Biodynamics, Explained: Remember Your Legs
When we talk about wine, we usually look up—to the vines, grapes, weather and vintage. Biodynamics taught us to look down.
When biodynamic consultant Alan York first visited our vineyards, he asked our founder, Dr. Robert Gross, for a shovel. At the time, it was an unusual way to begin a vineyard visit. Alan wasn’t interested in the canopy or the fruit. He wanted to dig into the soil and look for earthworms.
He found none.
His response was simple: “You have forgotten your legs.”
By legs, he meant our roots—and the living ecosystem those roots needed to thrive.
That moment changed how we thought about farming.
Soil Is More Than Dirt
Healthy soil is alive. Beneath every vine is a complex community of roots, fungi, bacteria, microorganisms, insects, organic matter, minerals, water—and, in healthy systems, earthworms.
The worms weren’t really the point. They were an indicator of what was happening beneath our feet.
Biodynamics asks us to think about the vineyard as a whole living system. Instead of simply asking what we can give the vine, we ask how we can build healthier soil so the vineyard can become stronger and more resilient on its own.
Compost, cover crops, biodiversity, organic matter and biodynamic preparations all play a role. And none works independently of the others.
The Whole System
Alan’s observation also inspired Dr. Gross to adopt Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man as a symbol for Cooper Mountain Vineyards.
For us, it represents the idea that balance comes from the whole.
The soil supports the roots. The roots support the vine. The surrounding ecosystem supports the soil. The vineyard shapes the fruit, and the fruit ultimately shapes the wine.
Everything is connected.
Decades later, Alan’s lesson remains remarkably relevant: remember your legs.
Great wine doesn’t begin in the cellar—or even with the grape.
It begins beneath our feet.