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Dutch Wine Apprentice, Utrechtsestraat 30A, Amsterdam Centrum (2026)

01/06/2026

The Rhône Legends 🇫🇷 – Club del Vino Premio – Third Edition 🇳🇱

For the third edition of our wine club, Club del Vino Premio, we ventured south to the Rhône Valley — a region where some of France’s most profound, age-worthy and characterful wines are born.

🔥 This tasting was a celebration of Rhône greatness. From the granite slopes of Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie in the north to the sun-drenched vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the south, the lineup featured some of the most sought-after bottles ever produced in the region.

The evening opened with legendary white Rhône wines, including M. Chapoutier’s iconic L’Orée, the elusive Château Rayas Blanc, and a rare 1983 Hermitage Blanc from Grippat that offered a fascinating glimpse into the longevity of Rhône whites.

The reds delivered an extraordinary masterclass in Syrah and Grenache. Guigal’s monumental La Turque showcased the grandeur of Côte-Rôtie, while Henri Bonneau’s mythical Cuvée des Célestins demonstrated why it remains one of Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s most revered wines. Jean-Louis Chave’s Hermitage reached perfection, and Beaucastel’s Hommage à Jacques Perrin provided a fittingly majestic finale.

✨ Wines of the Night ✨

🔸 M. Chapoutier – 2012 Ermitage L’Orée – 95/100 DWA

🔸 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave – 2015 Hermitage – 98/100 DWA

🔹 E. Guigal – 2011 Côte-Rôtie La Turque – 95/100 DWA

🔹 Henri Bonneau – 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée des Célestins – 97/100 DWA

🔹 Château de Beaucastel – 2012 Hommage à Jacques Perrin – 96/100 DWA

A special mention goes to the rare bottles that sparked conversation throughout the evening: the 2014 Château Rayas Blanc (95/100) and the 1983 Grippat Hermitage Blanc (no score) — two wines that reminded us just how captivating mature Rhône whites can be.

Many thanks to our Club del Vino Premio members for another unforgettable evening:

🍷 Martin, Jeroen, Kris, Bas, Wouter and Jan

Which Rhône legend would you have reached for first?

31/05/2026

Lingua Franca Winemaker Lunch at Restaurant Cue, Amsterdam 🇺🇸🇳🇱

Yesterday we enjoyed a wonderful event in Amsterdam, a little sneak preview for you guys of what’s coming up!

Oregon offers some of the most exciting new prospects in the world of fine wine, Lingua Franca () being one of them.

This is the land of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, made in a style that makes you think of Burgundy, not by copying it but by applying it to the unique terroir the Willamette Valley offers.

Founded and ran by Master Sommelier Larry Stone () this rising star is one to taste!

And that’s what we did, at our friends of Michelin Star Restaurant Cue ().

The lunch was stunning, as were the wines, and we will be covering Lingua Franca shortly on our website, including the tasting notes and ratings for the wines we tasted, so stay tuned!

A big thank you to Lingua Franca’s importer and reseller Best of Wines (), as well to the teams at Cue and Lingua Franca!

Picture credits: MAVE Photography (.ve.photography).

25/05/2026

Vignoble du Rêveur – Vibrations Riesling 2023 🇫🇷

Some Rieslings impress with power. Others captivate through precision. The 2023 Vibrations Riesling by Vignoble du Rêveur () manages to do both — a crystalline Alsace expression full of energy, texture and purity.

✨ Riesling Through the Eyes of a Dreamer

Founded in 2013 by Mathieu Deiss, grandson of the legendary Jean-Michel Deiss, Vignoble du Rêveur was born from a desire to create wines without limitations or expectations.

Working biodynamically around the village of Bennwihr in Alsace, Mathieu crafts wines with minimal intervention, allowing vineyard character and vintage expression to take centre stage. Interestingly, you will not find the Deiss name on the label — a deliberate choice to encourage discovery without preconceived ideas.

🍇 Tension, Texture & Vibrant Energy

Produced from 45-year-old vines rooted in Quaternary alluvial soils of sand, silt and clay, this Riesling combines freshness with a beautifully ripe core.

Aromatically, it opens with lemon zest, peach and a subtle tropical touch of pineapple. On the palate, the wine lives up to its name: vibrant, energetic and incredibly alive.

Dry and precise, with crisp Riesling acidity, a lightly grippy texture and remarkable purity, it finishes with lingering freshness that immediately invites another sip.

A wine equally suited for thoughtful contemplation or the dinner table — especially alongside a classic Coq au Riesling.

🌿 Minimal Intervention, Maximum Expression

Indigenous fermentation, ageing in foudres on the lees for ten months and only minimal sulphur additions underline the philosophy behind this wine: authenticity over manipulation.

The result is a Riesling that feels honest, expressive and deeply connected to its place of origin.

🏅 92/100 DWA Score 🔗 Full review by our own Benjamin Roelfs () now live (link in bio).

🛒 Imported in the Netherlands by De Bruijn in Wijnen ().

25/05/2026

Oxer Bastegieta – The Story Continues 🇪🇸

What happens when a winemaker refuses to follow convention and instead creates wines driven purely by instinct, terroir, and emotion?

We attended an extraordinary masterclass with Oxer Bastegieta of Oxer Wines (), hosted by 12% of Meer () in collaboration with Wijnjunkie ().

🧙🏻 Known for pushing the boundaries of Rioja, Toro and Bizkaiko Txakolina, Oxer Bastegieta crafts wines that are impossible to place into traditional categories. They are wines built on energy, texture, freshness and personality.

🌱 From co-plantation vineyards to old-vine Tempranillo, Oxer’s philosophy is rooted in precision, minimal intervention and deep respect for the soil.

🍷 Several wines left a profound impression during the tasting:

✨ Marko Terlegiz 2023 – Structured and mineral-driven Txakolina with remarkable depth and tension. DWA: 95/100

🔥 Kuusu 2024 – A lighter, fresher reinterpretation of Toro that completely redefines the region. DWA: 96/100

🍇 Tartalo 2023 – Single-vineyard Rioja from 1920-planted Tempranillo vines, combining elegance and precision. DWA: 97/100

💫 Kalamity Tinto 2024 – Oxer’s masterpiece: poetic, layered and breathtakingly complete. DWA: 99/100

Oxer’s wines are not simply about taste. They are about memory, feeling and expression. Wines that challenge expectations while remaining deeply personal and authentic.

🔗 Read the full article, written by our own Eline de Geus (), on our website (link in bio) and discover why Oxer Bastegieta remains one of the most fascinating voices in modern Spanish wine.

A warm thank you to Oxer Bastegieta (), Monique Vreeke of 12% of Meer and Gerlinde from Wijnjunkie for the memorable experience.

Which wine region do you think is evolving most excitingly right now: Rioja, Toro or Txakolina? ⬇️

23/05/2026

🍽️ BYOB Lunch bij Restaurant Mei Wah (5 Juli) 🍷

🇳🇱 🇧🇪 Na de vorige uitverkochte edities hebben we weer een nieuwe editie van onze Bring Your Own Bottle Lunch.

We organiseren deze editie bij, en in samenwerking met, Restaurant Mei Wah in Eindhoven ().

🍴🍷 Hoe werkt het?

Je neemt een bijzondere fles wijn mee uit je eigen collectie (richtprijs ± €150) en deelt deze met je tafelgenoten. Zo proef je tijdens één lunch meerdere mooie wijnen en hoor je de verhalen achter de flessen – precies waar het om draait.

🍽️ Je kunt deelnemen met een eigen groep aan tafel, of aansluiten bij andere wijnliefhebbers. De rest volgt vanzelf.

🔖 Alles op een rij:

🔸 Je neemt één eigen fles wijn mee (richtprijs rond €150)

🔹 Mei Wah verzorgt een 4-gangen lunch op hoog gastronomisch niveau

🔸 Wij begeleiden de lunch en zorgen voor een ontspannen, gezellige sfeer

📍 📆 Wanneer & Waar?

Zondag 5 Juli, 13:00–16:00
Restaurant Mei Wah (), Eindhoven.

Meer informatie en aanmelden via de link in onze bio of stuur ons een bericht.

We kijken ernaar uit jullie weer te zien!

22/05/2026

Chefs & Cellars S02E03 – Restaurant Roux Amsterdam

For the third episode of Season 2 of Chefs & Cellars (), we head into the heart of Amsterdam’s Jordaan to visit Restaurant Roux (.amsterdam).

Our guests are co-owners Roos Bierhoff and Allon Niesen, the duo behind one of the city’s most exciting modern fine dining destinations.

🍽 Fine Dining Without Formality  At Roux, classical French technique meets a relaxed and contemporary atmosphere. Together with chefs Sebastiano Guglielmucci and Teun Daemen, the team creates dishes that balance precision, creativity, and bold flavours—designed to surprise while remaining approachable.

🍷 A Wine Program Built for Discovery  With over 300 references and a strong focus on Burgundy, Champagne, and Germany, Roux offers a wine experience that is both serious and accessible. From rare finds to exciting by-the-glass options, the cellar reflects Allon’s passion for making great wine available to every guest.

🎙 Interview with Roos & Allon  We talk about building Roux from friendship and shared ambition, redefining the fine dining experience through à la carte flexibility, and creating a hospitality culture rooted in warmth, consistency, and genuine connection.

✨ Tune into Season 2, Episode 3 of Chefs & Cellars () and discover how Restaurant Roux is shaping a new generation of fine dining in Amsterdam.

✍🏻 Want to read more?  Read the full article on Dutch Wine Apprentice (link in bio) and stream the episode on all major podcast platforms.

What’s your favourite fine dining restaurant in Amsterdam? Share it in the comments ⬇️

21/05/2026

Marimar Estate – Spanish Heritage on the Sonoma Coast 🇺🇸

What happens when the legacy of Familia Torres meets the cool-climate vineyards of California’s Sonoma Coast?

Reporting for Dutch Wine Apprentice, Laura Heijs met Marimar Torres of Marimar Estate () in Amsterdam for a tasting and conversation that revealed a remarkable story of heritage, independence, and vision.

As the fourth generation of Familia Torres, Marimar Torres could have simply followed tradition. Instead, she built something entirely her own in California’s Russian River Valley—long before Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast became internationally celebrated.

🌊 Influenced by Pacific fog and cooling ocean breezes, Marimar Estate combines Californian fruit expression with European precision and restraint.

🌱 Sustainability, biodiversity, and meticulous vineyard management remain central to the estate’s philosophy, from cover crops to solar energy and high-density planting.

🍷 Several wines stood out during the tasting:

✨ 2020 “Acero” Chardonnay – Pure, unoaked Chardonnay with citrus precision and Burgundian finesse. DWA: 92/100

🍇 2019 “La Masía” Pinot Noir – Elegant, layered and deeply inspired by Burgundy. DWA: 94/100

🔥 2019 “Mas Cavalls” Pinot Noir – Darker, structured and beautifully refined with forest floor and spice complexity. DWA: 94/100

Marimar Estate is more than a winery—it is the continuation of a great family legacy through a deeply personal lens, now entering a new mother-to-daughter chapter alongside Cristina Torres.

🔗 Read the full article, written by our own Laura Heijs (), on our website (link in bio) to discover how Marimar Torres helped shape a European vision of Californian wine on the Sonoma Coast.

A warm thank you to Marimar Torres (), Walraven Sax () and Pitch PR (.pr).

Which style do you prefer in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir: richer Californian expression or cooler-climate elegance? ⬇️

20/05/2026

Preludio de Sei Solo 2019 – Sei Solo 🇪🇸

Some wines stay with you long after the bottle is empty. The 2019 Preludio de Sei Solo by Sei Solo () is one of those wines — a Ribera del Duero that speaks not through power alone, but through elegance, precision and quiet confidence.

✨ A Personal Project with Deep Roots

When we started Dutch Wine Apprentice back in 2020, one of the very first Spanish winemakers we interviewed was Javier Zaccagnini — one of the most influential figures in modern Ribera del Duero.

From his years as Director Gerente of the Ribera del Duero Consejo Regulador to co-founding Aalto alongside Mariano García, Javier helped shape the international identity of Spanish fine wine.

Yet Sei Solo always felt like his most personal project — a winery founded together with his son Michael, focused on old vines, balance and a more refined interpretation of Tempranillo.

🍇 Old Vines, Finesse & Bottle Ageing

Sourced from old vineyards around La Horra — some over a century old — Preludio captures a more terroir-driven side of Ribera del Duero.

Now, seven years after the vintage, the wine has evolved beautifully. The additional bottle ageing has brought greater harmony and complexity, while preserving the freshness and energy that define Sei Solo’s style.

Expect layers of dried black fruit, graphite, to***co leaf, cedar, cocoa and subtle earthy spice, all carried by polished tannins and remarkable balance.

This is Ribera del Duero dressed in a perfectly tailored suit.

🌿 The Legacy Continues

Following Javier’s passing, Sei Solo continues under Michael Zaccagnini (), who refined his craft under the mentorship of the legendary Mariano García.

The estate produces just two wines: Preludio de Sei Solo and the flagship Sei Solo — both united by a philosophy centred around elegance, restraint and old-vine expression rather than extraction or excess.

🏅 93/100 DWA Score
🔗 Full review by our own Niels Aarts now live (link in bio).

18/05/2026

La Grande Année, perfectly paired in Amsterdam 🥂

When Champagne Bollinger () unveils a new vintage of La Grande Année, expectations are naturally high — and the 2018 release more than delivered.

🍾 Hosted by Verbunt Verlinden () at Two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Flore (.flore), the afternoon combined an in-depth masterclass led by Arthur Robbert with a stunning lunch pairing curated around several vintages of La Grande Année.

👨🏻‍🍳 🤵🏻‍♂️ Chef Bas van Kranen () and Sommelier of the Year Antonello Nicastri () created a menu where elegance, freshness, and texture mirrored the signature style of Bollinger. From spring vegetables and heirloom tomato to quail with gochujang and Sichuan pepper, every course revealed a different side of La Grande Année.

✨ The standout? La Grande Année Rosé 2018 — layered, vinous, and beautifully refined, showing notes of white strawberry, peach, spice, and wet stone with extraordinary length and finesse.

Our verdict:
 🥂 La Grande Année 2018 — 95/100 DWA points 🌸 La Grande Année Rosé 2018 — 96/100 DWA points

💫 A memorable celebration of Champagne, gastronomy, and craftsmanship at the very highest level.

🔗 Full article and tasting impressions by our own Martin Bronkhorst (.bronkhorst) are now live on our website (link in bio).

🙏 Special thanks to Champagne Bollinger, Arthur Robbert, Verbunt Verlinden, Restaurant Flore, Chef Bas van Kranen, and Antonello Nicastri for the warm hospitality. 
Would you pair prestige Champagne with fine dining? 🥂 

17/05/2026

Dutch Wine Apprentice Insiders Club 🥂

The Dutch Wine Apprentice ‘Insiders Club’.
An exclusive, exclusive international, community on WhatsApp where our most loyal fans are the first to read our latest.

By joining the club you’ll never miss out on our editorial pieces and on top of that you will be the first to hear about our events (and have priority access).

Your Benefits:

🐦 Early Bird Access

Get a notification when an editorial piece drops, you will be notified when an article is live on our website, before we announce it to the general public on our socials.

📚 Stay Informed

We take ‘getting ahead’ seriously. From time to time we inform you about our upcoming interviews and reviews, so you know what’s coming up and can look forward. Besides that the group functions as a great ‘library’ in case you’ve missed time to read, and want to catch up.

🍷 🍽️ VIP Access to our Wine Events

As an Insider you are the first to hear about the events we are planning, and you will be the first to sign up, having VIP access. In this way you never have to miss out on our BYOB or theme lunches and dinners.

🫶🏻 Becoming a DWA Insider is free and comes without any obligations, we simply want to stay close to you and share our love with great wines to those who appreciate it 🙏🏻

📝 Sign up for the club through the link in our bio, or send us a DM to get access, and invite all your wine friends!

Dutch Wine Apprentice

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