Editor's note: Today we welcome a new beverage columnist, part of our rotating panel.

Just when we finally wrap our heads around New Age wine concepts like screw caps and organic winemaking, a new movement attacks our wine lists and palates. Biodynamic viticulture initially felt like just another passing phase of winemaking culture, but with more and more top-quality producers joining the team, it is clear that this type of wine is here to stay.

The actual definition of biodynamic viticulture can be somewhat intimidating, so here is an analogy.

If a traditional wine is the average Joe who goes to the gym twice a week, than a biodynamic wine is the vegetarian gal who works out every day and teaches yoga and Pilates.

Now for the real definition: Biodynamics is a style of organic farming that views the entire vineyard as an integral part of the universe as a whole. Therefore, all aspects of the surrounding environment must be in unison in order to produce a healthy vine. This philosophy translates into a threefold practice in the winery: (1) organic viticulture, (2) planting and harvesting according to an astronomical calendar, and (3) using specialized fertilizers.

Biodynamics' origins date back centuries. Akin to the way Hawaiians planted and harvested by the phases of the moon, aspects of biodynamic thought have been around forever. It was not until the 1920s, however, that Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner presented a complete doctrine of biodynamics.

By far, the most controversial facet of the biodynamic movement is the use of specialized preparations. One example: crushed powdered quartz, prepared by stuffing it into the horn of a cow, burying it in the ground in spring and taking it out in autumn. Many winemakers insist these tiny treatments play a critical role in producing a better wine. Nicolas Joly (winemaker of the Coulée de Serrant), defends the practice by noting the small amount of quartz necessary to power our wristwatch for a year.

So does all this voodoo work? The overwhelming majority of studies, both scientific and haphazard, say yes. Beginning in 1993, multiple studies have been released confirming that biodynamic farms have markedly higher soil quality, organic matter and microbial activity than their organic counterparts. Similar long-term studies have indicated that important winemaking cornerstones such as brix (degree of ripeness, indicative of sugar and alcohol content), phenols and anthocyanins were all increased through biodynamic viticulture. Mirroring these results, more whimsical private studies have indicated an impressive change in flavor profile. A series of wineries have compared neighboring plots of vineyards where biodynamic methods competed against other styles. In nearly every case, blind tasters preferred the biodynamic version in shocking numbers — as much as nine out of 10 approval ratings.

It is important to note that all of these studies share certain creditability problems. Furthermore, there is a healthy chance that all this hoopla could be the result of simple, dedicated hard work. Many cynics insist that anyone willing to subject their vineyards to the rigorous standards necessary for biodynamic certification will most likely produce a tasty wine.

For those with deep pocketbooks, world-class wineries like Clos de la Coulée de Serrant and Domaine de la Romanée Conti (partial) are both part of the biodynamic subculture. However, you can try these for a little less: