10 OREGON WINE TOURING GUIDE FROM TOP: ANDRÉA JOHNSON; CHERYL JUETTEN While most wine lovers are familiar with organic wine production, biodynamic winemaking is less understood. The biodynamic approach, which treats the farm as a living entity and relies on the lunar calendar for plantings, was conceptualized in the 1920s by Rudolf Steiner, who is best known as the father of the Waldorf education system. Key practices include using natural preparations, which are made by stuffing cow horns with manure or pulverized quartz crystals and then burying them for a set number of days or weeks. These preparations are then dug up and transformed into sprays. Biodynamic farmers also use cover crops and “teas” made from bark and herbs to help keep their farms’ ecosystems harmonious. These treatments translate into healthier land and better-quality grapes for wine without the need for pesticides. It also helps foster the wild yeasts that allow the wine to ferment naturally without the aid of commercial yeasts. DEMETER-CERTIFIED BIODYNAMIC WINERIES Although many wineries in Oregon use biodynamic methods to varying degrees, look for wines that bear the Demeter Association’s certification label to be sure that you’re getting a biodynamic product. Demeter-certified biodynamic wineries can be found across the state, from Analemma Wines in the Columbia River Gorge to Cowhorn Vineyard & Garden in Southern Oregon’s Applegate What Is Biodynamic Wine? Valley. The bulk of the state’s Demeter-certified wineries, however, are in the Willamette Valley, including McMinnville’s Maysara Winery; Johan Vineyards in the Van Duzer Corridor; Montinore Estate, which has plantings in the Tualatin Hills and Yamhill-Carlton AVAs; and King Estate near Eugene, one of the country’s largest biodynamiccertified wineries. BEYOND BIODYNAMICS Many biodynamic wineries take their commitment to sustainability a step further by adding additional ecology-focused certifications to their repertoire. Southern Oregon’s Troon Vineyard is one of the select vineyards in the world to have received Regenerative Organic Gold certification, which is awarded to farms that follow practices that help nourish and protect topsoil. The Willamette Valley’s Ambar Estate is Oregon’s only other Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyard. Here farmers rely on natural methods such as the use of native cover crops to nourish plantings. Other certifications include LIVE (Low-Impact Viticulture and Enology), which is awarded to producers who emphasize sustainable practices, and Salmon-Safe, which certifies wineries that integrate practices designed to protect waterways and fish. Soter Vineyards in Carlton has both and is also a flagship partner with the Oregon Bee Project for bee-safe viticultural practices. Maysara Winery Montinore Estate
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