What is biodynamic winegrowing?

Santa Fe Slow Food member and convivium co-founder, Greg O’Byrne, will lead a discussion on biodynamic wine growing in conjunction with a tasting of Oregon’s Brick House and Burgundy’s Aubert Villlaine wines on Sunday May 23^rd at Erin Wade’s Vinaigrette Salad Bistro and Wine Bar.

A handful of wineries in Oregon and Burgundy have been practicing biodynamic wine growing for the past two decades. Based on Rudolph Steiner’s lectures on this centuries-old practice, biodynamic agriculture in wine growing is used as a way to heal and revitalize the earth.

Doug and Mellissa Tunnell of Brick House in Oregon have been growing grapes biodynamically for 15 years on their small vineyard in the Ribbon Ridge spur of Willamette Valley’s Chahelem Mountain district. Aubert Villane, the managing director of Burgudny’s Domaine Romanée Conti, lives and works his own vineyard biodynamically in Burgundy’s Cote Chalonaise region.

Three Brick House Oregon wines -- Chardonay, Gamay Noir and Pinot Noir -- will be served in pairs with Villaine Burgundy wines from the same grapes. A Certified Master Sommelier, O’Byrne has visited the Brick House vineyards numerous times and is intimate with Doug and Mellisa’s growing practices.

With each pair of wines, a signature Vinaigrette Salad Bistro dish will be served using produce from Erin Wade’s Nambe farm and the farmer’s market will echo the pure and natural flavors of the wines.