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Farming with Philosophy: Johan Reyneke on Biodynamics & South African Wine

What happens when you mix philosophy with farming? You get Johan Reyneke — one of South Africa’s true pioneers in organic and biodynamic viticulture. In my latest YouTube interview, I sit down with Johan in Montreal to talk about his fascinating journey from philosophy student to vineyard labourer, and ultimately, to founder of Reyneke Wines — South Africa’s first certified biodynamic winery. Johan shares how reading thinkers like Thoreau and Arne Næss — and grappling with the philosophical tensions between development and nature — led him to question the conventional, chemical-heavy farming practices he encountered early on. His solution? A vineyard guided by ethics, ecology, and self-sufficiency. We dig into the practical side too — from using ducks and cattle as natural pest and weed control, to the challenges of going organic in the early ’90s, when few around him even knew what that meant. Johan also introduces Reyneke’s newly redesigned, lower-carbon-footprint wine packaging — a