Domein De Wijngaardsberg

The Netherlands

"We're in the hottest spot in the Netherlands here..."

Historic ground

Some people might think that winemaking in this country is some new and foolish idea. Be surprised... the oldest evidence of winemaking in The Netherlands can be found in the southern province of Limburg. On the current location of Domein De Wijngaardsberg vines were planted as early as in 968! The vineyards disappeared around 1800, but in the beginning of the 19th century the weather slowly started to get a little warmer. Nowadays the nearby city of Maastricht has the same climate as Dijon (yes, Burgundy!) in the 1970’s. So it’s not that strange that in 2002 a new start was made and a first half hectare of vines was planted here.

Domein De Wijngaardsberg

We visited passionate winemaker Jules Nijst on a beautiful sunny day. Excellent conditions to shoot a  short film between the vines. The first half hectare of these vines that were planted here consisted of classic grape varieties like Pinot Gris and Auxerrois. In 2008 he planted another 1,5 hectares, but now with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Nowadays Jules has three hectares and makes Burgundy-style varietal wines of these four classic grape varieties and also a Traditional Method Brut, a blend from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Mergelland

The composition of the soil, which consists of a layer of loess with marl underneath makes this location, Mergelland, quite suitable for wine cultivation. The climate, geography and this composition together make up for a unique situation in the Netherlands. Quite recently, since the beginning of 2018, Mergelland is now an officially registered Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). This is the second PDO for winemaking in the culinary province of Limburg in the Netherlands!

Border triangle

Domein De Wijngaardsberg is situated in the southernmost part of the province of Limburg, just a fifteen minute drive from the old historical city of Maastricht. This region borders on the east with Germany and in the west and south on Belgium. Inhabitants of the South of Limburg are known to enjoy the good things in life and so you can also find quite a few craft food producers here. Multiple wineries and breweries are waiting for you to pay a visit, so what are you waiting for? Please contact De Wijngaardsberg beforehand if you’re interested in a tour and tasting.