Tag: biodynamic

Simplesmente… Vinho 2026 IV – The other Spain

Published 21. March 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

More highlights from my tastings at Simplesmente Vinho.

From Castilla y León, Malaparte (Elisa de Frutos and Rubén Salamanca) presented their distinctive OX Blanc 2023. This blend is fermented with indigenous yeasts and then aged outdoors in large glass demijohns, where a layer of flor develops. Deep golden in colour, it offers aromas of dried flowers, preserved citrus and nuts. On the palate it is rich and structured, with a lightly oxidative character reminiscent of biologically aged wines, yet balanced by a core of freshness and a long, savoury finish.

The step from that wine to the next seemed short. Barco del Corneta was represented by Félix Crespo, who presented their line of fabulous, textural verdejos (and some reds). Among them was Las Envidias 2022, a wine made from palomino and aged in botas de Jerez. Pale in colour with a light yellow tint, the wine showed aromas of mature apple and citrus peel, with a subtle yeasty note from the ageing. On the palate it was dry and savoury, with good freshness and a lightly oxidative tone. The finish carried a delicate saline touch that added character and length.

J. Palacios of Corullón in Bierzo was also present. Ricardo Pérez Palacios had brought his stunning parcel wines, all the way up to the legendary La Faraona. “I wanted to make a good impression,” Ricardo smiled – which he certainly did. Here I chose Moncerbal 2023. Cherry red in colour, it opens with a perfumed nose of flowers, wild herbs and both red and darker berries. On the palate the wine shows impressive precision, with fresh fruit and a firm but finely grained tannin structure. It is surprisingly approachable already, though a hint of oak appears in the aftertaste, suggesting that the wine will continue to develop gracefully for many years.

From Arribes, El Hato y el Garabato, represented here by Liliana Fernández, showed their range. I did not taste all the wines, but Otro Cuento 2022, predominantly doña blanca fermented and aged in foudre, was fabulous. Pale in colour, the wine offers aromas of apple and citrus with a faint herbal touch. On the palate it is light and fresh, with a rounded texture, lively acidity and a subtle hint of oak that adds depth without dominating.

Alfredo Maestro is a classic presence at Simplesmente, with his vibrant natural wines from across Castilla y León. Here I chose a personal favourite, El Marciano 2023, a garnacha from Sierra de Gredos. Bright red in colour, the wine shows aromas of fresh red berries with a hint of wild herbs. On the palate it is juicy and lively, with fine tannins and refreshing acidity that give the wine both energy and drinkability.

Daniel Ramos is likewise always a delight to meet – and to taste his aged natural wines from Gredos. This time I chose a younger wine, Zerberos CariNena 2023, made from cariñena as the name suggests. The colour leans toward red with a slight orange tint and the wine is a bit turbid in the glass. Aromas move between red and darker berries with a faint volatile lift that adds complexity. On the palate it is vibrant and expressive, balancing fruit, acidity and a lightly rustic edge.

This wine marked the end of my tastings. Thank you to the organisers – the Roseira family – and see you next year.

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Wine of the Week

Sublime Sancerre

Published 20. March 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Sébastien Riffault is one of the most singular voices in Sancerre. Working organically and biodynamically, he has long challenged the region’s conventions. His philosophy centres on waiting: later harvesting, full physiological ripeness, and minimal intervention in the cellar. The aim is to allow the site to speak.

Akmèniné, a name drawn from Lithuanian, means something akin to “stony”. It refers to the limestone-rich soils of Sancerre, in the language of Riffault’s wife.
Picked later than is customary in Sancerre, the 2020 reveals a broader, more textural expression of sauvignon blanc.

Akmèniné 2020 (Sébastien Riffault)

Deep straw yellow, towards golden, slightly turbid. Aroma of citrus peel, ripe orchard fruit and a gentle hint of herbs, underpinned by a chalky, mineral edge. On the palate, there is both breadth and tension — a subtle ripeness balanced by freshness, with a saline, finely grained finish.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Uva de Vida at Bendito

Published 27. February 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Whenever I am in the center of Madrid I try to find time for a visit to Bar Bendito in the Mercado de San Fernando. This time I was served three wines and some tasty bites.

One of the wines was Biográfico Graciano y Tempranillo. Biográfico is produced by Uva de Vida, the biodynamic project of Carmen López Delgado and Luis Ruiz in Santa Olalla, Toledo, in the countryside south of Madrid. The vineyards lie on sandy and clay-limestone soils, where organic farming is not a marketing slogan but a working philosophy. Everything here is cultivated biodynamically, with a strong commitment to soil life and ecological balance.

The wine blends two classic Spanish varieties: Tempranillo and graciano. Tempranillo provides the structure and dark fruit, while graciano contributes freshness, aromatic lift and a slightly wild edge that keeps the wine vibrant.
Fermentation takes place with native yeasts, followed by ageing in a mix of concrete and neutral vessels that preserve the fruit rather than marking the wine with oak. The result is a wine that feels both energetic and grounded.

Biográfico Graciano y Tempranillo 2022 (Uva de Vida)

Dark cherry colour. The aroma also shows dark cherries, woth crushed herbs and a hint of spice. On the palate it is supple but precise, with fine tannins and a lively acidity that carries the fruit through to a long, savoury finish.

Price: Low

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Articles

An introduction to Yann Bertrand

Published 2. January 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Yann Bertrand is based in Fleurie, in the heart of Beaujolais, where he farms old gamay vines on granitic soils. The family estate is located just outside the village itself, with vineyards spread across Fleurie and a small holding in neighbouring Morgon. Vine age ranges from around 30 to well over 100 years.

Although he grew up in a winemaking family, Bertrand did not initially plan to become a vigneron. After studying commerce and spending several years working in wine bars and shops in the Alps, he returned to Beaujolais and gradually took over the family domaine, founded by his grandfather in the 1950s and developed further by his parents from the 1970s onwards.

The vineyards were converted to organic farming in the early 1990s, and Yann has since pushed the estate further towards biodynamics and low-intervention winemaking. He works exclusively with native yeasts, whole clusters and minimal or no added sulphur. The aim is not to chase power or extraction, but to express Fleurie through finesse, energy and transparency.

Today I have tasted three of his cuvees.

Phénix 2023

This cuvée comes from high-altitude, granitic parcels in Fleurie, where shallow soils and old vines naturally favour finesse and mineral tension. It’s vinified with whole clusters and gentle extraction, and aged in large, neutral oak.

Cherry red with a blue rim. Fruity and floral on the nose, with raspberry and cherry and gentle volatile acidity. Juicy on the palate, with fine tannins, good acidity and a clear mineral line. Light-bodied but precise, with a fresh, persistent finish.

Note: Yann Bertrand works consistently with very low sulphur. In this wine and Alice 6/10, I feel that he is balancing close to mousiness, but he lands on the right side, with fruit, acidity and mineral structure clearly in control.

Coup de Foudre 2023

Coup de Foudre is drawn from selected Fleurie parcels that give slightly more structure and mid-palate presence. While the approach remains low-intervention and whole-cluster based, this cuvée is shaped to show more depth and grip than Phénix.

Light cherry red. Raspberry and cherry aromas with a herbal edge. Very smooth on the palate, with good natural acidity and an understated mineral backbone. Harmonious and easy to drink, yet firmly rooted in its terroir.

Alice 6/10 2022

This is a personal cuvée, named after Bertrand’s partner Alice and referencing the six out of ten recent vintages affected by hail. It combines semi-carbonic fermentation with a proportion of direct press, followed by élevage in old barrels only, resulting in a wine of greater complexity and a touch of seriousness.

Light cherry red. Raspberry and cherry on the nose, with herbal nuances, and a slight touch of volatile. Fine tannins and good acidity frame a distinct mineral core, leading to a finish of good length. Balanced and composed, with both immediate charm and the structure to evolve further in bottle.

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Wine of the Week

Sparkler for a New Year

Published 2. January 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

This wine became my first sparkler, as the fireworks lit the sky and the year changed beneath them.

1701 represents a conscious revival of an estate with more than 300 years of documented history in Franciacorta (hence the name). The project was initiated by siblings Federico and Silvia Stefini, whose shared commitment to wine, nature and their home territory has shaped the estate from the outset.

Their ambition was clear: to work according to organic and biodynamic principles, placing nature at the centre of every decision. Today, the family owns ten hectares of vineyards, eight planted with chardonnay and two with pinot noir. In 2016 1701 became the first biodynamically certified winery in Franciacorta, and remains the only one to this day.

For Federico and Silvia, biodynamics is not merely a farming method but a holistic philosophy of life. The aim is always to create the conditions in which the grapes can realise their full potential while expressing their origin with clarity and precision. They describe their wines as natural, made without chemical inputs, additives or synthetic treatments in either vineyard or cellar.

Grapes are hand-harvested and rigorously selected, followed by fermentation in stainless steel using indigenous yeasts. The wines are made according to the traditional method, with a minimum of 30 months ageing on the lees. Remuage is carried out by hand, disgorgement dates are clearly stated on the bottle, and there is no dosage. Annual production is approximately 40,000 bottles.

Franciacorta Brut Nature n/v (Soc. Agr. 1701)

Pale straw with a subtle golden hue; fine, persistent mousse. Aroma of lemon zest, green apple and white flowers, underpinned by crushed stone and a touch of toasted almond. Bone-dry in the mouth, tightly structured, driven by bright acidity and chalky minerality. Subtle autolytic notes add depth, leading to a long, saline and precise finish.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Friedrich Schatz’ Acinipo

Published 5. December 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Friedrich Schatz is one of the great figures of Andalucía’s modern wine story. A German who arrived in the Serranía de Ronda in the early 1980s, he planted varieties that were then unheard of in the area and worked organically long before it became fashionable. His estate lies in the cool, high-altitude folds north of Ronda, where limestone soils and Atlantic influence create conditions quite unlike the Andalucía most people imagine.

Acinipo 2017 is made entirely from lemberger (blaufränkisch), a variety Schatz has championed with remarkable consistency. The fruit is farmed organically at around 600–700 metres, fermented with native yeasts and aged with a gentle hand to foreground the grape’s natural lift and the site. No unnecessary extraction, no over-seasoned oak – just an honest expression of place.

Acinipo 2017 (Bodega F. Schatz)

Deep, vibrant ruby with a slight garnet hue at the rim. The nose is bright yet brooding, offering sour cherry, redcurrant and dark raspberry, with subtle herbs and a mineral undertow. The palate is energetic and finely structured, carried by limestone-driven tannins and a cool, mouthwatering finish.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Vidigueira white

Published 17. October 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

This is the first of a trilogy about white wines from Alentejo.

Since taking over from her parents Carrie and Hans in 2019, Anna Jørgensen has reimagined the family estate as a living ecosystem — a polyculture where vines, olive trees, cork forest and grazing animals coexist. Farming is now regenerative and biodynamic in practice, with an emphasis on soil health, biodiversity and water preservation in this increasingly arid region.

This wine comes from a selection of the estate’s best vineyards across two sites. Alvarinho and sauvignon blanc are sourced from the coastal vineyards at Vila Nova de Milfontes, just three kilometres from the Atlantic, while the viognier comes from the inland vineyards at Vidigueira, grown on clay and limestone soils. Fermentation took place with native yeasts — partly in stainless steel for freshness, partly in neutral oak for texture — followed by ageing on fine lees to enhance complexity.

Branco 2023 (Cortes de Cima)

Straw yellow in colour. Subtle aromas of green apple, fennel and wild herbs. The palate is bright and balanced, with fresh acidity, fine minerality and good length.

Price: Medium

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Articles

Catalan orange wines

Published 6. October 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

6 October is International Orange Wine Day, a celebration of a style that is both ancient and newly revived. By fermenting white grapes on their skins, winemakers create wines that blur the line between white and red: textured, often amber-hued, and full of unexpected aromas. What was once an old tradition in parts of Georgia, Friuli and beyond has become a contemporary expression of artisanal winemaking worldwide.

Catalonia, with its patchwork of landscapes and long history of experimentation, has embraced this revival with conviction. The region’s native grapes reveal strikingly different characters when handled as orange wines. Malvasía de Sitges, often floral and delicate, transforms into something more savoury, saline and spiced, its aromatic charm shaded by texture and grip. Macabeu, usually restrained and discreet in cava and still whites, gains depth and a surprising nutty, almost oxidative complexity. Garnatxa blanca, typically generous and rounded, might take on a more energetic profile, showcasing both a redish colour, a tannic backbone and subtle bitterness from the skins. A forth grape, xarel.lo, is not present here. That grape is worthy of a thematical evening of its own.

Tabla Rrasa Nèc-Tar 2021 (Portal del Priorat, Alfredo Arribas)
Montsant – malvasía, seven days’ skin maceration, stainless steel

Golden, amber hue and slightly turbid, with a faint natural spritz that lifts the aromas. The nose recalls ripe apple, mango and wild herbs, with a faintly spicy edge. On the palate it is bright and linear, its high acidity wrapped in a fine, lightly phenolic texture. A whisper of bitterness on the finish gives it definition and length. This is a vivid, energetic take on malvasía, where the variety’s usual floral charm gives way to something more tactile and savoury.

Brisat del Coster 2020 (Josep Foraster)
Conca de Barberà – macabeu, low yield, 21 days’ skin maceration

Deep golden in colour, with aromas of orange peel, chamomile and yellow orchard fruit. The palate is dry and quietly firm, with a gentle tannic frame and notes of citrus peel, quince and a touch of butter and almonds from the long maceration. Structured yet understated, it shows how macabeu can move from neutral backbone to expressive texture when treated as brisat – the Catalan word for orange wine.

Trementinaire 2019 (Herència Altés)
Terra Alta – garnatxa blanca, macerated during fermentation, then pressed and aged 22 months in used oak

Pale gold with amber glints. The nose opens with orange zest, dried herbs and toasted nuts. Broad and glyceric on the palate, yet balanced by a subtle salinity and a delicate bitterness that keeps it taut. Layers of hazelnut, honeycomb and iodine unfold with air, giving a sense of power and maturity. A contemplative wine.

Orange wine is, after all, about rediscovery — of grapes, of methods, of flavours once thought forgotten. In Catalonia, that rediscovery feels both rooted and new. Here’s to continued curiosity — and a happy International Orange Wine Day.

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Wine of the Week

Lumière shines

Published 3. October 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Muchada-Léclapart is a fascinating partnership between Alejandro Muchada, a grower from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and David Léclapart, the biodynamic Champagne vigneron. Together they have carved out a unique space in the Sherry district, where their wines explore the terroir without fortification, expressing the albariza soils in their purest form.

This wine comes from a single vineyard called La Platera, a 1.6-hectare plot in the western part of Pago Miraflores, just outside Sanlúcar de Barrameda. The palomino vines are more than seventy years old, massal selections rooted in pure albariza – a mix of tosca and lentejuela that gives both finesse and tension. Farming is fully biodynamic, and the work in the cellar is equally gentle: spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in used French oak barrels, followed by ageing on fine lees, without fortification or additives.

Lumière 2023 (Muchada-Léclapart)

Pale, almost crystalline gold with silvery glints. The aromas open with lemon peel, grapefruit pith and white flowers, followed by hints of chalk dust and a whisper of sea breeze. On the palate it is taut and linear, with a fine, almost chalky grip that frames the fruit. There is a marked salinity, echoing the Atlantic winds, and a cool herbal note that brings freshness.

Price: High

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Wine of the Week

Rosé with personality

Published 12. September 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Gut Oggau, based in the tiny village of Oggau in Burgenland, Austria, has become an icon of biodynamic farming and expressive natural wines. The family estate works old vines near Lake Neusiedl, using spontaneous fermentation, no fining, no filtering and only a touch of sulphur. Their range is famously presented as a family of characters – each wine with its own personality. This is their youthful, free-spirited rosé, made mainly from blaufränkisch and zweigelt.

Winifred Rosé 2023 (Gut Oggau)

It gleams pale ruby in the glass, close to a light red. The nose shows wild strawberries, sour cherries, citrus zest and rhubarb. On the palate it’s bright, juicy and energetic, with a refreshing crunch.

Price: Medium

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