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

18/06/2026

DuMOL: Precision, Patience, and the Rise of a Sonoma Benchmark 🇺🇸

Founded in 1996, DuMOL (DuMOL Winery & Estate Vineyards) has grown from a small Sonoma startup into one of California’s most respected producers of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Guided by proprietor and winemaker Andy Smith (Andy Smith), the winery has built its reputation on vineyard precision, patience, and long-term stewardship.

🏡 Green Valley & Russian River Valley

Located in Sonoma County’s cool, fog-influenced Green Valley and western Russian River Valley, DuMOL focuses on sites that naturally deliver freshness, structure, and longevity. Today, roughly 80% of production comes from estate vineyards or directly managed sites.

🌱 Farming for Balance

At the heart of DuMOL lies a commitment to farming for equilibrium rather than maximum ripeness. As Andy Smith told us: “We’d far rather have the grapes off a day early than a day late.”

🍷 Highlights from Our Tasting

🏅 DuMOL Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay 2023 – 98/100
A benchmark California Chardonnay combining old-vine concentration with extraordinary freshness and length.

🏅 DuMOL Estate Vineyard Chardonnay 2021 – 96/100
Structured, mineral, and beautifully poised, balancing richness with tension.

🏅 DuMOL Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 – 96/100
Layered, precise, and age-worthy, showcasing the elegance of Sonoma Pinot Noir.

✨ A Winery Entering Maturity

DuMOL’s story mirrors the evolution of modern California fine wine: moving beyond power and opulence toward freshness, transparency, and vineyard expression.

🔗 Full article and tasting notes by our own Niels Aarts now on our website (link in bio).

🙏 With thanks to Andy Smith, the DuMOL team, and Best of Wines.

🛒 Available through Best of Wines (Best of Wines).

Which Sonoma producer best represents the future of California fine wine? ⬇️

14/06/2026

Ancient Vines, Modern Questions 🌿🍷

Imagine walking through a vineyard where dozens of grape varieties grow side by side, just as they did centuries ago. Long before monocultures dominated the wine world, field blends were the norm—and today, they are making a remarkable comeback.

Dutch Wine Apprentice explores the fascinating world of field blends, guided by Joep Speet Magister Vini (Joep Speet Magister Vini) and the Verenigde Vinologen Nederland (Verenigde Vinologen Nederland).

In this in-depth feature, written by our own Martin Bronkhorst (Martin Bronkhorst), we:

🍇 Discover what field blends are and why they were once the foundation of European viticulture.

🌍 Explore iconic field blend regions including the Douro Valley, Alsace, Vienna, Rioja, and Valdeorras.

🍷 Taste outstanding wines from producers such as Niepoort, Domaine Marcel Deiss, Telmo Rodriguez, and Weingut Wieninger.

💡 Examine whether field blends offer a truer expression of terroir, greater biodiversity, and increased resilience in the vineyard.

From ancient vineyards planted over 80 years ago to modern interpretations of this historic practice, field blends challenge many assumptions about how great wine should be made. Imperfect perhaps, but rarely boring.

🔗 Tap the link in our bio to read the full article and discover why one of wine’s oldest traditions may also be one of its most exciting futures.

A special thank you to Joep Speet Magister Vini and the Verenigde Vinologen Nederland (Verenigde Vinologen Nederland ) for organizing this insightful masterclass and sharing their expertise on this fascinating subject.

13/06/2026

Jean-Pierre Moueix 2025: Why Bordeaux’s Future Still Looks Bright 🇫🇷

Every spring, Bordeaux asks wine professionals to assess wines that are still in barrel and imagine what they may one day become.

Recently, we attended a Jean-Pierre Moueix En Primeur tasting at Central Park Voorburg, where we explored four standout 2025 wines: Château Hosanna, Château La Fleur-Pétrus, Château Trotanoy and Château Bélair-Monange.

🍇 Shaped by drought, summer heat and timely August rainfall, the 2025 vintage combines concentration, freshness and remarkably ripe tannins. Château Bélair-Monange was our wine of the tasting, earning an impressive 98/100.

🍽️ The tasting was followed by an outstanding lunch at Central Park Voorburg (Central Park Voorburg) hosted by Joey de Kruijf (Joey de Kruijf), chefs Tim Bood and Hette Hettema, and sommelier Sasja Moonen (Sasja Moonen). To place the young wines in context, Edouard Moueix () poured mature large-format bottles including La Fleur-Pétrus 2000, Bélair-Monange 2016 and Château Magdelaine 1998.

💬 During our conversation, Edouard spoke openly about Bordeaux’s challenges, but remained optimistic. After decades of investment in vineyards and wineries, he believes Bordeaux is producing some of the finest wines in its history.

✍🏻 In our latest article, written by Niels Aarts, we review the wines, discuss the 2025 vintage and explore Bordeaux’s place in today’s fine wine market.

🙏🏻 Thank you to Edouard Moueix, De Waal, Zey & Engels, De Bruijn in Wijnen (De Bruijn in Wijnen 🍷 Anno 1772) and the entire team at Central Park for their hospitality.

🔗 Read the full story, by our own Niels Aarts, on our website (link in bio).

Do you still see Bordeaux as the benchmark for fine wine?

13/06/2026

Dominio de Es – 2021 Viñas de Soria (Ribera del Duero) 🇪🇸

A captivating expression of old-vine Ribera del Duero from Bertrand Sourdais (El Vigneron de Soria), whose work has helped place the high-altitude vineyards of Soria among Spain’s most exciting fine wine terroirs. Viñas de Soria captures the essence of Atauta through a mosaic of historic vineyard parcels, combining concentration, freshness, and remarkable precision.

🌟 The Character of Soria

The 2021 opens with vibrant aromas of black cherry, wild blackberry, dark plum, dried herbs, and subtle floral notes. On the palate, it balances old-vine depth with freshness and energy, supported by finely textured tannins and a mineral backbone that carries the wine through a long, savoury finish.

🍇 Bertrand Sourdais & the Escudero Legacy

Sourdais first arrived in Soria more than twenty years ago to work alongside the Escudero family, where he discovered the extraordinary potential of the region’s ancient vineyards. That experience would eventually lead to both Antídoto and Dominio de Es, projects dedicated to expressing the unique character of Soria’s historic terroirs.

📍 35 Historic Parcels in Atauta

Viñas de Soria is sourced from 35 small vineyard plots around the village of Atauta, many planted with ungrafted Tinto Fino and Albillo vines. These high-altitude sites, rooted in limestone, clay, sand, and gravel soils, deliver both concentration and freshness while preserving a direct link to Ribera del Duero’s viticultural heritage.

⏳ Built for the Cellar

Still youthful and energetic, the 2021 combines generous fruit with impressive structure. While already highly enjoyable, several more years in bottle will allow additional complexity and harmony to emerge.

🏅 93-point DWA Score
💶 Price: €43,00, available through our partner Total Grand Cru (www.totalgrandcru.com).

🔗 Review by our own Niels Aarts — full article now live on our website (link in bio).

Have you explored the wines of Soria, Ribera del Duero’s eastern frontier? Let us know below ⬇️

12/06/2026

Chefs & Cellars S02E04 – Restaurant Azurite, Delft

For the fourth episode of Season 2 of Chefs & Cellars (Chefs & Cellars), we travel to Delft to visit Restaurant Azurite (Restaurant Azurite).

Our guest is chef-owner Mario Ridder (), one of the most respected figures in Dutch gastronomy and the driving force behind one of the Netherlands’ most exciting new fine dining destinations.

🍽 A Lifetime of Culinary Experience

Azurite is the culmination of decades spent at the highest level of Dutch gastronomy. Located within Huis van Delft, the restaurant combines refined cuisine, exceptional hospitality, and a deeply personal vision shaped by Mario’s journey through restaurants such as Parkheuvel, De Zwethheul, and Joelia.

🍷 Wine Is Made to Make Memories

Wine plays a central role at Azurite. With a cellar housing approximately 12,000 bottles and 5,000 references, Mario has built one of the most impressive wine collections in the Netherlands. From legendary Burgundy producers to unforgettable bottles from Bordeaux and beyond, every wine tells a story—and every bottle is chosen with one goal in mind: creating memories around the table.

🎙 Interview with Mario Ridder

We talk about the creation of Azurite, the philosophy behind hospitality, the role of wine in fine dining, and why Mario believes that restaurants should create experiences that guests remember long after the final course has been served.

✨ Tune into Season 2, Episode 4 of Chefs & Cellars (Chefs & Cellars) and discover how Mario Ridder has brought a lifetime of experience together in a restaurant that is quickly becoming one of the Netherlands’ most compelling culinary destinations.

✍🏻 Want to read more?

Read the full article on Dutch Wine Apprentice (link in bio) and stream the episode on all major podcast platforms.

Have you visited Restaurant Azurite yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments ⬇️

12/06/2026

Chefs & Cellars: Dining at Restaurant Azurite 🍽️🍷

Step into Delft and discover Restaurant Azurite (Restaurant Azurite), where decades of culinary experience, exceptional hospitality, and one of the Netherlands’ most impressive wine collections come together in a truly personal fine dining experience.

Founded by Mario Ridder (), Azurite feels less like a new restaurant and more like the culmination of a remarkable career. After leading some of the country’s most influential kitchens, Mario has created a restaurant that reflects everything he values: outstanding ingredients, thoughtful hospitality, and wine as a source of shared memories.

👨🏻‍🍳 Throughout our visit, dishes such as De Steur van Hering, Du Modeste au Noble, Hollands Trots, and Lozère Viungoshowcased Mario’s philosophy of clarity and restraint, allowing exceptional products to speak for themselves while maintaining a strong sense of identity and place.

🍷 Wine is at the heart of the Azurite experience. During our podcast recording, Mario opened a bottle of Petit Cheval Blanc 2021, while our dinner featured highlights including Domaine Bernadeau Les Onglés 2021, Domaine Albert Grivault Meursault 1er Cru Perrières 2020, Château Palmer 2012, Château Lynch-Bages 2014, and Thanisch Riesling Auslese 1994.

🎙️ On our upcoming episode of Chefs & Cellars (Chefs & Cellars), we sit down with Mario to discuss his remarkable journey through Dutch gastronomy, the philosophy behind Azurite, building one of the country’s most exciting new dining destinations, and why, in his words, “wine is made to make memories.”

🔗 Read the full article by our own Niels Aarts via the link in bio.

📸 Photo Credits: Restaurant Azurite, Sophie Slurink (Sophie | Destination Wedding Photographer) & Dutch Wine Apprentice

Have you visited Azurite yet, or is it on your list? Let us know below! 🍷✨

11/06/2026

Eben Sadie: Legacy, Time and the Future of South African Wine 🇿🇦

For more than two decades, Eben Sadie (The Sadie Family Wines) has been one of the defining voices of modern South African wine. Yet when we recently spoke with him at Cape Cru (Cape Cru - Zuid-Afrika), the focus was no longer solely on vineyards, vintages or scores.

Instead, the conversation turned to time.

🌍 Beyond the Present

Since founding Sadie Family Wines in 1999, Eben Sadie has helped reshape perceptions of South African wine around the world. Through wines such as Columella and Palladius, he demonstrated the potential of the Swartland long before it became internationally recognised.

Today, his perspective has broadened from building a winery to safeguarding a legacy.

🌱 Farming for the Long Term

For Sadie, great wine begins with patience. Old vineyards, healthy soils and careful stewardship remain at the heart of the estate’s philosophy.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The Next Generation

With Eben’s children becoming increasingly involved in the business, the conversation naturally turns to continuity, responsibility and succession.

🍷 Wine as a Reflection of Place

Throughout the interview, Eben returns to a central belief: wine should express the place from which it comes.

✨ A Legacy Still Being Written

For Eben Sadie, success is not measured by expansion or scale, but by whether the work remains relevant decades from now.

🔗 Full article on our website (link in bio). Written by our own Niels Aarts.

🙏🏻 Special thanks to Eben Sadie for sharing his time and insights, and to Wijnkooperij de Lange (Wijnkooperij de Lange) for facilitating the interview.

How important is succession planning for family-owned wineries? ⬇️

10/06/2026

Henri Bonneau et Fils – 2016 Réserve des Célestins 🇫🇷

A wine that reminds us why certain producers become legends. The 2016 Réserve des Célestins by Henri Bonneau et Fils is not a wine of technical perfection or modern polish. Instead, it offers something far rarer: authenticity, individuality, and a profound sense of place. This is traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape at its most compelling.

✨ The Legacy of Henri Bonneau

For decades, Henri Bonneau was regarded as one of the last great traditionalists of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Working from just six hectares, he built a cult following through patience, intuition, and an unwavering commitment to old-school winemaking. Long ageing, meticulous barrel selection, and minimal intervention became hallmarks of a style that continues to captivate collectors around the world.

🍇 The Estate’s Flagship Wine

Predominantly old-vine Grenache, supported by Mourvèdre and other traditional Rhône varieties, Réserve des Célestins is produced only in the finest vintages from the estate’s best parcels and barrels.

Deep ruby in colour, the 2016 opens with layers of black cherry, blackberry, plum, dried herbs, to***co, leather, graphite, and Provençal garrigue. Given time, notes of truffle, sandalwood, dried flowers, and exotic spices emerge. The palate is expansive yet remarkably precise, combining immense concentration with freshness, silky tannins, and extraordinary length.

🔥 A Benchmark Rhône Vintage

The 2016 growing season is widely considered one of the greatest Southern Rhône vintages of recent decades. Ideal ripening conditions produced wines with exceptional concentration, freshness, and balance. In the hands of Henri Bonneau, the result is a wine that is both deeply expressive today and capable of evolving for decades to come.

🏅 97/100 DWA Score 📅 Tasting Date: June 2026
 🔗 Full review by our own Niels Aarts now live on our website (link in bio).

🛒 Available through Best of Wines ().

Would you open this legendary Châteauneuf-du-Pape now—or leave it in the cellar for another decade? ⬇️

07/06/2026

🍽️ BYOB Lunch bij Restaurant La Liguria (19 Juli) 🍷

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

We organiseren deze editie in samenwerking met Wine & Spirits () bij Restaurant La Liguria in Den Haag ().

🍴🍷 Hoe werkt het?

Je neemt een bijzondere fles wijn mee uit je eigen collectie (richtprijs ± €125) 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 €125)

🔹 La Liguria verzorgt een 4-gangen lunch op hoog gastronomisch niveau

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

📍 📆 Wanneer & waar?

Zondag 19 Juli, 13:00–16:00
Restaurant La Liguria (), Den Haag.

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

We kijken ernaar uit jullie weer te zien!

06/06/2026

Domaine Perrot-Minot: Precision, Elegance and the Pursuit of Perfect Pinot Noir 🍷

🇫🇷 Few producers in Burgundy have refined their style as meticulously as Domaine Perrot-Minot (). Based in Morey-Saint-Denis, at the heart of the Côte de Nuits, the estate has quietly built a reputation for producing some of Burgundy’s most elegant and terroir-driven Pinot Noirs.

🏰 Under the leadership of Christophe Perrot-Minot, the domaine has embraced lower yields, old-vine vineyards, rigorous fruit selection and a philosophy centred on finesse rather than power. From century-old vines in Nuits-Saint-Georges to exceptional parcels bordering Musigny and Chambertin, every wine reflects a deep respect for place and an unwavering pursuit of balance.

🍽️ 🍷 Recently, we had the opportunity to experience this philosophy firsthand during two remarkable events in Amsterdam. A technical tasting with the sommelier team at Ciel Bleu offered an in-depth look at the precision and consistency of the range, while a winemaker lunch at Restaurant Spectrum showcased how these wines come alive at the table through thoughtful food pairings and conversation with Christophe and Marit Perrot-Minot.

✍🏻 In our latest winery profile we explore the history of Domaine Perrot-Minot, Christophe’s approach to viticulture and winemaking, the role of old vines and innovation in the cellar, and taste our way through a selection of outstanding wines from Bourgogne Rouge to Chambertin-Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru.

🙏🏻 A sincere thank you to Christophe and Marit Perrot-Minot for their generosity and hospitality and to SOMMTIMES (.fw) for the invitation and for making these inspiring encounters possible.

Also a big thank you to the teams at Spectrum - & () and Ciel Bleu ().

🔗 Read the full story by our own Niels Aarts now on our website (link in bio). Picture credits: Max van Bockel ().

Have you ever tasted a wine from Domaine Perrot-Minot, and if so, which cuvée left the biggest impression on you?

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