The wineanorak on Sky News
I was on Sky News today talking about biodynamic wine, and Tesco's revelation that they hold press tastings according to the biodynamic calendar. It was a fun experience. I got picked up, driven to the studios in Osterley, and went straight through to make-up. 'Do you do airbrushing?', she asks. I nod as if I knew what she was talking about. With my blemishes covered, I'm through to the green room. Then after a quick flick through a newspaper I'm onto the set and wired up, and then we're on air. A few minutes later, it's all over.You can see the video on:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Wine-Tasting-By-Lunar-Calendar-Drink-Tastes-Different-On-Root-Days-Some-Wine-Retailers-Say/Video/200904315264438?lpos=Latest+Video_6
Labels: biodynamics, video
posted by Jamie @ 6:27 PM
10 comments
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10 Comments:
Good timing! Down here in the French Pyrenees (the Ariège, to be specific), the lunar calendar governs life, so it was interesting to watch your interview. Here, seeds should only be sown, fruit trees should only be pruned, potatoes should only be planted within certain phases of the lunar cycle.... old wives tales....? I don't know, haven't done any controlled experiments yet! But with regard to wine tasting, surely what you have just eaten, what your expectations are etc have more of an impact on the taste of the wine than the phase of the moon....???! I am prepared to be proved wrong ;-)
Well done Jamie. Great performance.
I can well believe that lunar cycles can influence taste buds and general health and well being of humans and other animals and hence appreciation of wine and other things.
Dealing with Biodynamics is dealing with Science and therefore with the scientific clear thinking and wording.
- Biodynamics is thus not "a sort of supercharged version of Organics," that is to say, still a closed 19th century input-output model. Biodynamics is an open system which works with the outer parameters to the system, such as the rhythmic factor for example. It deals not only with Space and horizontality, but also with Time and verticality.
- The Silica preparation is not buried "for a year" which would be an entire solar cycle, but for 6 months, from Summer to Winter Solstice.
- It is then not "diluted," but vigorously stirred clockwise and counter-clockwise in turn for 1 hour.
- Biodynamists do not time their interventions according to some "special" lunar calendar, but according to the rhythms of the natural environment, meaning not only Earth but also cosmos. They work with both the earthly and astronomical realities.
- As for the "Root days as the worst days for tasting wines," were sensory experiments conducted on "Leaf days" or on the Perigee, or else when the Moon is at a node?
For again: Biodynamics is an invitation to question better, not an answer.
Why no mention of Rudolf Steyner, the accepted forefather of biodynamics?
My my--is there no limit to your achievements!! Scientist,author,wine judge,wine journalist, award winning blog writer and NOW Tv star---------well done Jamie.
Very good discussion, but I missed RTL adding comments in the background. :-)
Agree with the others - very good performance Jamie, well done. Would like to see you do more video blog entries in a similar "discussion" format.
What clarity, Jamie, well done.
I've been planning to brush up on my knowledge of biodynamics for ages, and was really impressed by your performance on Sky Jamie, you came across so well, I inspired to get started on my research asap.
Great work : )
Well done Jamie - very coherent performance - and pitched at exactly the right level for the casual viewer.
Ben
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