While biodynamic winemaking may certainly sound like hocus pocus to skeptics thanks to its focus on the lunar calendar and planetary alignments, there is no denying that biodynamic wines are enjoying a wave of popularity and interest. To find out exactly what they are all about, we talk to Kavita Faiella, wine director of The Press Room Group and the woman behind the impressive wine lists at The Principal, The News Room, and of course the all-French one at The Press Room.

At The Pawn, Faiella has compiled a "wine journal", a whimsical, dynamic wine list that heavily features biodynamic wines (pictured below). As this is still a relatively unfamiliar field to most wine lovers, we ask her to give us a brief explanation of what biodynamic winemaking is, as well as her favourite biodynamic wines.

According to Faiella, "in its most elementary definition, biodynamic winemaking is a natural agricultural process that works with the rhythms of the earth. By performing certain winegrowing practices at certain times, the harnessing of this natural energy can be used to enhance the essential characteristics of the plant, the fruit and ultimately, the wine".

The four elements (earth, water, air and fire) are all associated with an element of traditional winemaking. Earth is represented by the root; water is the leaf of the grapes; air is flower; while fire is the actual fruit itself. For a wine to be considered biodynamic, winemakers must follow the principals laid down in 1924 by the founder of biodynamics Rudolf Steiner and use the following nine preparations:

- Preparation 500: cow manure buried in cow horns over winter and sprayed on the soil in the afternoon.

- Preparation 501: ground quartz, buried in cow horns over summer and sprayed over vines at daybreak.

- Preparation 502: yarrow flowers buried sheathed in a stag's bladder, hung in the summer, buried over winter, and dug up in the spring and used as part of the compost.

- Preparation 503: chamomile flowers sheathed in cow's intestine. Again hung in the summer, buried over winter, and dug up in the spring to become compost.

- Preparation 504: stinging nettles buried in the soil and inserted into compost.

- Preparation 505: oak bark buried in the skull of a farm animal over winter, then inserted into compost.

- Preparation 506: dandelion buried sheathed in a cow mesentery and inserted into compost in the spring.

- Preparation 507: valerian flower sprayed over or inserted into compost.

- Preparation 508: horsetail made as a fresh tea or fermented liquid manure, applied either to the vines or soil.

There is often some confusion between organic wines and biodynamic ones, thanks to an overlap. In biodynamic winemaking, "the actual farming practices are completely organic and only natural fertilizers and tisanes are used to protect the vines", says Faiella. In essence, while all biodynamic wines are organic, not all organic wines are made following the principals of biodynamic winemaking.

There are two main labeling bodies that certify wines as biodynamic. Demeter, which was founded in the US in 1928 and gives out two classifications: vin issu de raisons Demeter which certifies that wines are made from biodynamically certified grapes and vin Demeter which certifies that not only are the grapes biodynamic, but so is the vinification process. Biodyvin is the other body and is an association of French biodynamic winemakers who taste and approve all the certified Biodyvin wines.

While all this harnessing the planetary alignment's energy and using strange herbs buried in animal skin sound pretty loopy, the biodynamic wines we have tasted are actually delicious. Whether this is due to Steiner's preparations or the small production size and extra care that must be given to these biodynamic wines is debatable. But they are definitely worth a try. Failla gives us her favourite biodynamic wines, all of which are available on The Pawn's extensive biodynamic wine list.

Champagne

Jacques Solosse is a grower champagne, which means the grapes used to produce the wines are grown in vineyards owned by the winery. The winery is based in the Avize region of Champagne. The winemaker, Anselme Selosse took over the winery in 1980. He is considered a pioneer of biodynamic winemaking in Champagne. His wines are fermented using oak barrels, which gives both his vintage and non-vintage champagnes new dimensions. It is hard to think of a single individual in Champagne today whose work is more influential that that of Anselme Selosse. Some of the champagnes produced by the winery include:

 'Brut Initial', Avize, NV (HK$1,830)

A blend of three vintages of chardonnay grapes, aged for at least two years before disgorgement in a brut style.

'Version Originale', Avize, NV (HK$2,330)

Also a blend of three vintages of chardonnay, but it spends 42-months in a bottle before disgorgement and has very little dosage resulting in an extra brut style.

'Substance', Avize, NV (HK$3,490)

A blanc de blancs from a single vineyard in Avize. This champagne is made in a solera system with the base grapes for this wine coming from the 1987 vintage. The blend is topped up with more recent vintages each year. No words can describe.

Red Wine

Movia Brda, 2005 Merlot (HK$610)

Movia is one of my favorite producers. Ales Kristancic, the eighth generation winemaker of Movia is the star of the Slovenian wine scene. He makes some of the strangest and most beautiful wines on the planet. They fascinate, inspire and captivate even the most adventurous and experience wine connoisseur. Movia uses no commercial yeasts, no temperature controls, no precisely toasted oak barrels, no fining and no filtration. Only the tiniest of sulphur dioxide are used to keep unwanted bacteria away. Ales believes in growing vines for nature and making wines for future and has such passion and an unusual philosophical approach to biodynamic winemaking. Movia operates only according to the rules inside Ales' head! Like Movia's maker, this merlot dances between unique extremes. This merlot pairs beautifully with a good rotisserie.

Domaine de Montille 1er Cru 'Les Grands Epenots' Pommard, 1997 Pinot Noir (HK$2,440)

Wines from Domaine de Montille are harmonious and elegant. They are characterized by a plethora of subtle notes that ring remarkably true to the terroir. "There are no rules" is the mantra Etienne de Montille and his father Hubert de Montille go by. They rely on their own finely-bred instincts and winemaking skills. The Montille family descends from one of France's most distinguished noble families, and their roots in the Côte de Nuits extend back to the era of Phillip the Bold (1342-1404), who ruled Burgundy when it rivaled France in wealth and prestige. Pommard has always represented what is quintessentially Burgundy. Victor Hugo defined Pommard as "Night in combat with day" referring to its richness, balanced with sensitivity and its deep ruby colour often twinkling with clarity.This wine pairs well with pigeon, duck or pheasant dish, the perfect match for winter.

White Wine

Pyramid Valley 'Lebecca Vineyard' Marlborough, 2007 (HK$560)

Mike Weersing is a highly educated chap, he studied art history and literature before studying oenology and viticulture in Burgundy, building a remarkable CV working for a star-studded cast of producers including de Montille, Potel, Pousse d'Or, Kreydenweiss, Deiss and Loosen, There is a little bit of each of them, along with Mike's innate understanding of the grape, in the glass before you. This wine pairs so well with the pressed chicken terrine with elderflower jelly starter from The Pawn.