Ever wonder why some days wine taste better than other days? You can blame it on the moon which has influences on all living matter, not just ocean tides. As wine is a living product it will respond to the rythmn of the monthly lunar cycle.
I was introduced to this biodynamic calender by one of Vancouver’s best sommelier. This little pocket book is titled “When wine tastes best” by Maria & Matthias Thun, published by Floris Books from the UK. I was more curious rather than being in disbelief. The book explains the origins and is based on Maria Thun’s biodynamic calendar. Best drinking days are fruit/ flower days and days to avoid are root/leaf days. It doesn’t mean you can’t drink but do save your best wines for fruit/flower days. Even the supermarkets in the UK are using it for their tastings.
I’ve tasted my portfolio of wines on different days, planned my tastings/appointments with this calendar and conclude there is a difference in the taste of my wines depending on the moon cycle. Personally, I think the calendar works best on wines that are artisanal (not necessarily organic) in nature. But my wines from Castello di Bossi seems to defy the calendar – the wines show well even on root/leaf days! I found that the calendar has little effect or no difference on the inexpensive, mass produced wines.
So check out the book, experiment and taste the difference. A free app “Wine Tonight” is available for iphone users. It will advise one if it is a favourable day of drinking or not. However to see the future drinking days, one will have to consult the book. In Vancouver it is available at Barbara Jo’s Books to Cook for $8.95 Cdn. I wait in anticipation for the 2012 calendar.
