I am a great enthusiast of Dutch wine, especially the organically and naturally produced varieties. In particular, I am charmed by the wines from Wijngaard VieVinVjenne, known for, among others, the SuperTukker, which is also an extraordinary and beautiful red wine. When winemaker Marcel Oude Booijink told me about his special project with Solaris, my curiosity was immediately piqued. I had the privilege of being one of the first to taste this wine and give you a sneak peek: it’s a fantastic wine. Although Marcel says the wine is difficult to describe, I will do my best.
What makes this wine so unique?
Like all other wines that Marcel Oude Booijink makes at Wijngaard VieVinVjenne, this wine is organic. But he goes further: it’s a natural wine, pure nature. Marcel barely intervenes but maintains control. This applies to both growing the grapes and winemaking. An interesting fact: a university’s leaf analysis of the grapevines showed that no chemical agents were detected in the laboratory. The researchers found this remarkable, as they rarely encounter this. Marcel already knew the result beforehand, as he didn’t apply any sprays. It’s a beautiful report and confirmation for this natural wine pioneer, who started as the first in the Netherlands in 2007.
On the Pure Nature Estate in Twente, Marcel grows various grape varieties, including the Solaris from which this wine is made. This wine comes from the 2022 harvest. Marcel has manually selected and uniquely selected and processed the grapes in the vineyard and wine cellar. This requires much extra work and is not feasible for all grapes. He still uses something during pressing, when the juice comes into much contact with oxygen, to prevent loss of aromas, among other things. This wine is made in limited quantities — hence the name “special edition”. No color, aroma, or flavor additives are used, and the wine is unfiltered and vegan. The wine contains sulfites like all (natural) wine, however very limited thanks to the pure nature approach of Landgoed Twente.
What is the extra work for this special edition?
The extra work includes manual, targeted leaf removal from June to September — the most significant job, even more extensive than the harvest itself. This process prevents mold and ensures better aroma development and a reduction in acidity in September.
During harvest time, picking is done three times. This achieves optimal ripeness and, thus, a better wine. Marcel spends at least three weeks on this wine alone in limited quantity. The entire harvest takes him about two months!
During fermentation, the skins remain in contact with the juice for several days. This develops a much more beautiful, complex wine, which is clearly visible in full color.
Personal tasting notes of the VieVinVjenne Special Edition Solaris 2022
This dry white wine from unsprayed Solaris grapes from the unique “pure nature” vineyard is rare in the Netherlands. This goes beyond organic, resulting in a super pure taste. As soon as I opened it, I noticed this would be very special. Immediately, a floral, fruity, aromatic haze emerges — and I haven’t even started pouring yet. The color is orange-golden with a slight cloudiness because the wine is unfiltered and has a sparkling twinkle. The aroma that wafts from the glass is beautiful and wild: floral with blossom, orange blossom, roses, and acacia, interwoven with fresh green apple, ripe pear, melon, mango, passion fruit, pineapple, and papaya. Even hints of vanilla, butter, light toast, and tart berries can be detected. It’s truly a super beautiful, complex bouquet. This is indeed a “special edition”!
The palate is full of fruit. What you smell, you also taste, but with an extra dimension. The wine has medium (+) acidity and a light tannin that gives an excellent structure. With a full body and long finish, the alcohol percentage of 14.4% is surprisingly light on its feet. This very special wine opens up beautifully in the glass — an actual summer party for your taste buds.
This is an exceptional and special wine that has been made with a lot of work and love. At € 65, it’s more than worth its money.
The unique story behind the bottle
We’ve now discussed what’s in the bottle, but the story behind—or rather, on—the bottle is also very special. The label shows an image of Marcel’s wife, Hermien. According to Marcel, she is the queen of the vineyard, his faithful partner with contributions of inestimable value! After all their efforts, Hermien and Marcel are very proud of the result of this special project. It is a beautiful story to tell with it.
Marcel, thank you very much for sending this beautiful wine and even more for making it!
More information: https://puurnatuurwijn.nl/
