Monty Waldin

Biodynamics takes centre-stage at English-wine specialist Artisan & Vine on Wednesday 18 May when wine producer and author Monty Waldin takes to the chair. In the second of its groundbreaking Natural Heroes series, Monty acts as curator, selecting a few of the UK’s leading organic and biodynamic wines to share alongside his own red from Tuscany.

Familiar to many from his 2008 Channel 4 series Chateau Monty about the birth of his own biodynamic winery in Tuscany, Monty recently published the Biodynamic Wine Guide 2011, a comprehensive global guide featuring over 1500 biodynamic wineries around the world. He believes that biodynamics has a strong future in the UK, citing Sedlescombe in East Sussex in particular for its pioneering approach.

As Britain’s first biodynamic wine hit the shelves, so Laverstoke Park Farm, owned by former racing driver Jody Scheckter, played host to the first meeting of UK organic and biodynamic wine producers back in December.

While 2500 acres of Laverstoke Park Farm are certified biodynamic and its glasshouses are in the final stages of conversion, it was long time organic pioneer Roy Cook who was the first to release a biodynamic wine from his East Sussex-based winery, Sedlescombe.