Sip and Celebrate: Inside ViniBio 2023, the Biggest Tasting Event for Organic Wine Lovers in the Netherlands
13-03-2023Melman Communications organized the 10th edition of ViniBio place, the Netherlands' exclusive tasting event for organic, biodynamic, and natural wines, on Monday, March 13. In addition to over 20 Dutch importers, 15 international wine manufacturers showed on this day. Ghislaine, thank you very much for inviting me and organizing everything!
Event spoiler alert: it was an amazing event! This was due to the perfect organization, the very extensive tasting book with all participants including the wines, the excellent location, and the "pièce de résistance" was without a doubt the Masterclass by Domaine Karanika, The Bubble Maker from Greece with very nice bubbles that are definitely worth tasting.
Increasing focus on the environment and health
In recent years, the category "Bio wine" has grown in popularity in the Netherlands. A growing number of individuals are ecologically conscious and choose wines that have a low environmental impact. Artificial fertilizers and chemical pesticides are not permitted in organic viticulture. People who consume organic wines thereby contribute to a healthier environment as well as a better climate.
Domaine Karanika Masterclass
A master class from Domaine Karanika from northern Greece kicked off in the afternoon. Laurens Hartman, the owner, has spent the last 15 years producing high-quality sparkling wines from the local red grape variety Xinomavro, the younger Assyrtiko, and the almost forgotten Limniona. He told us about the vineyard's history and how his wines have been served at Michelin-starred restaurants all around the world. He and his wife had moved to Greece to live a more peaceful life than they had in Holland, which had proven to be different due to the wines' extraordinary popularity, he explained. All of their wines are produced organically, with no intervention, pumping, or filtering, and they even use their own yeast, also for the second fermentation! They use essential oils like oregano and orange, as well as citrus, to avoid mildew and other pests that can harm the vineyards. The vineyards are diverse plots, and the terroir is largely recognized for marl soil consisting of a mixture of clay and finely divided lime, which gives the wines an unique flavor.
Wines from the Masterclass
Wine 1: Xinomavro 2020, Red still wine, awesome light raspberry color with a stable, burly, light raspberry with light spicy thyme and rosemary character on the nose. Medium in flavor, with strawberry, raspberry, and cherry in a slightly spicy jacket, medium acidity, and supple medium tannins.
Wine 2: Cuvee Rose Brut 2021, bright pink color, very fine mouse, raspberry aroma, green aromatic ingredients, a lot of strawberry, raspberry, green olives on the palate, medium acidity, little tannins without much complexity.
Wine 3: Cuvee Speciale Extra Brut 2020, light yellow, quiet bubble, aroma of yellow apple, yeasty, brioche, nice mouse with fine bubble, on the pallet lime zest, green apple with fresh herbaceous elements with medium acidity.
Wine 4: Cuvee de Reserve Brut Nature 2017, light warm yellow in color, aromas of warm red apple, sweet lemon and anise, subtle green herbs, butter and brioche on the palate of lime, delicate briny minerals, perfectly natural flavor and very refined with medium (+) acidity.
Wine 5: Cuvee Prestige Extra Brut 2017, my absolute favorite because of its unique complex character with many different layers, light yellow in color, very sophisticated mousse, more refined than the others, aromas of lemon, lemon peel, lime peel, vanilla, wood, coconut, and even slightly exotic fruits with a herbal edge, lots of citrus, vanilla, nice subtle bubble, medium (++) acidity with nice round structures, lots of character.
The tasting
After the Masterclass, there was more than enough opportunity to sample from the many participants. In addition to importers, there were also winemakers themselves present who were able to talk fully about their great wines. It was a very spacious room, so there was plenty of space and time to thoroughly taste the wines. A critical component of a large tasting is having enough spit bins, that was very well organized at this event, making the tasting even more enjoyable. Again, compliments to the organization. I'll share with you some of my highlights.
Dis Donc Champagne
Solemme - Plenitude de Solemme - Extra Brut/Esprit de Solemme Brut Nature 2019 - Champagne 1e Cru, Bio-Energetic.
They make this champagne bio energetically, which is a form of wine production in which one works in accordance with the energy that creates and supports life, such as the sun, planets, water, and oxygen. It makes this champagne completely in harmony, it has 40 year old vines, no wood is used, all three types of grapes used, which is rare in this place, rich citrus, brioche, good aged aromas and development, medium (+) acidity with a long finish. Green apple, thyme, white pepper, fresh fruity with a very delicate calm mousse on the palate.
Marie Copinet Blanc de Blancs, Brut - Champagne Biodynamic, Vegan.
Wonderful biodynamic champagne that competes a lot with awards for a reason. nominated in the category best sustainable company and even for best circular company, really something to be proud of which shows that winemaking is not only about the grapes but especially about the environment and keeping it as good as possible because that's what you have to do with. On the nose is a nicely yeasty, sour green apple with elegant aromas of butter, the on palette a nice balance of citrus and green apple with an edge of butter with an elegant mousse.
Pouillon - Grande Valle, Extra Brut - Magnum Nvt Champagne 1st Cru.
Superb, extremely rare, often sold out due to its popularity and I can understand why. Aroma of roasted brioche, warm citrus and apple, pallet with nice complexity of citrus, apple, butter, coconut and thyne with delicate medium (+) acidity making it a very special champagne.
Daxivin
Dassemus Brut Nature
Wonderful fresh bubbles made the classic way, with good acidity and a beautiful mousse, and from the Netherlands!
Domaine des Sonnettes, Gros Pif 2021
Astonishing Loire rosé Pétillant naturel (pet nat) produced from Gamay, poulsard, chardonnay, and pinot noir, resulting in a very intriguing refreshing wine with a delicate bubble. Strawberry scents and a field of flowering flowers, strawberry flavors that are pleasant and dry with gentle bubbles and a relaxed finish.
Les Copines des Copains 2021
Superb biodynamic natural wine from Alsace created from Gewurztraminer, Pinot gris, riesling, Pinot noir, and Sylvaner, with a strong aroma of Gewurztraminer. Excellent juicy aromas and flavors with grapefruit bitterness yet crisp apple and citrus notes. Excellent acidity and perfectly balanced, leaving you looking for the various characteristics. Pure and well-made, it goes well with spicy dishes.
Domaine d’Ici Là En Messieurs
Fresh organic wine created from 100% gamay grapes grown in Bugey, France. A beautiful freshness enters your nose, followed by flavors of rusty strawberry, ripe raspberry, red pepper, and a little sweetness of licorice with medium acidity and tannins.
Adyar Wines
Rita El Khoury, the director of the domain Adyar Wine in Lebanon's Qozhaya Valley, introduced me to their excellent wines. This winery is affiliated with the centuries-old Monastery of Qozhaya (in full Monastery of Saint Anthony of Qozhaya) of the Maronite Church. The Coptic monks cherish their vineyards whose origins date back three centuries.
Adyar Wine was the first winery in Lebanon to adapt to organic agriculture. By far the most common grapes are syrah, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, grenache, mourvèdre, sangiovese, and barbera.
Merwah (or merweh), Lebanon's pride, produces white wine. I had never heard of it before, let alone tried it, but what a surprise, on the one hand it smells and tastes familiar, and on the other hand it does not, a completely new dimension I had with it. This grape is presumably linked to sémillon (or possibly the ancestor of sémillon) and has been a successful indigenous grape in Lebanon for ages. These wines really gave me a fresh feel to familiar grapes, in this you really see that terroir, soil, environment, air and climate does a lot.
Saint Mikhael 100% Merweh 2022 Organic White Wine
Wonderful, Merweh a native grape I had never heard of or tasted before, which is a shame because it is a very special grape and wine. Aroma of green apple, earthy,spicy yet in a very fresh way, on the palette medium acidity, nice and dry yet refreshing, green apple, bitterness of grapefruit, lime zest, nice balance and slightly fruity.
Inspiration Muscat Petit Grain, Chardonnay, Viogner - 2022 Organic White Wine
Beautifully aromatic exotic aromas, peach, green apple palate, medium acidity, inspiringly and energetic with earthy minerals full of fruit.
Expression Monastique - Grenache, Mourvèdre ,Syrah , Sangiovese 2016 Organic Red Wine
Fine earthy scents with rich cherry, chocolate, tangy red fruit, palate with earthy spicy flavors of cherry, thyme, menthol, and Spanish pepper with medium (++) tannins and medium (+) acidity.
Sangiovese 100% Sangiovese 2019 Organic Red Wine
A familiar yet distinct Italian friend from another area. Black pepper, cherry, and a lot of recognizable warmth, palate of cherry, licorice, and strawberry with medium (++) tannins and medium (+ acids
Monastère de Qobbay Syrah, Cabernet-Sauvignon 2016 Organic Red Wine
Fine spicy complex aromas of bay leaf, cherry, strawberry, and rosemary, the palate is full of juicy strawberry, rosemary, thyme, and ripe raspberry, extremely gourmet and definitely a wine to eat with, medium (++) tannins and medium (+) acidity. Beautiful new style made from traditional grapes.
L’Aube Sangiovese , Mourvèdre, cabernet-Franc 2022 Organic Rosé Wine
Awesome fine complex spicy rose with aromas of juicy strawberry, rosemary, and ripe raspberry, ripe strawberry palate, herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage, spicy white pepper with a medium acidic edge. Definitely best paired with a fresh salad.
Bio Weingut Schwarztrauber
Gerhard Schwarztrauber, who told me about his enthusiasm for wine making and, preferably, unusual special variations of it, gave me a very nice introduction. Everything was incredibly clean in terms of taste and aroma, and I highly recommend them so try them if you can. There was a significant contrast between the 2017 and 2021 Riesling Kapellenberg, with the 2021 being full of fresh acidity fruit notes and the 2017 being incredibly round and full of minerals, exotic fruits, pineapple but also peach with beautiful round mild acidity. It was a fantastic experience.
Mußbacher Riesling 2021 Ortswein
Delightful nose of peach, mellow apple, and citrus, with a lovely fruity flavor and medium (+) acidity.
Eselshaut Riesling 2021 Erste Lage
Large aroma with salty peach, citrus flavor, red apple mixed with green apple, fine medium (+) acidity, delicate salty pebbles and grapefruit zest, nice complexity with medium (+) finish.
Kapellenberg Riesling 2017 großes Gewächs
WOW! Such an experience! Excellent and wonderful full nose with petrol peach exotic fruit on the palate round, mild acidity, great minerality, peach, citrus, lime, and a great deal of complexity!
Kapellenberg Riesling 2021 großes Gewächs
Likewise, incredibly wonderful pure aromas and flavors, with more primary aromas and flavors than the 2017, petrol in the aftertaste and otherwise lots of citrus apple and stronger in acidity.
Herzog Riesling 2018 großes Gewächs
A fresh and fruity full-bodied delightful wine with medium acidity, with a nice round aroma of peach and lemon zest.
Glockenzehnt Grauburgunder 2021 großes Gewächs
A completely unique experience of Grauburgunder through rich fresh flavors where you can really taste the winemaker's love. Wonderful complexity that enhances and accentuates the distinctive Grauburgunder aromas and flavors rather than detracting from them. Lemon, yellow apple, melon, and apricot flavors with a salty edge.
Pieksman Wijnimport
Terra Vita Vinum Bigottière 2019 A.O.C. Savennières
Very special Chenin Blanc, clean and yeasty in the nose with slightly wet wool and straw in the nose with typical Chenin Blanc scents with a raw edge with yellow apple, citrus, flavors you expect citrus, mango, melon and also not expected like nice saltiness you feel on your lips yourself just like a beautiful day at the beach. Extremely wonderful, and I definitely want to drink again when the weather is more pleasant.
100% Chenin Blanc, manual picking and biodynamic, fermentation and aging on its own fine yeast for 10 months. Quality label: Ecovin and Demeter
Dampt Frères
It was a fantastic way of learning about how organic wines from Bourgogne and Chablis may be, clean and terroir-driven, allowing you to taste the many types of soil, climate, and environment.
Petit Chablis, Vieilles Vignes, Chardonnay 2021, Petit Chablis
Refreshing green apple and citrus scents, slightly salty flavor with green and yellow apple and citrus textures.
Chablis Vieilles Vignes, Chardonnay 2020 Chablis
Citrus and wood aromas, as well as green apple and salty pebbles, fill the nose and palate, the wine was not exposed to wood at any point throughout the winemaking process. Instead, it only had some bottle age.
Chablis 1er Cru, Les Fourneaux, Chardonnay 2021, Chablis 1er Cru
Fantastic fragrance with citrus and complexity, fresh minerality, citrus and green apple flavors with lots of structure and a long finish.
Irancy, Pinot Noir 2019 - Irancy, Haute Valeur Environnementale
Fresh menthol, strawberry, and raspberry scents and flavors return, but are paired with freshness, white pepper, menthol, and minerality thanks to kimmeridge in the soil, providing a good complexity and freshness with medium acidity and elegant tannins.
Bourgogne Épineuil, Pinot Noir 2020, Bourgogne Épineuil
Unlike Irancy's Pinot noir, this one smells more like leather, cherry, and strawberry, and tastes like cocoa, cherry, anise, and rosemary, with medium (++) tannins and acidity that adds depth.
Bio-Weingut Landauer-Gisperg
There was a special table full of Austrian wines where I was amazed by what I saw, Pinot Noir and Rotgipfler, which produces exquisite white wines. I tried the lovely wines of Landauer-Gisperg, and Johanna told me more about their lovely family business. I also felt a strong feeling of pride in the wines and am eager to discover more.
Landauer-Gisperg, Bioweingut, Rotgipfler 2021
Fresh spicy aromas with loads of fruit, fresh fruity acidity, and a hint of spices. Extremely pleasant to drink with just little complexity.
Landauer-Gisperg, Bioweingut, Pinot Noir Selektion 2020
Superb deep aromas ranging from pepper to strawberry, flavors that are big and deep but yet fresh and delicious, and a good complexity between strawberry and rosemary thanks to 45 hours of skin contact.
Other participating companies included: Anfors Imperial, Artisan Wines, Bioweingut Weber, Coenecoop Wine Traders, Champagnist, Albrecht & Janssen, Château Argens, Château Sérame, Château Tour de Montrabech, Dampt Frères, Daxivin, De Wijnengel, De Geluksdruif, De Wijntherapeut, Dis Donc Champagne, Dokter Maler, Domaine Chemin Faisant, Domaine Pujol, Pallas Wines, Domaine St Cécile du Parc, Bio Weingut Schwarztrauber, Halfes, La Dame Bleue, La Vie le Vin, Sommelier Wijnen, Bio-Weingut Landauer-Gisper, lichti & astroh GbR, Sommelier Wijnen, Pieksman Wijnen, Château de Mille, Lekker Sapje, Pierre Ache Wijnen, Schwarz Bio-Weingut, Verbunt Verlinden, Vinites, Vino & Vetro, Vinya Ivo, Weingut Krispel, Weingut Porzelt, Well of Wine.
Conclusion
Organic, biodynamic, and natural wines are gaining popularity, and as a result, more and more unique wines are developing. It impressed me how much passion individuals have not only for making beautiful wines but also for adapting their working techniques to have a positive impact on the environment. There is a lot of experimentation with biodynamic aspects that aren't used too strictly and are only used where they bring value. This event provided me with a deeper understanding of the variety of organic, biodynamic, and natural wines. Ghislaine of Melman Communications, thank you again for organizing ViniBio!