Project Title: Why Wine Matters: How Biodynamic Wine is Revolutionizing the Agricultural Industry
BASIS Advisor: Mr. Mandeville
What is fine dining without a good glass of wine? Wine is a universal delicacy; it is and has been enjoyed with dinners for hundreds of years. However, wine has taken a rather artificial approach to its success. Artificial fertilizers, harmful preservatives, and additive fermentation are just some of the many ways that wine has been unnaturally changed from its classic origins to the sellers’ stores and tables of today. Luckily a new movement has come about to combat this process: biodynamic winemaking. Biodynamic winemaking removes all the chemicals from the winemaking process, creating a new healthier and raw product. I will explore whether biodynamic wine is healthier and if it can turn a profit in an already established market. Furthermore, how does the production of biodynamic wines fare against that of the traditional form of winemaking? By working with several vineyards in France, California, and Long Island, I will make observations will be made on how the biodynamic winemaking process differs from a traditional winemaking process.
My Posts
Final Presentation
Jun 18, 2019
Hello once again everyone, Last Saturday I finally gave my concluding presentation for my senior project. I would mark it as a great success! I was a little anxious going into it but once I got on stage my nerves seemed to disappear. In the beginning of the presentation, I cracked a few jokes and […]
Reflection
Jun 18, 2019
Welcome back everyone, This blogpost is more about reflection than about description. As you all know, I have concluded all my interviews and onsite experiences. As I look back at why I learned a few things become very apparent. One, I should most definitely make a better effort to buy organic products. The simple reality […]
Wrapping Up
Jun 10, 2019
Welcome back everyone! While my onsite experiences are finished, I have one interview to share with you all. Last week I met with Daniel Johnnes, a partner at a wine distribution company and works closely with Daniel Blue. Mr. Johnnes and I discussed the appeal of biodynamic wines and how they are marketed in retail […]
Organic Farrm Wines – Bottling up my Vineyard Experiences
May 29, 2019
Hello everyone and welcome back! This week marks the end of my onsite vineyard experiences for the senior project. I have spent the last few days working with Rex Farr at his vineyard, Organic Farrm Wines (OFW), learning about biodynamics in practice and how he goes about farming. Due to the current time of year, […]
Goodbye France, Merci Beaucoup!
May 09, 2019
Welcome back Everyone, Today is a bittersweet, as it marks the end of a two week journey that have I embarked on to immerse myself within a foreign culture to learn about a foreign process. I’ve had to do it all here from back-breaking manual labor to translating during wine tastings (more to come on […]
End of Week One in France
May 03, 2019
Welcome everyone! Today marks the end of my first week working at Vignobles Lataste in Cadillac, France. This week was full of new experiences for me. I certainly have a much higher appreciation for what it takes to create and deliver a unique and eloquent bottle of wine. On Tuesday I spent the morning bottling […]
My First Day in Cadillac, France
Apr 30, 2019
Bonjour everyone! Thank you for tuning back in to my Senior Project. Today marks the beginning of my two week stay at Vignobles Lataste. Located in Cadillac, France, a small town about 30 minutes outside Bordeaux, Vignobles Lataste is a small family vineyard with about only 4-6 employees. There is Vincent, who owns the vineyard, […]
Organic Farrm Wines
Apr 22, 2019
Hey everyone thanks for tuning in again I have very exciting news! This week I had my first onsite vineyard experience. On Wednesday I took the train out to Long Island and spent Thursday meeting the winemakers and learning about Organic Farrm Wines. I was only able to visit for one day but I will […]
An Interview With Oscar Henquet
Apr 12, 2019
On Wednesday morning I had the pleasure of sitting down and discussing biodynamic and organic winemaking with the Estate Director at Rudd Winery in Napa Valley, Oscar Henquet. While enjoying omelettes and coffee, we discussed Mr. Henquet’s background, how he ended up at Rudd, and what his role is in facilitating the vineyards new biodynamic […]
Vineyard Experiences, Interviews, and Much More to Come
Apr 05, 2019
Welcome back everyone! Finally I have finalized all my traveling logistics for my project! The third week of April I will be on my way to Napa Valley to visit my first vineyard, Medlock Ames. I’m going to be spending a few days there and then returning to NYC to pack and get ready for […]
Introduction
Mar 19, 2019
Hello Everyone and welcome to my blog! My name is William (I go by Liam) E. and I am a senior at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. Finally the time has come for me to embark on my Senior Project, and man am I excited. For the next 10 to 12 weeks, I will be learning the […]