Natural Farming
Natural Farming
Cream Wine Company recognizes Natural Farming in the wine industry and is proud to represent the wineries and vineyards in our portfolio that choose this path. We receive requests from our customers daily for naturally-farmed wines. The popularity of this category is due in large part from media, health reports and general interest bringing to public eye the benefits and positive long-term effects of naturally-farmed products on the earth and body. The categories of Natural Farming in the wine industry (described
below) are Sustainable, Organic and Biodynamic Viticulture and you can search our inventory online for each of these categories. They each have a governing organization and certification process giving credibility and further recognition to these practices. |
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Sustainable Viticulture
Many different definitions of Sustainable Viticulture exist in the grape industry, but most people agree that the current sustainable viticulture movement in the USA began with sustainable
agriculture, which grew out of organic farming practices and the ‘green revolution’ of the 1950s and the earth movement of the 1970s. The term ‘sustainable agriculture’ first came into common use in the 1980s. As defined by the US Congress, it is an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having site specific applications. Simply: it is economically viable, socially supportive and ecologically sound
Sustainably Farmed wines from Cream portfolio
Organic Viticulture
Organic Viticulture, as compared to conventional viticulture, is defined in the 1990 U.S. Farm Bill as 'a system of grape growing which does not use industrially-synthesized compounds on the soil or the vines in order to increase fertility or to combat pest problems.' Organic viticulture procedures carried out in the cellar include limited handling and processing, and avoidance of chemical additives (except for the occasional use of very low levels of sulfur dioxide as a preservative).
The main factors involve the use of gentle handling, mashing, pressing, and maceration; fermentation without the use of additives or adjuvants; the use of minimal amounts of gaseous sulfur dioxide (the best tolerated form of sulfur), completely avoiding the use of solid sulfur additives; minimal filtration and fining methods; and the use of corks of organic origin. Many bottlers also use labels of organic origin, avoid the use of heavy metal inks, and use packing materials of organic origin.
Some people believe that organic farming is a load of…uh, compost. Check out an article www.wine.co.za with similar viewpoints from Swedish soil scientist Dr Holger Kirchmann.
Organically Farmed wines from Cream portfolio
Biodyamic Wines
Biodynamic Viticulture raises organic agriculture to a higher place as a system of managing a farm’s natural resources including certified organic growing practices to produce the highest quality fruit possible. Its goal is to create an individually unique ecosystem which is as self-sufficient as possible with respect to the cycle of substances it requires. It’s your own ‘incestuous little world’ with its own individuality. Farmers use internal mehods of building and maintaining soil fertility through a system of recycling all internal waste with an emphasis on manure and compost and balanced crop rotation. There is a saying among winemakers, 'a great wine begins in the compost pile'. Biodynamic preparations regulate the composting process and stimulate the life activities of the soil and the plant. The holistic management practices also include integrating crops with livestock and enhancing the health and wellbeing of crops and animals and even the farmer too. Demeter is the certifying organization.
Biodynamic viticulture uses a philosophical model articulated in eight lectures developed as an alternative to chemical agriculture by Austrian scientist and philosopher, Rudolf Steiner, in 1924. Part of a much greater spiritual science, biodynamic farmers go so far as to plan for the growth of the leaves, roots, flowers or fruit, according to the cosmic and terrestrial forces that influence life energy such as the positions of the moon and stars, the time of year, and even the time of day that grapes are picked. There is a deep level of respect for this energy and life force that exists in a particular piece of property, when you overlay grape growing you get that ultimate expression in the wine. This form of viticulture has been adopted by increasing numbers of high quality producers in France, including Domaine Huet of Vouvray, Nicolas Joly in Savennières, Domaine Leflaive of Puligny-Montrachet, Domaine Leroy in Vosne-Romanée, Comtes Lafon in Meursault and Chapoutier in Hermitage as well as other vineyards around the world.
Skeptics call it ‘Doodoo Voodoo’ because the costs are higher needing more man hours to run a large scale vineyard operation. Wine Critics alike are also mixed about ratings. A subject for another time - what we should remember about Biodynamic Viticulture is the understanding of how living systems work to bring about balance and healing and what wineries are doing for the earth.
According to Maria Thun, all plants have all parts in the course of their reproductive cycle, but most vegetable gardeners are aiming for radish roots rather than flowers, or lettuce leaves rather than seeds and big tomatoes rather than a bushy plant. Each of the twelve constellations of the zodiac, through which the sun, moon and planets pass as they circle the earth, has been associated with one of the four elements. So, plants sown when the moon is passing in front of a constellation bearing the qualities of the earth element have enhanced root growth. Just as leaf growth and the element of water, enhanced flowering and the element of air, and fuller development of ripe fruit when seeds were sown with the moon in relation to the element of fire. It is best to harvest roots on a root day, fruit on a fruit day or a flower day for crops in the cabbage family. With tasting wine, it is best to taste on a fruit or flower day.
Biodynamic wines from Cream portfolio
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