adjective From Greek bios (life) + dynamis (power, force); term coined by Rudolf Steiner in his 1924 Agriculture Course

Biodynamic /ˌbaɪoʊdaɪˈnæmɪk/

A holistic farming philosophy that treats the vineyard as a self-sustaining ecosystem, governed by lunar and cosmic rhythms. Developed from the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, biodynamic viticulture encompasses all organic practices (no synthetic pesticides or herbicides) and adds a calendar of activities timed to the phases of the moon, plus nine specific preparations — notably compost preparations 500 (cow manure fermented in a cow horn) and 501 (powdered quartz) — applied in homeopathic quantities. Certification in wine is primarily through Demeter International.

The five core principles

No synthetic inputs

All synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilisers are prohibited. Same foundation as organic certification.

Biodynamic preparations

9 preparations (BD 500–508) made from herbs, minerals and manure. BD 500 (horn manure) and BD 501 (horn silica) are the most used. Applied in minute quantities after stirring for one hour.

Lunar calendar

Vineyard work, harvest, and wine bottling timed to root, flower, fruit and leaf days. Fruit days considered best for tasting and harvesting; root days for planting.

Farm organism

The farm (or estate) should ideally be a closed, self-sustaining system: compost from on-site animals, minimal imports, biodiversity maintained across the land.

Demeter certification

The main biodynamic certification body. Stricter than organic. Requires the full Steiner preparations, lunar calendar adherence, and a conversion period. Biodyvin is a wine-specific certification.

Biodynamic in practice

In practice, biodynamic viticulture begins with the same foundation as organic farming — eliminating all synthetic inputs — and layers a set of specific interventions on top. Producers spray BD 500 (horn manure) on the soil in autumn to stimulate microbial life; BD 501 (horn silica) on the canopy during the growing season to improve light utilisation and flavour concentration. Compost made on the estate using the herbal preparations (BD 502–508) replaces synthetic fertilisers. The lunar calendar guides timing of all vineyard tasks. The framework demands close observation of the vineyard as a living system — advocates argue this attentiveness alone pays dividends. See Alsace biodynamic producers for which estates are leading the approach in France.

Certification: Demeter and Biodyvin

Demeter International is the principal biodynamic certification body, with national chapters in most wine-producing countries. Certification requires full use of the preparations, lunar calendar compliance, a minimum conversion period, and that a proportion of the farm be set aside for biodiversity. Biodyvin is a wine-specific association of biodynamic estates, slightly less prescriptive than Demeter on some requirements. Both are more rigorous than standard organic certification. Many biodynamic producers choose not to certify — either because certification costs are prohibitive for small estates, or because they resist the compliance burden — and simply describe their approach in marketing materials. Certification provides a verifiable standard; its absence does not mean the principles are not followed. See New Zealand organic wine growth for how certification trends are evolving globally.

Sources: Demeter International (certification standards); Biodyvin (wine-specific biodynamic association); WSET (biodynamic viticulture curricula). Last updated: 2026-10-20. Corrections via the contact form.

Questions

About biodynamic wine.

What is the difference between organic, biodynamic and natural wine?

These three terms describe increasingly specific (and contested) approaches to viticulture and winemaking. Organic wine: no synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers in the vineyard; certified by national or EU bodies. Biodynamic wine: all of organic, plus Steiner's preparations (BD 500–508), lunar calendar observance, and Demeter or Biodyvin certification — a much stricter and more holistic framework. Natural wine: an informal, uncertified movement with no single legal definition; typically biodynamic or organic viticulture plus minimal intervention in the winery (no or minimal sulphites, no additives). A wine can be biodynamic without being labelled "natural", and many natural wines have no certification at all. See New Zealand organic wine growth and Alsace biodynamic producers for current trends.

Does biodynamic farming produce better wine?

The evidence is genuinely mixed. Many respected producers — Leroy in Burgundy, Zind-Humbrecht in Alsace, Nicolas Joly in the Loire, Chapoutier in the Rhône — are committed biodynamicists and make extraordinary wine. However, controlled trials separating biodynamic from conventional viticulture are rare and difficult to design. The most defensible claim is that biodynamic farming, by prohibiting synthetic inputs, encouraging biodiversity and requiring close attention to vine health, tends to produce healthy, lower-yielding vines — conditions that often correlate with higher quality fruit. Whether the lunar calendar or horn manure preparations add measurable benefit above and beyond that baseline is disputed.

What are the biodynamic preparations (BD 500 and BD 501)?

The nine biodynamic preparations are numbered BD 500–508. The two most used in viticulture are: BD 500 (Horn Manure) — cow manure packed into a cow horn and buried over winter. The resulting compost is diluted in water (stirred vigorously for one hour) and sprayed on the soil in autumn to stimulate root growth and soil microbial life. BD 501 (Horn Silica) — powdered quartz packed in a cow horn and buried over summer. Diluted and sprayed on leaves in the growing season to improve light response and flavour development. The remaining preparations (BD 502–508) are used in compost and include yarrow, chamomile, valerian, oak bark, dandelion, and horsetail. The quantities used are homeopathic — a few grams diluted across hectares of vineyard.

What is the biodynamic lunar calendar and how is it used in wine?

The biodynamic calendar divides days into four types based on the moon's position in the zodiac: fruit days (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius — considered ideal for harvesting and tasting wine), flower days (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius — light, aromatic character), root days (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn — wine said to taste more closed, tannic), and leaf days (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces — associated with freshness). Some sommeliers and critics claim wine genuinely shows differently on fruit vs root days. Rigorous double-blind trials have not confirmed this, but many estates time harvest, bottling and even wine releases to fruit days. The calendar is also used to schedule pruning, ploughing, and the application of preparations.