Demeter biodynamic wine from the Gérard Bertrand estates

Demeter-certified biodynamic cultivation for a terroir wine closer to nature

While organic farming and its "AB" label are now widely known, biodynamic wine and its "Demeter" label are much less so. And yet, biodynamics is a farming method that takes the concept of "all natural" even further than organic.

This method of cultivation seeks symbiosis with nature. Man aims to strengthen organic life and exchanges between the soil and the cultivated plant, with the primary consequence of no longer needing to use chemicals to protect it (pesticides) or nourish it (fertilizers). With the biodynamic , the winemaker cares for the vine, strengthens it, and harvests the fruits, without exhausting it.

For Gérard Bertrand, a fervent defender of the environment, biodynamics is a true philosophy of life. It was in 2002, in the Cigalus Estate , that he converted his first vineyard to biodynamics. Convinced of the benefits of this method of cultivation close to nature, he now applies the principles of biodynamics to all the vines on his estates in Languedoc-Roussillon , which today represents 950 hectares spread across the entire Occitanie region.

What is a biodynamic wine?

A biodynamic wine is a wine made according to the principles of biodynamic agriculture.

Biodynamics, or biodynamic agriculture, is a farming method aimed at regenerating and strengthening the soil and plants through the use of natural preparations such as horn dung or organic compost. Biodynamics also takes into account the influence of the planets, particularly the lunar calendar. In a biodynamic farming method, all chemical and synthetic products are strictly prohibited. Only organic fertilizers are used. are used. Moreover, unlike traditional wines and organic wines, a biodynamic wine receives very few oenological inputs during the vinification phase.

Discover the entire range and collection of biodynamic wines by Gérard Bertrand.

Biodynamic wines, ambassadors of terroir wines

Gérard Bertrand, as an unconditional lover of the terroirs of the south of France , and in particular those of Languedoc-Roussillon, designs in each of his estates, high-quality biodynamic wines, with a strong identity. This is particularly the case within the Domaine de l'Hospitalet, producing Château l'Hospitalet La Clape Grand Vin Rouge , a wine voted best red wine in the world by IWC in 2019. Indeed, due to its cultivation method going in the direction of the plant, and not in the direction of productivity, biodynamics allows the grape to draw its resources directly from the terroir and the different layers of the soil.

The grapes are no longer fed a drip of chemical fertilizers, allowing them to develop artificially. Thanks to the rich organic life of the soil, the vine feeds on the living humus of its terroir. With its benefits, the grapes develop optimally, concentrating sugar, trace elements, and vitamins. The wine made from these grapes then perfectly expresses its origins, its terroir, and its history.

Biodynamic vine cultivation thus allows for the production of powerful and profound wines, fruitier and more balanced than traditional wines. A biodynamically cultivated vine allows the wine to express the full potential of its terroir, its unique qualities and characteristics.

The Demeter label

Today, while many winegrowers pride themselves on practicing biodynamic cultivation of their vines, only obtaining the Demeter label certifies compliance with strict and completely transparent specifications. Present in 53 countries, the Demeter label takes the specifications of the Organic label and adds stricter measures, particularly regarding inputs, in order to respect the principles of biodynamics. Of course, in biodynamics, pesticides and chemical fertilizers are strictly prohibited.

With an even more ecological vision, Demeter biodynamic wines comply de facto with the specifications of organic farming. They therefore also have the “AB” organic label.

However, although today the organic label allows consumers to be assured that they are in the presence of a wine that has not used chemical products (fertilizers, pesticides), many so-called “industrial” practices are still authorized during the creation of an organic wine and do not allow the wine to express its full potential.

Biodynamic agriculture, through the Demeter label, thus represents a higher level of requirement in terms of respect for a more natural and artisanal manufacturing process. This is particularly the case for Clos d'Ora (organic red wine and demeter), and Clos du Temple ( organic rosé wine and demeter), two estates cultivated biodynamically producing an exceptional wine and using animal traction (a mule) to work the soil.

The qualities of a biodynamic wine

From vines cultivated using natural methods, Without synthetic products , biodynamic wines offer a rich and delicate taste palette. While a traditional wine has only two or three predominant aromas, a biodynamic wine is much more complex, expressing a multitude of flavors and aromas.

The wine is delicate on the nose, silky on the palate, with a predominant place given to the fruit. More mineral and more balanced, the biodynamic wine represents the culmination of the work of the vine cultivated with love and patience.

With a biodynamic wine Demeter , digestibility is also significantly improved, thanks in particular to its very low sulfite content. The sulfite content of a biodynamic wine is in fact lower than minimum 30% that of an organic wine .

People with digestive difficulties will find the wine more easily assimilated by the body.

Discover more explanations about the different types of wine:

Rosé wine
Organic Languedoc wine

Organic rosé wine , the best rosé wine and the Languedoc rosé wine

Orange wine

And to go further:

Production of rosé wine : how is it designed?
Gerard Bertrand, story of a family passion for the vine

THE Castles and Estates of Gérard Bertrand

There online store Gérard Bertrand wines