Home Cellar: Joly's wines recommend biodynamics

A wine tasting with Nicolas Joly is like few others.

Not only do you get to taste his marvelous white wines from France’s Loire Valley, but you get an insightful look into the world of biodynamic farming.

Joly has been practicing biodynamic farming since 1980, and his entire estate has been farmed in this fashion since 1984. It would take dozens of columns of this length to adequately explore biodynamic farming, and Joly’s specific philosophy concerning this subject.

Biodynamic farming is the most extreme and ideological of all alternative approaches to viticulture. Joly says that biodynamic farming is not unlike organic farming as it has much to do with the fertility of the soil, and how it and the vines are nurtured and cultivated. Biodynamic farming also takes into account astrology, particularly as it pertains to how the sun passes through the different signs of the Zodiac.

Water, fire, earth and air signs all have different benefits. For example, fire signs like Sagittarius, favor the growth of fruit, and earth signs like Capricorn are beneficial for root growth.

So, planting, weeding, fertilization and, in fact, all vineyard operations are done according to these signs. The moon and its phases also contribute to how Joly makes his wine.

Joly says his specific approach is to bring out the essential character of the soil (known as schist) and the microclimate in order to obtain originality of flavors, colors and aromas, as well as the wine’s aging potential.

All synthetic chemical products, weed killers and pesticides have been banned not only from the vineyards, but from the entire estate.

Joly enjoys telling the story of the time when rabbits were causing problems in the vineyards. He could, of course, have put out poison to kill them, but that’s not possible with biodynamic farming.

So instead, he bought rabbit skins from local farmers and burned them among the vines. The smoke of their dead ancestors, so to speak, scared the rabbits away, although Joly admitted it took three or four years.

Natural fertilization is permitted, but since there are many animals and birds who provide manure, Joly says it’s important to make certain the right fertilizer is applied.

Joly was retained as a consultant to a sake producer in Japan. Since sake is basically rice wine and rice is grown in water, Joly recommended that only duck fertilizer be used since a duck is a bird of water.

After applying the duck fertilizer, the yield and quality of the sake producer’s rice greatly improved, according to Joly.

Joly also derides the pretensions of many wine makers, saying that wine is made in vineyards, not in the winery. “Would a man who raises chickens call himself a ‘chicken maker?’” he asks.

Joly marches very much to the beat of his own drum.

“Farming will return to an art form,” he says with fervor. After meeting Joly, and feeling his passion for biodynamie, as the French call this type of farming, he just might be right.

For those interested in learning more about Joly and biodynamic farming, you can read his book, “Wine from Sky to Earth” that is available on amazon.com and through other sources.

Joly’s Coulee de Serrant vineyards are planted to 27 acres of Chenin Blanc in the Savennieres region of France, near the Loire River. Cistercian monks were making wine here as early as 1130. The vineyard has its own AOC, or appellation of control.

Joly has just released three wines that merit serious consideration:

2002 La Coulee de Serrant, Savennieres-Coulee de Serrant ($75-$85). This wine is from a 17-acre hillside vineyard that has its own appellation of control designation.

The Coulee is a remarkably fleshy, extracted wine with notes of ginger and orange. The wine has wonderful sweetness complemented by crisp acidity.

Joly says the wine will improve in the bottle for 10 years, turning more elegant and lengthy from the mid-point to the end of its 20-year life cycle.

Don’t be put off by the wine’s somewhat maderized (like a muddy brown looking, oxidized sherry) appearance. That’s just the way it looks. There are no off odors or tastes.

Like a well-crafted Sauternes or Barsac from Bordeaux, this wine can be enjoyed as an aperitif or with food. Joly recommends pairing the Coulee and his other 2002 offerings with fish dishes that have pronounced sauces, like Coquilles St. Jacques, although I would prefer to drink the Coulee on its own.

2002 Clos de la Bergerie 2002, Savennieres-Roches aux Moines ($45-$50). This also is another 100 percent Chenin Blanc offering from a 10-acre parcel on the estate. There is a touch of sweetness here, but this really should be considered a dry wine.

It has a bony texture with notes of lemon peel, marzipan and earth. The wine takes on even greater dimension when paired with food.

2002 Les Clos Sacres, Savennieres ($32-$35). This wine is a fine introduction to Joly at an affordable price. It’s a blend of Chenin Blanc grapes from various parcels on the estate. There are notes of apples here and the wine has a nice finish.

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Marc Posner is a Naples journalist who enjoys writing about, and drinking, good wine.