Chateau Pontet Canet and Chateau Climens biodynamic

Biodynamic viticulture has gradually spread in popularity. The vineyards of the south of France with their dry warm climate and refreshing strong winds have adapted very well to organic and biodynamic culture.
However biodynamics can be difficult in the Bordeaux region. It is not the warmest area and there is a large amount of humididty from the Atlantic Ocean as well as the large rivers. So various vineyard problems have to be treated such as mildew and millederange.

I was in the vineyards on Monday and Tuesday and I visited and tasted at two biodynamic producers .....Chateau Pontet Canet in Pauillac and Chateau Climens in Barsac. Chateau Pontet Canet started their conversion to biodynamics way back in 2004 under the guidance of the vineyard manager Jean Michel Comme. Now Jean Michel's wife has bended the ear of Berenice Lurton in Barsac, as they have started the 4 year process of converting to biodynamics. (the should be fully certified biodynamic by 2014).
It is interesting that these two properties have transformed into biodynamic viticulture as they are both making stunning wines in Bordeaux. The proof is in the bottle.
Pontet Canet and Climens are not the only biodynamic vineyards in Bordeaux. The excellent quality and value wines of Chateau Falfas in the Bourg region have also been practising this method for many years.

It was great to see a couple of key points at both wineries on Monday:

Here the vineyards of Pontet Canet are being sprayed with talcum powder using one of their 5 horses:

And here are a few of the dried plants at Chateau Climens that they make 'tissanes' (similar to tea infusions) in order to spray the vines....they use sage, nettles, camomile, laurel as well as a few others.: