Interview with Nicolas Joly (II Part)

Is your group related to some of the experiences with biodinamic agriculture in South America? If so, which ones?
There are in South America a real potential for wines . the only main change is that the star constellations which are above the vines in spring and summer are not the same that the one we have in North hemisphere . Also often irrigations is practiced and this keep the roots at the surface of the soil . There are ways to improve this .A vine is dominated by "dionysos forces" that you can understand as gravitations of downward forces . A vine which roots are not 1O/2O meters down cannot totally express it self .
- How many biodinamic wines are in the market nowadays?
if you talk about real BD wines with legal ( Demeter for example ) control and comitment I would say about several hundred .( 18O for France ) . But keep in mind that a wine is not only good because it use BD but because BD is well done and because the place is fine for vines etc . It is fast growing . I always ask a legal ontrol and 3 years of pratices before presenting the wines for a tasting to join the group . At that tasting about 1/3 are accepted .what we want is an originality of taste which means good BD pratices and an emotion .So a wine totally different from the " normal " criterias . We have to day only 2 S am wines in our group and wish to have more
- Which is the country leading the change?
France certainly followed by Italy . why ?because there are in France and Italy many very small vineyards with real man of the earth behind each .BD works well when a man is behind an estate with his soul.In the middle age one was saying that a man can well express himself only on 5 hectares
- In New World Wine countries, like Argentina, the concept of appelations does not apply, still we are working on regions (Tupungato, Luján), are there known experiencies of biodinamics applied to an entire region? And in that case, what is the general overview.
As far as I know BD is starting overall in South America ; a little more advance in Chilie. People should start with few hectares and see the difference achieved . But they need someone on the spot who puts his soul in it more than an adviser who gives the right to the word biodynamie . Only the man who is daily on the spot can reach the right actions felt by himself at the right time . Biodynamie is an art not a recepe although many people wants to limit it to a recepe
- Do you expect biodinamic wines will replace conventional wines in the near future in Europe?
There are 2 cathegories of customers , those who wants to drink wine and do not care about the rest which is their right .Those who have a passion for wines and the subtilities it can carry . this second cathegory is moving fast toward BDwines . Thruth have become a market it is a huge change . Most BD wines are wines which creates emotions , which sings ; they carry the soul of the place where they come from.