Niagara winery premieres Canada’s first biodynamic wine

In celebration of Earth Day, Southbrook Vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake has launched what it says is the first biodynamic wine produced in Canada. For those who don’t know what biodynamic farming is, it’s essentially a more hard-core version of organic farming with astrology thrown into the mix.

Believing that animals, surrounding plants and the moon all affect the growth of crops, biodynamic farmers use herbal teas in their anti-fungal sprays, animal horns in their manure and begin harvesting when the moon is in the ideal position—“when the sidereal moon is in front of Leo, Aries and Sagittarius,” wrote Ann Sperling, director of winemaking at Southbrook, in an article.

Twenty-five restaurants across the province will be premiering the 2008 cabernet rosé today. In Toronto, those restaurants include Canoe, Crush Wine Bar, Grano, Amuse-Bouche, Auberge du Pommier, Granite Club, Jamie Kennedy at the Gardiner and Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar.