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2 Introduction Agriculture is currently undergoing a worldwide crisis that presents multiple ecological, economic, and social difficulties. As a result, agricultural production systems have embarked upon a complete reorganizational process in recent years. Farmers are now facing a new challenge; they must manage their fields with new production systems in order to maintain and improve the fertility of their soils while recovering and conserving the biodiversity of depleted areas (Piamonte, 2004). Current trends have imposed higher demands on agriculture; consumers want foods to be healthy, free of toxic wastes, and grown through environmentally friendly practices. Consumers are willing to pay more for these products (CEDEM, 2004a), and therefore new production and marketing models are being developed to streamline local resources and unlock the potential of each region. Examples of these practices are product diversification and complementing agriculture with other activities such as rural tourism, which stimulates community development and product differentiation (especially as regards quality and specific product characteristics). These models also reduce the impact on environment, local populations, and end consumers (CRIECV, 2005a). Biodynamic farming or biological-dynamic agriculture is one of these new models. Aurelio Montes Jr. Winemaker Bodega Kaiken

3 Biodynamic basics Biodynamics is especially suitable to preparing wonderful wines because its subtlety allows wines to express the personality of terroir, and this, in turn, reflects the forces in earth and cosmos. René Piamonte. 1) Use high quality humus to return organic matter to soils and maintain their fertility. 2) Strike a balance between different land uses. Under this principle, land should not be regarded as a mere mixture of organic or mineral substances, but as a living system. This includes soil microbial life and conditions necessary for these organisms to survive, stabilize, and develop. 3) The biodynamic method does not negate the important role played by the mineral constituents of soil, especially fertilizers such as nitrogen, phosphates, potash, lime, magnesium, and trace elements. But it also holds that life on earth depends on the rational use of organic matter. 4) Biodynamics does not consist of a single type of fertilizer, but rather promotes the rational use of all factors necessary for life and health. 5) A balanced system consists of the interaction of all of these substances and energy factors. The land itself must be healthy or well balanced to supply the nutrients and energy necessary for plants to grow. 6) Proper rotation allows restoring or achieving balanced soils. 7) The earth is not just a chemical, organic, and mineral system; it also has a physical structure that has life. It is complete.

4 Biodynamics in Kaiken KAIKEN seeks to use high-quality and environmentally friendly vine-growing methods and winemaking processes, which may mean returning to family farming practices so that chemical-free vines can truly express themselves and portray their own personality. This is why we have managed our 15-hectare estate Finca de Vistalba (Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay) according to biodynamic principles since We began by training our own staff, and to do that, we turned to René Piamonte, PhD, an agriculturist and world-renowned expert in biodynamics.

5 Achievements Vine management We have not used synthetic chemical fungicides since We do not use any type of herbicide. We mow the natural flora rather than remove it in order to encourage microbiology and prevent soil erosion. We use biodynamic preparations at different points in the season. We use winery wastes (pomace and stalks) as compost. All activities are conducted according to the biodynamic calendar.

6 Biodiversity Existing fruit trees were kept and new ones were planted. We planted a garden, and the staff is welcome to pick the fruit and vegetables for their home use. We built a small building to store all of the biodynamic preparations. The finca has 6 hens, 2 roosters, 8 geese, 8 sheep, and 1 mare.

7 Human resources Our entire staff participates in preparing the biodynamic components. We organize activities focused on eurythmy (the harmonious combination of proportions, lines, colors, or sounds) and teamwork. We participate in AABDA (Argentine Association of Biological-Dynamic Agriculture) events to exchange ideas.

8 Biodynamic preparations 1) 501 The Cow Horn Silica preparation is powdered quartz packed into cow horns to attract beneficial cosmic forces. This practice stimulates flowering and fruit ripening and enhances flavors and aromas. Preparation 501 is used in the vineyard after a dynamization process. Dynamization consists of removing the quartz from the horns, mixing it with water, and stirring the mixture for a specific period of time to create a spiral a vortex and then abruptly changing directions to create a new vortex in the opposite direction. Dynamization is done outdoors in a wooden barrel.

9 1) 502 For this preparation yarrow flowers (Achillea millefolium) are fermented inside a deer s bladder buried underground for 6 months. This biocatalytic action promotes protein and carbohydrate formation and balance.

10 1) 503 Chamomile flowers (Matricaria Chamonilla) are fermented in a bovine intestine. Chamomile has a special hormone that enhances yeast multiplication, even when highly diluted. It also helps attract microbiological activity in the soil.

11 4) 504 This preparation is based on stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) stems and leaves should be placed between fine layers of peat and buried 60 cm underground. This prevents sub-optimal compost decomposition and nitrogen loss. Molybdenum enrichment favors the growth of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. 5) 505 Oak bark buried in the skull of a cow or sheep (ruminant animal). It has a high calcium concentration and strengthens plant vigor and makes them more resistant to disease. 6) 506 This is prepared with dandelion flowers combined with the mesentery of a ruminant (cow). It stimulates the earth and vegetation. 7) 507 Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) flowers are pressed to attract earthworms and increase their number, which helps form humus and improve the soil, which in turn improves fruit color. 8) 508 This is made from dried horsetail flowers (Equisetum arvense) and used to treat vines suffering from cryptogamic diseases, which are caused by fungi.

12 9 ) Biofertilizers living fertilizers Biofertilizers stimulate and activate nutrition, making plants more resistant to disease and pests. These organic fertilizers are dissolved in water and produced from a living process, unlike chemical fertilizers, which are salts and lifeless. Bio-fertilizers result from the digestive (fermentation) process of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, yeasts) whose activities and metabolism transform the substance in which they are found. Liquid fertilizers are an example of living fertilizers. Their primary function is to promote the nutritional balance of the soil to increase the natural fertility and stimulate the beneficial microorganisms in the soil. Bio-fertilizers are rich in minerals and hormones. Recipes for biofertilizers vary according to the organic and mineral ingredients available and can be adapted to the economic and natural conditions as well.

13 Biodynamics and the winery The relationship between the biodynamic work done in the vineyard and making wine in the winery is essentially based on allowing the grapes to express their full potential. - We use native yeasts that are naturally available in the grapes and terroir). - Fermentation takes place in concrete tanks without epoxy coating. - The wine is racked to barrels in accordance with the biodynamic calendar. - Less SO2 is used.

14 Results - Native fauna (birds, foxes, and hares) have returned. - The organic matter in the soils has increased. - Musts ferment more easily. - The resulting wines better express each variety s most distinctive aromas, especially spicy aromas. The future We plan to have all of our properties under biodynamic management within 15 years.