“Authentic, terroir-based, joyful wine … that expresses a true sense of place and could only come from this land.” Limeburn Hill Biodynamic Vineyard
English wine is having a renaissance, and after a visit to a vineyard in the Cotswolds last summer, I became interested once more in how vineyards used biodynamic agriculture. I also love folk horror novels and had an idea for a story so I wanted to learn more. [Update, I wrote the story, Blood Vintage.]
I first discussed the stranger aspects of biodynamics with Caro Feely back in 2020 in a podcast episode around The Taste of Place. More recently I read Voodoo Vintners: Oregon’s Astonishing Biodynamic Winegrowers by Katherine Cole, but Oregon is a long way from Bath, where I live in the south-west of the UK, so it wasn’t practical to visit.
Then I discovered a vineyard near me that uses biodynamic practices, so on a beautiful hot day in early June, 2024, I visited Limeburn Hill in Chew Magna, near Bristol.
It was a truly lovely day and I learned a lot about biodynamics as well as enjoying the vineyard and some wonderful food, as well as tasting the wine. If you are in the area, then definitely add it to your list, as they have events and tastings at different times. In this article, I’ll share some photos and thoughts from the day.
After coffee, one of the owners, Robin, gave a talk on the principles of biodynamics. I was the only author there, with most of the attendees working in the wine-growing industry of some kind, or studying viticulture, but I found it fascinating.
There were also lots of books, and as a bibliophile, I couldn’t resist having a browse!
Robin took us on a tour, starting with one of the preparation sheds where he demonstrated the dynamiser, which stirs the compost teas and preparations, ready to be sprayed on the vines at different times of day and in different seasons.
The stirring goes in one direction for a minute until a vortex forms, and then changes direction, causing chaotic movements in the liquid before it settles in the other direction. This energises the liquid and changes its consistency, according to the principles of biodynamics.
We walked up to the vine rows, and with such beautiful weather, it was lovely to look at the vines in the sun.
Robin explained the different grape varieties grown at the vineyard, with the map showing Pinot Noir, Orion, Solaris, as well as Solaris, Rondo and Regent, a mix of red and white. You can also see the sacred grove at the top, the owl boxes and tree hive on the left, and tree bog and biodynamic preparation area, as well as compost area down the bottom.
It’s not a big vineyard, but it was incredible to find such a varied ecosystem, encouraged by the principles of biodynamics, which focuses on sense of place. It helps the soil and the land be the best it can be for the vines through the use of natural preparations rather than commercial fertilisers.
There was an abundance of wildflowers and a little flock of Ouesson sheep roamed around after us, eating the grasses and flowers, nibbling the low buds, and fertilising as they go.
In the heart of the vineyard is the biodynamic preparation area where the cow horns and stomachs are buried for a time before being used in the compost teas. As a dark little soul, I found this section fascinating, and I think my questions about the kinds of bones they buried were a little macabre, even for Robin!
We then walked up to the top of the vineyard, looking back out over the vines and the Chew Valley.
After the tour, we headed back to the barn for the wine tasting. I was driving so only had a mouthful, but it was wonderful to taste the different wines after seeing the grapes and the processes used to make it.
Limeburn Hill produces certified biodynamic wine and it is also certified organic. There are limited bottles of each vintage, named after pagan Celtic and British festivals — Beltain, Lammas, and Samhain.
Beltain (or Beltane) is celebrated on May 1st and marks the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. It is a fire festival that celebrates fertility, the blooming of flowers, and the growth of crops.
Lammas (also known as Lughnasadh) is celebrated on August 1st, and marks the first harvest of the year.
Samhain (pronounced sah-win) is celebrated from October 31st to November 1st and marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It is considered a time when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest, allowing spirits to visit the earthly realm.
Limeburn Hill also make an ‘eau de vie de vin’ from the grapeskins, so as not to waste a thing.
My stories are often inspired by sense of place, and as I post this towards the end of July 2024, I am halfway through the first draft of my folk horror novel set in an English vineyard. I’ll update this article once it comes out, or you can check my Reading Order here for any new stories.
While the story is partially inspired by biodynamic principles and incorporates aspects of what I learned at Limeburn Hill Biodynamic Vineyard, it is certainly not reflective of the wonderful day I had there. I write fiction, after all!
You can find out more about Limeburn Hill and their biodynamic approach at their website, LimeburnHillVineyard.co.uk, and also on their Instagram page @limeburnhill. If you go and visit or go on a wine tour, please tell Robin I said hello!
If you’d like to read the story that was partially inspired by Limeburn Hill, check out Blood Vintage.
