In October 2018, I visited the vineyards of the Loire Valley. It’s a region I particularly love for the quality and the typical nature of its wines. By happy chance, I was lucky enough to meet Nicolas Joly there; he lives the principles of biodynamics and uses them in his vine growing.

The meeting took place in the famous Coulée de Serrant, from whence comes the legendary wine bearing the appellation Savennières. In the middle of harvest time, in this vineyard established on the steep hillsides by the monks in the 12th century, Nicolas took the time to talk to me about climate and his vision of wine-producing culture.

What I took away from the conversation with this man, who has used biodynamics since 1984, is the approach of a benevolent soul imbued with the desire to preserve balance in the terroir.

He is sad about the many flavouring yeasts, used to create flavours, and deplores equally the lack of care for the vine and the addition of chemical fertilizers that destroy biodiversity. For this man, biodynamics is “the art of helping the locale to be present in the bottle”.

Since then, I have understood that biodynamics is more than just a fashion. It comes with caring about the earth and with love for a wine in symbiosis with nature. Whence the idea of sharing with you the principles of biodynamics in my next column.

The 2009 vintage of the Coulée de Serrant will be available shortly in the SAQ.

Until then, try the wines of Catherine and Pierre Breton – who have been using biodynamics since 1994 – such as this Vouvray made from chenin blanc. A silky mouth with fine flavours of ripe fruits on notes of limewood and apricot. Delicious, fine and balanced.

Épaulé jeté, Vouvray 2017   SAQ 12103411    $24.05