Biodynamic orange wines: the expertise of Gérard Bertrand

Biodynamic orange wines are part of the beautiful range of Gérard Bertrand wines. While they are produced with white grape varieties, they are vinified like biodynamic red wine . But they are not to be compared with a red, nor with a biodynamic white wine and even less with a rosé wine. Biodynamic orange wines are aimed at both amateurs and novices in search of authentic wines . Biodynamic orange wines are the result of an artisanal and environmentally friendly approach , which seeks to express the terroir and the personality of the winemaker. Their uniqueness makes them more than just a fad. Their development and surprising flavors are absolutely worth discovering. All you have to do is immerse yourself in the amber and light orange color of a biodynamic orange wine to reconnect with this ancestral know-how where nature has its full expression.

Biodynamic orange wines in synergy with nature

At Gérard Bertrand, the method of developing biodynamic orange wines is accomplished in a holistic vision . Thus, the vine and its environment are a living organism in constant evolution. So, the typical white grape varieties of Languedoc-Roussillon and also those that are dear to Gérard Bertrand are maintained using natural inputs recommended according to the biodynamic calendar . Chardonnay , Grenache-Blanc , Viognier , Marsanne , Mauzac , Muscat , Roussanne , Vermentino , Sauvignon-Blanc and Colombard are observed daily. A dialogue with nature is established in an analysis of the soil, fauna, flora and the vegetative cycle of the vine to establish biodynamic cultivation techniques . Within this heritage, biodynamics takes on its full meaning. Indeed, it is about understanding the typicality of each grape variety, according to each terroir, because the process of making orange wines is based on the idea that the vineyard must be in harmony with cosmic forces. So, according to the calendar of Maria Thun , preparations based on medicinal plants or minerals are applied to the soil or to the vine leaves in order to strengthen their natural defenses and stimulate the microbial life of the soil . While synthetic chemicals are excluded, the hedges, woods and surrounding waterways give way to abundant biodiversity . Thus, the quality of the grapes makes it possible to obtain orange wines faithful to their terroir.

Biodynamic orange wines: Gérard Bertrand’s winemaking techniques

Orange wine originates from Georgia, where it has been produced for centuries. Georgians use earthenware jars to ferment and age the wine. It is made from indigenous grape varieties such as local white grape varieties such as Rkatsiteli or Mtsvane . It is a white wine made using the red wine method, that is, leaving the skins and seeds of the grapes in contact with the juice during fermentation. In Gérard Bertrand's winemaking cellar, biodynamic orange wine has the particularity of undergoing skin maceration during its vinification like that of red wines. Thus, the phenolic compounds of white grapes are better extracted, releasing coloring matter and tannins contained in the skins of the grape berries. Depending on the vintage , we choose not to push this maceration to preserve sufficient acidity. Orange wine does not undergo the addition of sulfites. Due to the extraction of polyphenols from the skin of the white grape, orange wine naturally protects itself from oxidation . Once its fermentation is complete, depending on the extraction obtained and the result of the vintage, the biodynamic orange wine is transferred to barrels or amphorae to be aged naturally. Moreover, Villa Soleilla is an orange wine resulting from the know-how of Gérard Bertrand's biodynamic winemaking techniques . It benefits from the fine porosity of the terracotta amphora , providing regular oxygenation and rounding out its tannins.