Sensitive Crystallization: Visualizing the Qualities of Wines

Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, who introduced biodynamics into North America, developed a method in the 1930s to demonstrate visually the presence of formative forces--those forces acting on living organisms that emanate from the Earth, the Sun, and other planets. He arrived at the sensitive crystallization method, using copper chloride crystals mixed with samples of the particular plant.

Sensitive crystallization is of great consequence to winemaking and winemakers. The vibrant, beautiful images startlingly illustrate the different qualities of a wine--its tasting qualities, its grape variety, the nature of the terroir from which it originates, and its aging potential. Sensitive crystallization also reveals the influence of environmental factors and cultivation, whether intensive, organic, or biodynamic.

Sensitive crystallization is a valuable tool that can portray the characteristics of a wine objectively, complementing the subjective assessments of experienced wine tasters.