Biodynamic Homework for WBW #29

For those of you awaiting WBW #29 with keen interest and even keener skepticism, I have some homework for you to do over the next week. The theme, of course, is biodynamics, and our hosts are Joanne and Jack over at Fork & Bottle.

In addition to Randall Graham's article from Wine Online that Jack and Joanne link to on their site, check out the talk he gave at UC Davis in spring 2006. Graham is, for those who don't know, head honcho at Bonny Doon. Reproduced with his permission by the good folks over at Appellation America, Graham explained in his "The Phenomenology of Terroir: A Meditation" why he turned his famous Ca' del Solo vineyard over to organic and biodynamic viticulture in 2004. Expect all the trademark Graham quirkiness, with some very interesting insights into why we might be seeing more biodynamic wines from major producers like Bonny Doon in the future.

Important note: Fans of the old Ca' del Solo Big House Red should know that Big House is no longer owned by Graham, and the "Ca' del Solo" designation didn't appear on all Big House wines made between 2004 and 2006 by Bonny Doon. So if you've got a bottle of Ca' del Solo Big House kicking around, it isn't necessarily a biodynamic wine, nor is a bottle of "Big House" made after 2004.