Sunblock for Grapes

OK. I have heard everything now. A biodynamic Californian winemaker is spraying his crop with a sun block concoction to relieve his over-tanned grapes.

The Californian winemaker in question is Quintessa Vineyard in the Napa Valley. Biodynamic is a word that is being bandied around a lot lately – no it does not have anything to do with bionic (that was The Six Million Dollar Man – not the Six Million Dollar Grape). It is basically a farming practice based on the principle that the growth of plants is subject to the energy of the earth and the gravitational influences of the sun, moon and stars. It has been used in gardening for a while now – centuries in fact, and is making a big come back. You plant, prune and harvest due to the phases of the moon and cosmological cycles. It is supposed to give greater yields and happier crops.

Apparently plants that bear above the ground should be planted during the waxing moon and root crops should be planted during the waning moon. Now, this could be onto something. In a test in Germany full moon plantings were said to yield 50 – 60% more than new moon sowings.

There are a lot of folk beliefs that mimic this, for example if you plant peas and sweet peas on the night of Saint Patrick’s Day they will grow abundantly and heavily. Not that I have tried it.

Quintessa (http://www.quintessa.com/) takes this quite seriously and prepare homeopathic remedies made with tiny amounts of silica, chamomile, oak bark, stinging nettle, valerian and other herbs which are sprayed on the foliage of the vines. http://www.decanter.com/ have reported that they are now spraying their vines with an organic 'tea' which includes Aloe Vera, known for its skin-soothing properties, and Yucca. Marine Algae is added to the mix because of its apparent UV-absorbing qualities, effectively making the spray part-sunscreen, part-after-sun lotion.

This ‘compost tea', as it is known, is supposed to work in a similar manner to that of homeopathy by transferring the drought-resistant properties of Aloe Vera onto the vines and grapes. This is the first time it has ever been used on grapes. I am not so sure about the “transferring of properties” from one plant to another but I do know that Aloe Vera forms a screen against burns.

The question is why are they doing it? I can understand the winegrowers wish to follow the natural flow and ebb of the seasons but is there a problem with sun burnt grapes? Surely the sun’s rays are part of a natural process of ripening. Is the sun in California too strong? Are the grapes turning old and wrinkly before their time? May be a good night cream would help, perhaps a moisturiser? I, for one, will not be squirting my sun scorched raspberries with “compost tea sun block”. Have you tasted Aloe Vera? Yuck! I think Quintessa should be careful lest it taints the wine?

Images courtesy NASA & NSSDC http/nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov and www.freeimages.co.uk