The Netherlands now has hundreds of vineyards, and the wine gets better every year. South Limburg has the longest tradition, but there are vines in Zeeland, the Betuwe, the Achterhoek and even Friesland too. Many vineyards work with fungus-resistant grapes, such as Solaris, Johanniter and Souvignier Gris. These need little or no spraying. Below are the vineyards where you can taste.
South Limburg
On the Louwberg above the Jeker valley lies De Apostelhoeve, the oldest vineyard in the Netherlands, where wine has been made commercially since 1970. You can walk or cycle there from Maastricht. On the other side of the city is Hoeve Nekum, a courtyard farm from around 1600, with vines since 1988.
In Voerendaal, Wijngoed Fromberg has made wine since 1994 on a south-facing limestone slope. In 1996 Fromberg released the first Dutch sparkling wine. You taste on a terrace with a view, and there is also a tour with sparkling wine and chocolate. Domein Holset, near Vaals and the three-country point, makes only sparkling wine, in a farmhouse rebuilt with circular materials.
In Sint Geertruid, Marc and Eedsje Huynen started in 2016 with 325 vines in their back garden. Today Wijndomein D'Hunes has seven hectares with eleven grape varieties. Wijngoed Raar Saint Remi in Meerssen refers to the monks of Saint-Remi from Reims, who already had vineyards here in the Middle Ages. At Sterreheim in Schinnen, classic grape varieties grow around a 19th-century farmstead, and the alpacas provide the manure. In the white town of Thorn, in Central Limburg, winemaker Harry Vorselen talks about winemaking in the tasting room of Wijngoed Thorn. Be sure to try the white wines there.
Zeeland and the Betuwe
On Schouwen-Duiveland, De Kleine Schorre planted its first vines in 2001, with help from a Luxembourg wine house. Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Rivaner and Auxerrois grow here, white wines that go well with Zeeland fish and shellfish. With some 63,000 vines it is one of the largest vineyards in the Netherlands. In Erichem, near Buren, the Betuws Wijndomein has seven hectares of fungus-resistant varieties only. You can walk and taste there all year round.
The east and the north
Just outside Winterswijk lies Wijngaard Hesselink, on the cycle network. The tasting gives you five wines with bread and cheese. In Hilversum, Wijngaard Zonnestraal has made wine since 2016, with a pizza and wine evening on the first Friday of each month. In Twijzel, in Friesland, is De Frysling, one of the northernmost vineyards in the Netherlands. They make, among other things, the sparkling Brûswyn.
In the city
Chateau Amsterdam in Amsterdam-Noord has no vineyard. It is an urban winery that turns grapes from Germany, France and Spain, among other places, into wine on the IJ. There is a tasting room and a restaurant.
Tip
Many Dutch vineyards are only open at weekends or by appointment, and some only from spring to autumn. Check the website first. The sparkling wines are often the best place to start. All addresses are also on the wine map.
