Wijngaard Hof van 't Hogeland
''You just imagine yourself in France, in the Jura. A sloping south-facing slope, lined with rows of wine grapes. This vineyard is more organic than organic. I don't use anything at all, not a single pesticide''.
Take a closer look
In reality, we are on the Groot Maarslag mound, between Schouwerzijl and Mensingeweer. Elma Middel is the vineyard owner, with straw hat and ...
In reality, we are on the Groot Maarslag mound, between Schouwerzijl and Mensingeweer. Elma Middel is the vineyard manager, with straw hat and pruning shears in a case on a belt on her belly. Vineyard Hof van 't Hogeland was established in 2013. "It actually started with the earthquake problem," she says with some irony. "The house and barn turned out to be unsellable and then you think: hands off, what else can I do with it." So it became hands in the clay.On the hillside, there are over 2,200 vines on three-quarters of a hectare. Good for about 3,000 bottles a year. About two-thirds of the Solaris variety and the rest is Johanniter. "The Solaris is quite resistant to mildew and grows all the way to Stockholm: surely it should work here then! I don't want to spray and so far I haven't needed to: there's always a breeze this close to the Wadden Sea and good foliage management will get you a long way, it turns out. Really, you can just smell wine that has been treated with sulphur. The Johanniter grape ripens a month later than the Solaris. We make dry white wines from both, and the idea was to blend them to give the Solaris some extra spice. But they each turn out to have such nice qualities that they go into the bottle separately."
"This vineyard is actually more organic than organic. I don't even use any plant protection products allowed in organic cultivation so far. The only thing I add is sometimes some manure from the horses. The running dung keeps the slugs in check. The cut grass enriches the soil. Without the SKAL label, you can't use the word organic: we call the wine 'pure - fresh - dry'," says the winemaker. She does not process the grapes herself: "That really is a profession in its own right. I have this done by a professional winemaker: Neerlands Wijnmakerij in Bentelo. The beautiful labels (with the running ducks) were designed by Frank Verhulst from Groningen. A beautiful product deserves an appropriate look."
"I focus on the better restaurants in the region and a few in City. Our 2016 is even poured at Onder de Linden in Aduard! Among others, the Kleine Oestertje in Oldehove, Andre Dokter in Briltil, the Kerkje Wetsinghe, the Scandinavian Village at Paterswoldse Meer are enthusiastic buyers: their guests really seem to return to it. B&B Batenborg in Winsum offers the wine with overnight stays. Retail outlets include the Gall&Gall in Winsum, Hein Post in Groningen, and also the new Foodmarkt in the Euroborg will sell our Solaris in 2019. Several companies have already selected the wine for the Christmas package. Last November, the 2017 was already completely sold out, but from May, the promising 2018 will be delivered. The retail price for a bottle is around 17 euros. The vineyard can be visited by appointment."
Talk to a winemaker and you are morally and practically obliged to taste, to taste. Folks, what bliss this Solaris is, as if an angel pees on your tongue. The wine puts an oil-like layer on your tongue, as it were, The fruitiness of apples and pears is strikingly present. With walnut aftertaste. If only I had had a piece of Franche-Comté cheese handy....