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ONE DAY MORE… DON’T BREAK DRY JANUARY ON 1st LUNAR CALENDAR TELLS WINE DRINKERS TO WAIT UNTIL THE 2nd FEBRUARY

• An emerging trend in the world of wine – biodynamics – is demystified by Aldi
• Biodynamics follows the lunar calendar, which predicts that wine will taste much better on February 2^nd than February 1^st
• Aldi Mistress of Wine, Sam Caporn, explains how it works and why biodynamic wines should be ones to look out for in the wine aisle

 
Blamed a bad day on Mercury in Retrograde? You’re not alone. According to the New Yorker, astrology “is currently enjoying a broad cultural acceptance that hasn’t been seen since the nineteen-seventies.” It has been applied to everything from compatibility in relationships, to productivity at work – now it’s even being applied to the world of wine production and consumption [1].
 
How does that work we hear you cry? Well it’s all to do with the moon. Every month, the moon moves through each of the 12 constellations in turn. These are grouped into four types of day:
 
Root: Virgo, Capricorn, Taurus
Flower: Libra, Aquarius, Gemini
Leaf: Scorpio, Pisces, Cancer
Fruit: Sagittarius, Aries and Leo
 
The principle behind biodynamics is that the moon influences all living organisms, depending on how it moves through the constellations each month. When it’s closest to the Flower or Fruit constellations (known as Fruit or Flower Days) are generally considered the best days for drinking wine.
 
On these days, white wines supposedly taste more aromatic and flavourful, whilst reds have softer tannins. By comparison, wines can seem muted or harsher in taste on root and leaf days.
 
Biodynamics got you baffled? Luckily, as Aldi continues its mission to open up the world of wine to all, the supermarket has picked out some of the best wine drinking days for us so you can test the theory for yourself. Here’s some of the top days for drinking wine in the next few months:
 

• Don’t wait for the weekend: Thursday 23^rd, Monday 27^thand the evening of Wednesday 29^th January are all fruit and flower days – the best time to enjoy a glass of wine
• Those looking to end Dry January may want to hold off popping a cork until 2^nd February as it is a fruit day
• The lucky few born on a leap year can celebrate in style this year as Saturday 29^th February is another glorious fruit day
• Mum’s always deserve to be treated on Mother’s Day and this year is no exception, Sunday 22^nd March is a flower day – perfect for plonk!
• May wine connoisseurs rejoice as the Spring Bank Holiday, Monday 25^th May, also falls on National Wine Drinking Day, which is set to be a flower day – let’s hope it’s a sunny one!

 
What are biodynamic wines?
 
The same principles used for drinking wine are also being used by some starry-eyed winemakers across the globe when it comes to growing wine.
 
The moon’s position to the star constellations determines which part of the plant is thriving – during the earth signs roots are at their best, whilst the water signs influence leaf growth, air signs encourage flower growth, while fire signs are responsible for fruit growth. This influences when the seeds are sown, and fruit is harvested.
 
Aldi’s Wine Expert, Sam Caporn MW, explains: “The subject of biodynamic wines is a really fascinating one and tends to provoke a fair amount of both passion and scepticism! The idea of grape growers consulting the moon and cosmos does indeed seem a little wacky but there are very passionate people who believe very strongly it impacts the quality and life of the soil, and the health of the grapes.

“In the world of wine, we have an expression that great wines are made in the vineyard – and there are many world class biodynamic wines, so it must be working for them! I’m certainly a fan of wines made this way.”

Want to see if you can taste the difference? Try Aldi’s Paxton Now Organic Shiraz (£8.99, online exclusive)  – a vibrant wine with a gorgeous finish and bright berry fruits notes, originating from the McLaren Vale, a leading Australian wine region.  The Paxton family are leaders in both organic and biodynamic winemaking, carefully nurturing their vineyards for three decades, becoming officially certified as an organic and biodynamic wine producer in 2011.
 
Whether you’re looking to strategically diarise a dinner party or just make sure that bottle you’ve been saving is going to taste it’s best, ensure you’ve got the basics of wine tasting covered by having a scroll through Aldi’s free wine course, the Aldiploma – with six online modules and video tutorials featuring Aldi’s wine expert, Mistress of Wine, Sam Caporn, you’ll have more than the luck of the stars on your side.
 
Aldi.co.uk/Aldiploma
 
 
SOURCE: When Wine Tastes Best 2020, A BioDynamic Calendar for Wine Drinkers, Matthias Thun
 

 
Please contact the Aldi team at Clarion to confirm product details and availability prior to print.
 
*Scottish customers are not able to buy products that fall below the MUP. Any orders placed to Scottish addresses which do not meet the requirements of MUP will be refunded.