Livestream Video: Interview with Belgian Winemakers Abroad
Yesterday I hosted our second livestream panel in the Flemish-Dutch regional wine lovers’ Facebook group ‘Wijn Wijn Wijn’.
This time I talked with three Belgians who own wine estates and are making wine abroad:
- Kathleen Van den Berghe, a civil engineer who started making wine in the Loire Valley about 10 years ago, and – together with her husband Sigurd – she owns (and renovated) Château de Minière, a beautiful wine castle dating back tot the 16th and 17th centuries. There they grow 29 hectares of Cabernet Franc. In 2016, they also acquired Château de Suronde in Quarts de Chaume, Anjou, with 6 hectares of Chenin Blanc.
- Koen Roose, West-Flemish Wine Rebel, who’s been making wine in South Africa’s Elgin Valley for more than a decade, at Spioenkop Wines. He is famous for his Riesling and Pinotage (he’s actually the first and only winemaker who’s growing Pinotage in Elgin Valley). Just a few weeks ago Tim Atkin MW awarded him the ‘First Growth’ label in the Cape Classification.
- restaurateur, chef and sommelier William Wouters, who (rightfully) holds more wine titles here in Belgium than anyone I know, i.a. former best sommelier and wine personality of the year. In 2006 he followed his heart to Bairrada, Portugal (his wife Filipa Pato is a highly regarded winemaker there), and now they manage a beautiful estate together – with a number of interesting side projects.
You can find the video of our talk below. Once again, the talk is in Dutch (read: different regional versions of Flemish). And as a bonus: since I’m still figuring out this streaming software thing, we have some bloopers for you at the end. 😉
Enjoy!