The launch of “Meat Free Monday”, the long anticipated cookbook by Paul, Stella, and Mary McCartney came with an added bonus on October 18, 2012, when it was revealed that it was being paired with biodynamic wine from the well known label at Querciabella.

The cookbook is filled with recipes that encourage people to eliminate meat on one day every week.

The reasoning behind the goal of the cookbook is to help people to take steps that are better for the environment, as well as to make choices that will improve their own health. Biodynamic wine suits that goal very nicely.

The biodynamic wine from Querciabella is being sold in McCartney’s boutique in Milan.

The book, which provides 360 recipes “for better living and a healthier planet” was first launched in Italy under the title “Lunedi Senza Carne”. With this release, guests to the McCartney shop were welcomed to take part in guided Mongrana 2009 tastings. This biodynamic wine is a blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Each of those grapes originated in the Maremma vineyards of Querciabella.

Both Stella McCartney and the biodynamic wine maker are known as award winners in their industries and are recognized as having similar values for building awareness that it is possible to be ethical while still enjoying luxury products.

From Querciabella’s side of things, it works to make sure that viticulture is well known so that biodynamic wine can obtain more attention around the world. It uses proprietary farming techniques that are designated as cruelty-free and that eliminates any products that are animal derived from both the cellar and the vineyard as a whole, according to the company.

A release from the biodynamic wine company said that its product “exemplifies the mindful preservation of tradition through forward-thinking, albeit completely natural, winemaking.” This complements the cookbook’s perspective very well. The book and the wines from Querciabella have already been successfully paired in New York and Rome events before that in Milan. The vineyard, itself, was founded in 1974, and is located throughout the Chianti Classico of Tuscany.

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Vineyards aren’t just allowed to call their products biodynamic wine unless they meet certain minimum standards and use the nine preparations that were described by Rudolf Steiner in 1924.

These preparations require seven medicinal plants, as well as silica (quartz) and cow manure.

Before they can be used, some of those ingredients must first be transformed by way of various natural processes. Among the nine processes for biodynamic wine growing, there are three that are used in the form of a spray (common horsetail, horn silica, and horn manure), while the remaining six are made up of various applications of solid compost that are then applied to the vineyard.

The following are the basics of the nine biodynamic wine vineyard preparations.

• Horn Manure (also known as 500) – involves cow manure buried in cow horns over the winter within the soil. In the spring, the horn is dug up and the contents are stirred into water which is used as an afternoon soil spray.

• Horn Silica (also known as 501) – ground quarts is buried within the horns of cows in the soil throughout the summer. The horn is unearthed and its contents are mixed with water for a daybreak spray over the vines.

• Yarrow Flower Compost (also known as 502) – a stag’s bladder is filled with yarrow flowers which are hung in the sun throughout the summer, buried throughout the winter, and then dug up so that the contents can be mixed into compost to be used on the vineyard.

• German Chamomile Flower Compost (also known as 503) – Chamomile (Matricaria chamomila) flowers are hung over the summer in a cow intestine and then buried over the winter. When this is dug up in the springtime, the contents are mixed into the biodynamic wine vineyard compost.

• Stinging Nettle Compost (also known as 504) – Stinging nettles are buried without a container all summer and are dug up in the fall to be combined with the vineyard compost.

• Oak Bark Compost (also known as 505) – a farm animal’s skull is used to contain oak bark, which is buried into a watery area over the winter. When it is dug up in the spring, it is mixed in with the compost for the biodynamic wine vineyard.

• Dandelion Flower Compost (also known as 506) – cow mesentery is used as a container for dandelion flowers, which are hung in the sun over the summer, then buried throughout the winter, to be unearthed in the spring. The contents are combined with the compost.

• Valerian Flower Juice (also known as 507) – juice from valerian flowers is sprayed over and mixed into the compost for the vineyard.

• Common Horsetail Compost (also known as 508) – Common Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is either steeped either in water like a fresh tea, which is applied to the vines, or in fermented liquid manure, to be applied to the soil.

These nine preparations are vital to the approach required to create biodynamic wine in its truest form.

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Going eco-friendly has become quite the trend in many different markets, and biodynamic wine has come right back into popularity as a result.

However, many consumers are confused about what the term truly means.

There are so many different forms of environmentally friendly winemaking that many people struggle to know the difference between organic and biodynamic wine, for example, and why they would want to choose one over the other.

Biodynamic wine not only uses organic grapes but also sustainable practices.

These winemakers concentrate not only on producing a spectacular flavor, but also work to achieve this goal without the use of pesticides and other chemicals, while using sustainable practices.

Organic farming simply uses the same techniques as those used by conventional vineyards, only they replace synthetic herbicides and fertilizers with those that are naturally derived. Biodynamic wine, on the other hand, is created through a full process of holistic agriculture which considers the entire farm a living organism, instead of a business or a type of factory.

Indeed they also avoid using chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, but they don’t simply replace one product with another. Instead, they build the fertility of the soil and encourage natural pest management by using crop biodiversity in combination with wildlife and livestock. They also use various types of substances that are generated right there on the farm, such as composted plants and minerals as well as manure from animals.

Moreover, farmers of biodynamic wine work to conserve the natural resources of the farm, particularly the soil and the water. The agriculture principles of the technique are based on those established in 1924 by an Austrian scientist named Rudolf Steiner. They were created as a direct response to issues of soil fertility depletion and declining quality of crops when industrial farming techniques started to be used, such as synthetic fertilizers and monoculture.

The term “biodynamic wine” is a legal one, and a vineyard cannot claim that its products are produced using its principles unless it has received certification from the Demeter Association, a nonprofit organization and meet the National Organic Program requirements of the USDA.

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The draw of all things organic and natural has made its way into a very traditional industry, as biodynamic wine – a practice that is far from new – is finally taking some significant steps into the mainstream and is gaining attention from large sources with widespread audiences such as Reuters.

This popularity is occurring alongside the increase in organic produce in regular grocery stores and markets, and farm-to-table restaurants. More than ever, wine producers are starting to adopt various degrees and versions of green, eco-friendly, and healthy practices. That said, the motives for developing products such as sustainable, organic, and biodynamic wines may extend beyond the bottom line, and often simply make practical sense as they are being found to naturally improve the quality of the product.

According to a California Wine Institute spokesperson, Gladys Horiuchi, “Most of the wineries are family-owned businesses and they saw this as a better way to farm. They wanted to pass on healthier farms and businesses to the next generation.”

Horiouchi explained that two out of three bottles produced in California are certified for sustainability.

A Newton Vineyards winemaker from Napa Valley, Chris Millard, has said that it certainly isn’t cheap to choose to be an organic producer. His own vineyard is known for its unfiltered Chardonnays. He stated that “We are not organic. We are not biodynamic. We’re not green. We’re sustainable.”

He explained that “And by that I mean that we encompass the whole business of making wine. Being sustainable in the vineyard and taking care of the land.” For him, sustainable practices has to do with caring for the land in a different way, while making certain that the individuals responsible for growing the grapes and producing the wine will still be able to make enough money to make the business worthwhile.

The principles behind biodynamic wines come from Rudolf Steiner, a 20th century Austrian philosopher.

Steiner worked to build a better understanding of the nature of ecology and spirituality. While organic vines are grown without the use of herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides, methods for biodynamic wines extend beyond this concept by attempting to tap into the natural and spiritual. For example, vines grown in this way are pruned and picked based on the moon phases.

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Over the years, skeptics have been highly critical of the biodynamic techniques, having called them organic farming to the extreme, but it has continued on for long enough that it is now, finally, able to prove its effectiveness.

Recent studies are finding that using biodynamic vine growing and wine production methods are helpful in developing a diverse biosphere and, as such, become significantly more energy efficient than conventional farming techniques. In a world that now faces energy struggles, climate change, and population growth, the biodynamic practices that are now occurring in over 50 countries around the world are finding their place.

Of course, the final product of the wine isn’t to be ignored, either. Fine wine producers in Europe (including Germany, Italy, France, and Austria), Australia, and the United States have been using biodynamic farming techniques on an increasing basis because it has allowed them to improve the quality of their wines.

A recent wine tasting conducted by Fortune magazine paired ten conventionally-made and biodynamic wines, and produced notable results in the favor of biodynamic methods, as nine out of ten biodynamic wines were found to be superior to their counterparts. The panel of judges was made up of a master wine sommelier, several head sommeliers, in addition to a number of laypersons.

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In these difficult economic times, a glass of wine has been a relatively inexpensive luxury that many people have allowed themselves to enjoy. However, this year will likely face struggles even in that area, as the price of this treat are on the rise. In the United Kingdom, this is primarily because of the Duty Escalator. This refers to the 2 percent above-inflation increase that occurs on the annual duty of wine, which will be held in place until 2015.

As a flat tax, duty is among those expenses that weighs most heavily on those individuals who have the smallest amount of spending money. Suppliers are therefore left with two choices from which to set their prices: either lower the quality of their product and absorb the cost, or maintain the price and put themselves at risk of losing their supermarket contracts.

That said, the entire market will be feeling the pinch of these increases in duty. This, combined with the unfavorable exchange rates have added an even greater struggle for wine producers. Many have been forced to either take a step back, or step out entirely.

The one area where this is not the case is in the Swartland region, which is now producing very high quality dry, rich wines and is now drawing the attention of the world. This remote little portion of South Africa Is becoming known as a hidden gem for its Rhône-inspired red and white wines. Furthermore, there are an increasing number of natural wines – including vineyards using biodynamic wine and organic techniques.

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According to Oliver Humbrecht, master of wine (MW), the health of the vine and the soil can be assessed by measuring the mineral content of the wine it produces.

Humbrecht spoke in London at the Biodyvin tasting in November, explaining that when the presence of high mineral fraction within a wine can be used as a useful indicator that the soil is functioning properly and that the vine is healthy enough to properly draw the those minerals from it.

He is the current president of the Biodyvin association, which has been in operation for the last 15 years, and he made this particular comment as he held his “Minerality in biodynamic wines” seminar at the London tasting.

He did explain that the topic itself held a certain amount of controversy, but that he selected it because “the main goal of being biodynamic is to make better wine, and therefore one would expect to see minerality in the wine.”

That said, he highlighted the fact that a mineral assessment requires a complex analysis, and that a wine’s minerals cannot be smelt. He added that these analyses are frequently inaccurately confused with faults in wine, for example, reduction.

According to Humbrecht, one of the mistakes most frequently made is connecting minerality with reductivity. He also said that it is not uncommon on the palate for minerality to be mistaken for an unripe character.

Instead, he said that one can come to recognize minerality in a wine, and though it may not have a smell, but its taste can be detected, changing the acidity and pH structure and giving the wine an overall saltiness.

For more on biodynamic wine and updates in the organic wine world.

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The estate embraces its environment and, with the help of goats and bees, is able to provide much more than a flavorful wine. The lawn is kept by the goats which trim and fertilize it, the plants are pollinated by the bees, which also produce honey, and the rest of the vineyard is run by humans who take part in careful biodynamic wine processes – such as burying a manure-filled bull’s horn by moonlight.

This process allows the vintners to give their land and their soil and surroundings a deep respect and a special amount of care and attention to make sure that it is always being run naturally and harmoniously.

Quivera’s techniques includes the contributions of plants and animals, not just people. In fact, every bottle features an image of an animal on its labels.

Though the winery produces a Sauvignon Blanc as well as a number of Rhone varietals, it is best recognized for its Zinfandels. Though the price on the bottle may be about $20, wine tasters tend to agree that it is worth another half as much, in flavor. The wines are sold at K&L in San Francsco, as well as Canyon Market, Andronico’s, and Whole Foods.

The jam and honey products produced there are available at the winery itself, as well as online from their official website.

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A growing number of wineries have made this observation and are seeking to achieve their official recognition for sustainable practices. The practice of “greenwashing”, which consists of making misleading or unsubstantiated claims about the eco-benefits of a product has unfortunately also been spiking.

Reyneke Winery owner, Johan Reyneke, from Stellenbosch, said that being able to obtain official certification has both benefits and drawbacks. He explained that “it costs a lot in terms of time and money, but it also gives credibility in these times where greenwashing has become so prevalent.”

He said that biodynamic wines have the type of purity that can’t be achieved in wines that have been subjected to “gymnastics in the wine cellar”.

Wairarapa, New Zealand’s Angus Thompson from Urlar said that there is a certain portion of the population that cares and that is seeking wines that have these official certifications. That winery has maintained an organic certification since its 2010 vintage. It also makes its cow-pat pit prep, cow-horn prep with a herd of Highland cows, and makes seaweed teas as well as compost. They have an organic label and believes that it is something to boast about.

Hamish Young, the New Generation Wines commercial director said that achieving biodynamic or organic certification sets apart the producers that are more rigorous about their practices with those who are more “lackadaisical”.

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The winery has been in existence since 1996 and has been upholding biodynamic wine practices since that time.

The winery’s tasting room – which is also a gift shop – has become a very popular spot on weekends for people in the Nice area (located between Lucerne and Lakeport). The tasting room is usually quite crowded and spills out onto the patio where there are tables set in front of the adobe-style building.

Though one might expect that the experience would be rather snobbish as the 163 acre property is immaculate and embraces Clear Lake with a private boat and seaplane dock, and its private lakeside casitas are $325 per night, it is actually a relaxed and fun-loving environment.

The owner of Ceago Vinegarden is Jim Fetzer, who was formerly known as the president of Fetzer Vineyards, which he established in 1968 but sold in 1992 when it was selling 2.5 million cases of wine every year. Ceago Vinegarden was created the year after that and is run by himself and two of his children. The winemaker, Barney Fetzer, has held the position since 2009, and Katrina Fetzer is the head of marketing and sales.

There are many different grapes grown in the area, with wines available such as: Merlot, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Malbec, as well as blends such as Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It also offers three choices of sweet wines, which are Late Harvest Semillon, Muscat Canelli, and the dessert wine called “Soul of Syrah”.

Beyond wine tasting, there are many other experiences available, such as a guided tour which provides a firsthand lesson of biodynamics.

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