Aged for 11 years on bourbes and then bottled in sand for this exceptional Sauternes next to Yquem...
An incredible Sauternes!
The only estate in France with certification: Dynamis (see below).
This Sauternes is rich, complex with remarkable acidity and finesse.
Its length in the mouth is extraordinary worthy of the greatest Sauternes.
THE FAMILY:
By his mother: the estate
Through his father: common sense, a knowledge of wine
Through his experience: an approach to agriculture
anthroposophical, an understanding of the Earth/Vine processes
A SIGNATURE:
Farmer-winegrower
An estate of 10ha30 cultivated in biodynamic methods under the DEMETER and DYNAMIS brands
GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION:
6ha 30 in 33 parcels between the great Sauternais (Château Yquem, Suduiraut, Rieussec, Lafaurie Peyraguey).
GEOLOGY:
Soil predominantly sand and pebbles
Very little clay, trace of humus
Subsoil on Sauternes: alios cobalt blue clay,
non-active limestone, active limestone at 20m depth
Subsoil on Barsac: clay-silt on non-active limestone slab.
SOIL CULTIVATION:
Biological activity of the soil preserved thanks to the absence of herbicide use.
Spreading of composted manure.
Biodynamic preparation.
Seeding with lactic acid bacteria.
Permaculture.
VINES ... ENCEPAGEMENT:
Average age of the vines: over 50 years.
3 grape varieties: 80% Semillon
15% Sauvignon
5% Muscadelle
Massal selection by grafting on site.
The sauvignon dominates and brings vivacity and aromas mixing
citrus fruits, acacia and broom.
More reserved and refined, the Semillon brings roundness and fullness with discreet notes of yellow and white fruits.
The Muscadelle is full-bodied and modulates the wine's profile with floral and fruit aromas reminiscent of Muscat.
BIODYNAMIC TREATMENT OF THE VINES:
According to DEMETER and ecocert specifications
Little copper, extensive use of flower teas, essential oils and minerals, all dynamised.
HARVESTING:
As late as possible, by hand, selection of grapes by successive selections (noble rot).
WINE MAKING:
Non-interventional winemaking and long fermentations without the use of oenological products (yeasts, enzymes, glues).
Aged in old oak and acacia barrels for 4 to 6 years.
WHY DO THESE WINES SOMETIMES HAVE A DEPOSIT?
These deposits in the wine are due to protein breakage, in order to preserve the quality and diversity of the aromas. Indeed, our wines are neither filtered nor fined and they respect the specificity of our soils and the noble yeasts of our terroir.
It would seem that filtration consists of sending the wine with force over chlorinated cellulose plates, glue, diatomaceous earth powder and siliceous quartz powder, which becomes highly carcinogenic in contact with the air... an excellent "slug killer" (until 5 years ago, this powder was asbestos).
Thanks to the work and understanding of anthroposophical* biodynamics applied in the vineyard and in the cellar, our wines receive only volcanic and mineral sulphur in small doses.
All about the Dynamis charter
Growing - Winemaking - Natural volcanic sulphur
What is it all about?
Dynamis Plant Virtue is not a new commercial brand
Dynamis it is based on the simple idea that a natural wine should be free of any artificialities or make-up, in order to offer consumers its most intact truth. Its creation is the fruit of human will
DynamisTo be a natural wine producer means to be responsible: each wine producer towards himself and towards others.
Natural purified sulphur
Will the addition of chemical bisulphite still be accepted in organic wines by consumers? Persisting in this direction is an opening for criticism.
DynamisIn order to achieve this, we propose a vinification with natural, purified and untreated sulphur, which is in line with our practices and our way of life, and which the society of winegrowers consciously feels is necessary.
To achieve this, the following will be carried out 5 analyses by sensitive crystallisation (at the winegrower's expense) throughout the year, at each sensitive stage, in order to obtain the keys to improving the life of the soil (and consequently the life of the sap).
As a direct commitment to this voluntary approach, each winemaker will have the possibility of purchasing natural purified volcanic sulphur (analysis provided) in the easy-to-use form of 5.20g tablets in a 1kg jar.
The selling price per kilo is not based on a commercial logic (margin gain) but on a mutualisation of the costs necessary to obtain it (hypotheses, reasoning, experiments, organisation of this knowledge, analyses, travel-contacts, product-manufacturing, construction of the site for marketing development).
This sulphur comes from living organisms and has not been chemically crushed. Its use in wine will be reduced in quantity compared to potassium sulphide, although its effectiveness in stabilising wines is no longer in question.
A crystallisation of the bottled wine will be carried out and we must go as far as a complete analysis by an external laboratory on the search for pesticides in the wine. Thus, there will no longer be any ambiguity.
Each consumer will know what he or she is buying with complete confidence.
Association: Aquitaine Gascogne Biodynamie
Who are we?
A place to meet, to study, to reflect, to listen, to search for common understanding and to exchange on concrete experiences, allowing continuous training.
The statutes of the association Aquitaine Gascogne Biodynamie were drawn up in 2003. Governed by the law of 1 July 1901, it is made up of the founding members and adherent members.
Aim of the association
To deepen what Biodynamics is for a living knowledge, by studying the Courses for farmers from the very heart of Anthroposophical research founded by Rudolf STEINER; knowledge that we find in Anthroposophical spiritual science necessary for its understanding, through the following actions:
- active and regular participation in joint study
- development of biodynamic preparations and research into new preparations
- reflections on the orientations and directions of the association
- conferences
Board of Directors
It is composed of the founding members and the adherent members.
Every decision concerning the association is subject to a collegial majority.
All new memberships go through the stage of sympathising member, after 6 months, the sympathising member applies in writing to become an adherent member.
Sensitive crystallisation method or morphochromatography
In 1924 he Rudolf STEINER gave a series of lectures entitled Spiritual foundations of agriculture: Biodynamics.
Another way of looking at quality
Rudolf STEINER first develops the principles ( which lead to the true meaning, to the essence of things and the relationships between phenomena), which lead to indications concerning agricultural practice.
"It is not really a question of returning to the instincts of the past, but of finding, on the basis of deep spiritual discernment, what instinct, which has lost its certainty, can give less and less. »Rudolf Steiner
For this to happen, we need to embark on a path of considerable expansion in our understanding of the life of plants, animals, humans and the Earth itself, a considerable expansion in the cosmic perspective.
Pfeiffer's sensitive crystallisation
At the beginning of the 20th century, the first initiative for organic and ecological agriculture was launched in the face of growing intensive agriculture , the devastating consequences of which for the environment and human healthhad already been foreseen .
The bearer ofbiodynamic agriculture, the biodynamistIn his approach to nature, he adopted a holistic viewpoint in which life is embedded in a cosmic-terrestrial polarity ( periphery-centre ) linked by solar radiation and subject to the influence of the sun. by solar radiation and subject to the influence not only of the earth's gravitational pull but also of other planets ( expressed through scalar waves).
Rudolph Steiner shows how the radiation of the planets changes as they pass in front of the fixed star constellations. The activity of this radiation is regulated by the celestial laws and by the orbital movement of all the elements in our solar system.
- The influence of the nearby planets (Moon,Venus and Mercury), known as the Inferior Planets, acts on Earth, in the life of plants, through the intermediary of water and limestone. They stimulate the phenomena of growth and reproduction.
- The influence of the distant planets (Mars, Jupiter, Saturn), known as the Upper Planets, acts through silica and when the air is warm. They allow plants to elaborate the substances that constitute food and contribute to the structure of living matter.
Biodynamic preparations
Biodynamic preparations made from medicinal plants in an animal casing, which collect the activity of cosmic influences and create favourable conditions on the farmland where they are used; thus, plant and animal life can flourish naturally.
Life develops in this way, under the influence of forces that radiate from the far reaches of the cosmos through earth, water, air, heat and light. Rudolf Steiner called these forces formative forces.
They constitute a body imperceptible to the physical senses, permeate every organism, and generate forms and metamorphoses. They link all the phenomena of growth and development, encompass all the processes of building a being (human, animal, vegetable) and also emancipate themselves during the processes of deconstruction that occur between birth and death.
The forces that condition the production of living matter are referred to as forces of growth.
The forces that concern the evolution of the form of this matter, its organisation, its structuring, under that of forces of organisation.
Ehrenfried PFEIFFERThe chemist, agronomist and physician was responsible for setting up the first trials of the sensitive crystallisation method around 1960.
Christian MARCEL (with whom we work) has been applying this method of sensitive crystallisation for more than ten years in the field of agricultural production, agri-foodstuffs and, more specifically, viticulture.
To begin with, he tested samples of wines obtained from micro-vinifications made with pure grape varieties grown on different terroirs. He correlated the images of sensitive crystallisations with the analytical data provided to him on the nature of the soils and geological subsoils, on the chemical and organoleptic constituents of the wines obtained. He then followed different plots on several estates by "crystallising" the soil, the leaves, the shoots , the berries, the softness, the vatting, the finished wines and the wines during their ageing.
These sensitive crystallisation images have made it possible to describe the main characteristics of a wine, its organoleptic qualities, or to identify its dominant grape variety, the nature of the terroir, its pathologies , or that of the vine, as well as the way the wine evolves. They also make it possible to visualise, for any agricultural production, the influence of environmental factors such as the different cultivation techniques , whether intensive, organic or biodynamic . They therefore highlight the positive effect of horn dung and horn silica preparations.
Why sensitive crystallisations?
It is an extraordinary tool for a better understanding of the living world (soil, vine, wine).
The important steps of this work allow
- access to a knowledge of the geology of the soil (limestone or active minerals or not)
- improve the life of the soil (humus and especially aerobic bacteria)
- to understand the role of limestone and silica
- improve the quality of the mineral and plant kingdoms (growth forces / organisational forces).
- to improve the aromatic potential of the grape and its richness
- stabilise wines with volcanic sulphur
Sulphur in wine - Dynamis
Let's start with the basics, what is sulphur in wine for?
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is an anti-oxidant and anti-septic that prevents wine from tasting like apple cider (oxidation) or the wine from fermenting in the bottle due to yeast or bacteria that are not inhibited by sulphur.
It is also important to know that sulphur is present in all living organisms and that yeasts produce it naturally during alcoholic fermentation.
But why does this sulphur cause a headache?
Most of the sulphur currently used in winemaking comes from oil. Petroleum is nothing more than a mineral oil of organic origin.
The problem is that sulphur is extracted following the refining of oil with sulphuric acid (90% sulphur, formerly known as vitriol, which is used in lead batteries...). The elements << hydrogen sulphide (H2S) / carbon dioxide (CO2) /hydrocarbons>> are separated by countercurrent bubbling-hydrogenation of the gas in an amine solutione solution, which makes it possible to fix the sulphur thanks to cobalt molybdenum (catalyst of the reaction, used in particular in dental alloys but more and more pointed out because it is also an environmental toxicant!!!).
Then the hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide undergo a catalytic operation at 300°C using aluminium. The gases are brought back to 200°C under a pressure of 70 bars and mixed with diethylamines (synthesised from alcohol and ammonia, also used as corrosion inhibitors and in the manufacture of dyes and resins). These gases are sent to the top of a regeneration column (60 to 100 metres). The H2S-CO2 mixture is recovered at the top of the column and then passed through a horizontal rethe H2S-CO2 mixture is recovered at the top of the column and then successively passed through a horizontal reaction furnace and contact with activated bauxite (raw material for aluminium, purified and dried at 600°C).
It is only during the second cycle that the conversion of H2S into sulphur is activated. By lowering the temperature, the gases obtained previously become liquid, they are sent to concrete storage areas covered with metallic elements and the sulphur solidifies.
The solid matter is taken back for distillation, the vapours are collected and condensed in lead chambers. The liquids obtained contain SO2, iron and arsenic, which are difficult to get rid of, and are kept at 120°C.
Sulphuric acid is obtained by beading with water and we have our sulphur dioxide in the gaseous, liquid or solid state (sulphite, bi-sulphite, meta-bisulphite).
If mixed with potassium salts, it is the basis for the fungicides, herbicides and other -cides of the modern world!
I thought that sulphur was extracted from volcanoes?
When the Romans used sulphur to preserve wine, it came from volcanoes, especially Etna. But due to the massive demand for sulphur, the industry took advantage of oil refining to produce almost all the sulphur found in food preservation (including wine) and in industry (sulphuric acid). The new fuel standards that have forced industry to extract sulphur from fossil fuels has accelerated the process because once burnt, the sulphur is found in the atmosphere and combines with water and falls back as acid rain.
At the moment, there is a big question mark over the use of sulphur in wines, and some winegrowers are significantly reducing the doses or even not using sulphur at all. However, white wines do not keep well after opening or transport in warm conditions, which reduces the quality of these wines. Red wines keep better because the tannins present are natural antioxidants that prevent the wine from oxidising, but in particular transport conditions it is possible for the wines to have aromatic deviations.
Are there any alternatives?
Well yes!!! At the moment, a group of winegrowers from the Bordeaux region, led by Alain Déjean (Domaine Rousset-Peyraguey), are returning to the practices of the Romans.
Well, not quite, but the main principle is to use natural sulphur.
More than 50 kilos on the shoulder to extract the sulphur from this volcano in Indonesia! And the human being in all this? Jean-Marie Hullot
It should be noted that the Romans did not like the taste of wine as we know it, which is one of the reasons why they used aromatic plants in their drinks. But the Gauls received Roman wine without aromatics, it was transported with a protection of burnt sulphur in the amphorae before tapping the wine inside. The sulphur in its gaseous state combined with the wine and protected it throughout the journey (this practice has never been fully verified but there is a good chance that this was how the wine was preserved).
The DYNAMIS group, initiated by Alain Déjean, has set itself the goal of reusing natural sulphur to sulphite wines. This sulphur extracted from volcanoes must be purified, but it has the enormous advantage of containing neither a trace of tar nor a trace of asenic. It only improves the youthful quality of the wine. Its role is not to destroy the yeasts, but to divert their activities.
It took the Dynamis team almost 2 years to figure out how to compress the volcanic sulphur with an environmentally friendly blotter in order to burn it in the barrels without the sulphur sinking to the bottom of the barrels.
This sulphur is burnt in the barrels before the wine is tapped, the sulphur in its gaseous state is released naturally into the wine. It is a sulphur that does not combine very much, it remains mostly in its free state, which is the most active form to limit oxidation and the deviations of yeasts and bacteria.
This sulphur has very few effects and remains very digestible, unlike chemical sulphur which causes nausea and headaches with advanced symptoms of vomiting.
So there are solutions, but you have to know about them and accept that extracting sulphur is not a very fun thing to do.
