000 hectares with heated pools, tennis courts, a world-class spa, and a beach club serving tapas beside the sea from May through September. Small Luxury Hotels recently added them to their collection, and honestly, once you've experienced this level of French art de vivre, everything else feels like amateur hour. Now, back to the wine. I sat down with Gérard Bertrand for the latest installment of In the Vines With to chat far beyond the basics—upcoming projects and more: Jenn Rice: What inspired you to get into winemaking? Gérard Bertrand: I was born and raised in the heart of the Corbières, and I did my very first harvest with my father, Georges Bertrand, at our family estate, Château de Villemajou, 50 years ago. He passed on to me his passion for the terroirs of the South of France and his expertise in viticulture, winemaking, and blending. But above all, he shared with me his vision for the rise of Languedoc and Roussillon wines. JR: Proudest moment as a winemaker? GB: Every harvest has taught me humility more than pride. Over the years, I have deepened my connection with nature and strengthened my commitment to crafting wines that respect life, reflect the soul of our terroirs, and bring people together around the values of harmony, authenticity, and our Mediterranean art de vivre. JR: What is your first wine memory? GB: It goes back nearly 50 years, when I was just 10 years old, taking part in my first harvest with my father and my sister. From the vineyard to the cellar, I followed him closely, listening attentively to every word he said. JR: What are you currently enjoying from your portfolio? GB: At the moment, I take great pleasure in orange wines. Orange wines are made with white grapes like red wines: through skin contact comes the orange color and the aromatic profile of the wine. A dialogue between tradition and modernity that reflects both our sense of innovation and our Mediterranean identity. And I really enjoy discovering new food and wine pairings with orange wines! French Cancan is a joyful expression of orange sparkling wine! Full of freshness and energy. It embodies the festive, vibrant spirit of the South of France, inviting people to celebrate life with elegance but without formality. I enjoy it as an aperitif. Orange Gold represents a more audacious approach. It reconnects with ancient winemaking traditions, using skin contact to give white grapes both structure and complexity. Its amber colour, aromatic depth, and food-pairing versatility make it a wine of great character, very much in tune with contemporary gastronomy. Both wines are organic. JR: A sommelier who's blown your mind with wine pairings? GB: Paolo Basso, World's Best Sommelier 2013, recently impressed me during a Master Class he gave at our Château l'Hospitalet Wine Resort, Beach & Spa. His approach to wine and food pairing is truly inspiring. We were fortunate to have him share his knowledge and passion with our guests. JR: If you could take one wine to an island? GB: It's always difficult when I'm asked to choose one of my wines, because I love them all. You cannot ask a father to pick a favourite child! But to answer your question: La Forge. This red wine is a tribute to my father and to our family's legacy in Boutenac. I love pairing it with a rack of lamb from the Corbières, simply roasted with wild thyme and rosemary, accompanied by seasonal vegetables. It perfectly embodies the Mediterranean art of living. JR: What is your go-to libation when you need a break from wine? GB: I never need a break from wine. JR: The future of wine is... GB: …the best moment of my life. JR: Clos du Temple is my favorite rosé in the world….why is it standout above the rest? GB: Clos du Temple, our iconic rosé, is truly unique. It is crafted in a place that seems almost predestined to produce the finest rosé. In Cabrières, the combination of limestone and schist soils, the Mediterranean climate, and our biodynamic approach create an extraordinary harmony. We work with a selection of noble grape varieties—Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and Viognier—each bringing its own energy and personality. This rosé is made for ageing. I thoroughly enjoy tasting both young and mature vintages—always an emotional experience. This philosophy of balance, energy, and harmony is at the very heart of my book Multidimensional Wine, where I explore how a deeper connection with nature allows us to craft wines that transcend categories and preconceptions—as Clos du Temple does for rosé. JR: What is your favourite thing about the jazz festival? GB: It's one of my favourite moments of the year. We created this festival 22 years ago. It's a fabulous celebration where wine, gastronomy, and music come together in perfect harmony. Jazz and wine share one essential quality for me: they both speak directly to the soul. JR: Any upcoming projects or events you want to share? GB: We always have many projects. Wine has centuries of history, but still offers so many opportunities for creation and innovation. We have just launched our newest white cuvée, La Grande Bleue, an ode to the Mediterranean. Fresh, mineral, and saline.


Times
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
South Africa's philosopher winemaker
It's often said of a winemaker that he or she is a philosopher … but Johan Reyneke actually studied philosophy, and when you ask him about his pioneering biodynamic vineyards (the first in South Africa, which he opened back in 2007) or his winemaking techniques or his charitable work, you are as likely to hear about the Indian philosopher Amartya Sen ('if you have choices, you have power') as about grapes or vats or barrels. It isn't hard, standing in his spectacular vineyards in the Polkadraai Hills in Stellenbosch, to see why someone lucky enough to live and work here might want to protect the place. Jackal buzzards wheel, surfing the thermals. The ocean, just six miles away, breathes cool air on to the growing grapes. 'We have found lots of hand axes, made from sandstone and carried here,' he says. 'This place was special for people long before westerners arrived.' Reyneke doesn't do his protecting — or anything, really — by halves. He waves at an unplanted strip, where he has persuaded The Wine Society to fund a wildlife corridor. He talks about sustainability in this region of ancient soils and ruinous high-density grazing and waves towards the spot where he is building a smart winery, using local materials and expertise. Then he takes us back to his farmhouse, with its kitchen at one end and his artist wife's studio at the other, to taste his new wine range. Five single varietal wines, the whites from 2024, the reds from 2023 — all from vines that are regeneratively farmed and hand-harvested, then sold in lighter bottles (to lessen his carbon footprint). The sauvignon blanc is citrussy and so perfumed it could intoxicate you from a foot away. The chenin blanc, from vines nearly 50 years old, has a gorgeous flavour of lemon sponge, but without the sweetness. The syrah is all black plums and thyme, the violet-scented cabernet sauvignon needs a little time. For me, the cabernet franc was the bottle to run off and drink under one of the nearby sweet thorn trees. Leafy, packed with red fruit, subtle tannins and a mineral finish. Yum. It wasn't straightforward to get here, to this wonderful landscape and beautiful wines. Philosophy graduates do not necessarily make great winemakers. 'I knew nothing!' Reyneke says of his younger self, and he had no money either. 'I started in a little cowshed, 50 metres from here, in 1998. I did my punch-downs [the process of breaking up and submerging the solids as the wine ferments] using a broom with the bristles cut off.' The wine, he says humbly, wasn't great. At least I thought he was being humble until he pulled out a bottle of his original cuvée. Through the glass I could see something that looked like it could do with another punch-down. The cork was still in the wine. I hope it stays there. Reyneke learnt on the job. He also formed an unconventional partnership with Rudiger Gretschel of Krone, a highly accomplished winemaker who creates beautiful premium cap classiques (as South African sparkling wines are called) and now his own still wines under his Holism label, high in the Piekenierskloof hills north of Swartland. 'I wanted to learn about biodynamics and he needed to learn how to make wine,' Rudi says. It was a fair swap. His lucky break came when his mother-in-law sent a guest to the B&B he was running for a bit of extra cash. She turned out to be scouting for wines for a big press event in Johannesburg. At the end of the event — and Reyneke is still visibly moved, relating this — security men clustered at the doors and Nelson Mandela walked in. Young and awestruck, Johan joined the meet and greet and, in response to a kindly question from the great man, blurted out that he was a farmer. Then he cursed to himself. An Afrikaans farmer — what could appeal less to Mandela? 'But he smiled gently at me and said, 'Tell me, how are our farmers doing?'' That embracing kindness is something Reyneke displays too. He funds farm kids with potential to go to university. They are also trying to buy houses for workers, although he admits that this is going slowly. Still, 'this is a long-term vision brought to life,' says Valerie Lewis, the marketing director of his UK importer, New Generation. 'Reyneke has played the long game, investing in regenerative, biodynamic farming that not only produces exceptional wines, but restores the soil, supports the land and uplifts the people who work it.' When he was a young farmhand he saw vineyard workers lining their frayed shoes with paper. Now he is an admired winemaker with his name on the bottles, he hasn't forgotten that memory. 'You can't make beauty from ugliness,' he says, the philosopher peeking out again. 'I want this to be a farm wine business with a soul.' Reyneke Estate Series launched on June 3 and is available from The Wine Society (