Monday, July 06, 2009

Stop Tooting Your Horn about Biodynamic Wine!

We have all heard the litany about how wonderful biodynamic wines can be. Some people swear by them and others say it is a lot of hocus pocus. The fact is of course that any vintner going to great lengths taking care of his vineyard should theoritically produce a good wine. Its the cow horn part that bothers a lot of people and it bothers me as well but perhaps for a different reason.
I did not realize, until I did a Google search, how popular cow horn products seem to be.That takes a lot of cow horns.
Considering the fact that most dehorning of cattle is done at an early age, is there going to be a shortage of cow horns if biodynamic wine making becomes popular?
Now here is my problem. Do you know how painful and therefore cruel it is to dehorn an adult cow?
Since biodynamic growers are close to the earth, the moon and the stars, should they not also care for these creatures with horns that roam the earth?
Do they have to use a real cow horn? I am sure that with today's technology an imitation cow horn can be made. Now there is a business opportunity.
Can anyone enlighten me as to why a real looking fake horn could not be used?
In the meantime I have a wine buddy coming over for supper and I am making super sized hamburgers. He is bringing an 'organic' Malbec. No horns, no bull. Just an enjoyable night with a good wine expressing its terroir.

2 comments:

Wilf G.K said...

Why, thank you Steven. I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment.
Wilf

Alice said...

When farmers started to use horns stuffed with dung, they probably had plenty of ready cows on the property to use. Or they grabbed them from a cow destined for the slaughter. Though I can't find a back up, (but perhaps you can) I am sure the idea originated as a way to use the whole animal and let nothing go to waste. While the actual use as a container probably has some nifty properties to hasten fermentation of the dung, there must be something else that can substitute. depressing, perhaps unnecessary.