Biodynamic Wine: A More Holistic Approach to Viticulture — Plus, 6 Bottles We Recommend

Love a bit of vino in the evening or a few glasses enjoyed with friends? You don't have to be a wine aficionado to appreciate good wine, but it helps to understand more about what you're drinking if only to be more intentional when shopping for or ordering your favorite. It's also smart to have a general idea of how your wine is made.

Winemaking is a craft. A lot of heart and soul typically goes into each sip you take. Some vineyards are elevating the age-old art even further, producing a new a whole new category: biodynamic wine.

What Is Biodynamic Wine?

Biodynamic wine is any type of wine made using biodynamic farming practices, which take a more holistic, sustainable approach to growing and processing grapes. This typically means pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and other chemicals are totally absent. But it also means that the vineyard itself is treated as a self-sustaining ecosystem, with the soil, plants, animals, and even the human parts of a unified whole. Biodynamic farmers will use natural compost and animal manure, and they'll abide by a biodynamic calendar that follows the phases of the moon and other astrological prompts.

Fans of biodynamic wine feel that wine made with this kind of focus tastes better too: smoother, fresher, more complex, and with a cleaner finish. We found six biodynamic wines that are the real deal: certified, natural, and made with love by their winemakers. Give them a swirl and see if your palate agrees.

White Biodynamic Wines

Imagine a stroll through a peach and pear orchard on a crisp autumn morning. Now bottle up that sensory experience, and you've got this 2021 King Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Gris, a biodynamic wine made at a sustainably farmed 1033-acre certified organic vineyard complex and winery. The grapes are, of course, grown right on the estate, which also hosts organic orchards and vegetable gardens.

Notes: Ripe pear, lime zest, peach, honeysuckle, lemon blossom, jasmine, damp slate.

Straight from the iconic terroirs of the Loire Valley is this certified biodynamic Sancerre, with its bouquet of fresh citrus, white flowers, and a hint of minerality. This crisp, vibrant, floral, and fruity white is the epitome of French perfection, made in Domaine la Moussière, and is a single thirty-hectare vineyard without synthetic herbicides, pesticides, or mechanical harvesting.

Notes: Crushed lime, nectarine, lemon, grapefruit, gooseberry, white flowers.

Hailing from the Jura region of France, near the Swiss border, this biodynamic wine is a masterpiece of traditional winemaking with a twist. It's made using a blend of Savagnin grapes, which age under a veil of flor or flavor-enhancing yeast. Then, they spend time in barrels, soaking up the essence of their oak and developing a complexity that comes through as fruity, nutty, and spicy.

Notes: Citrus fruits, tropical fruits, white flowers, nuts.

Red Biodynamic Wines

Frey Biodynamic Cabernet Sauvignon takes your taste buds on a ride through the heart of Mendocino County’s sun-kissed vineyards. This isn't just a bottle of wine — it's a full-on love letter to Mother Nature, crafted with the utmost respect for the earth and the art of winemaking. This biodynamic vineyard is proud to make wine without sulfites, a known allergen present in a lot of organic wines.

Notes: Violet, allspice, huckleberry, underbrush.

Hailing from Mendocino County, this biodynamic beauty, an organic red blend, is a testament to Bonterra’s commitment to sustainable and holistic viticulture. It's a medium-bodied bouquet of ripe blackberries and blueberries that benefits from up to a decade in the cellar before touching your lips. Bonterra vineyards are certified climate-neutral and zero-waste.

Notes: black currant, plums, black pepper, and mushrooms.

The 2023 Château Pontet-Canet is a powerhouse biodynamic wine produced in legendary Bordeaux, blending tradition with innovation. It's crafted with an artisan's touch and a deep respect for the terroir. In addition to being chemical-free and holistic, the vineyard uses horses instead of heavy machinery for plowing between the rows of vines to reduce soil compaction.

Notes: Blackcurrant, dark cherry, plum, spice, cedar, tobacco, truffle.