our philosophy

The biodynamic viticulture

Biodynamic farming is a system of agricultural production, the foundations of which were given by Rudolf Steiner in 1924 and then developed and tested by inspired farmers and winemakers. Its aim is to obtain healthy and balanced plants with optimum yield, while avoiding exhausting the soil by too intense exploitation. The vines are fertilized using organic manure and compost. The use of soluble fertilizers and the use of pesticides are of course prohibited.

Biodynamic farming uses the technique of companion plants, that is to say plants which mutually reinforce each other by their proximity. Similarly in the fight against parasites, infusions, decoctions and various preparations are used. It is mainly the use of these preparations that makes the specificity of biodynamic farming. The terrestrial and cosmic currents are also of vital importance as well as the plowing and spiking of the soil. This cultivation method lets the vines express themselves and allows them to produce more concentrated fruits, it gives a strong identity to the grape and generously and accurately restores the full expression of the terroirs.

All estate owned vines are cultivated biodynamically. "Bio" (organic) for the relationship between managment of the soil, of the flora and fauna, and preventing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. "Dynamic" to go further: letting nature develop in its natural way. The goal of the biodynamist is to awaken the potential of living organisms.

 

Vinification

The vinification is the hallmark of the KUENTZ-BAS estate. Our winemaker Olivier RAFFIN stays as close to nature as possible with his few principles: manual harvest, pressing of whole grapes, aging without hurry and at the right temperature. The eyes and the taste buds decides in the choice of the cuvée. 

The grape selection is made after grape variety, depending on the terroir and their sugar content. The vinification is carefully monitored, with a daily tasting of the wine in each vat. The wines are aged in oak casks that are over one hundred years old, which gives perfect micro-oxygenation, or in stainless steel tanks, for preserving the fruit aromas. Our terroirs combined with a natural vinification gives us the possiblity to create elegant wines, while respecting the typicity of the grape varieties.

L'abus d'alcool est dangereux pour la santé. À consommer avec modération.