Wines of Belgium
@ Horeca Expo ’24

Visit us at Hall 8 – booths CP72-83

Meet 11 of Belgium’s best winegrowers, discover the wines they have brought, and learn all about their terroir, their methods, the varieties they have chosen, etc..

(Klik hier voor de Nederlandse versie)

Wine Estate Waes

Wine estate Waes – 4 ha along the banks of the river Scheldt – has been founded in 2005 as the first professional vineyard in the Ghent area since the 16th century. The golden hedgehog, symbol of the domain, comes from the coat of arms of the Waes family, and symbolizes unity with and respect for nature. Sustainability is key – in the vineyard as well as in the vinification and in the marketing.

Château Bon Baron

Château Bon Baron, sustainably ‘Fair’n Green’ certified, is located in the Meuse Valley near Dinant, among monasteries and medieval castles. The river and limestone rocks of the Meuse Valley provide a protected environment for a rich biodiversity of birds, trees and flowers – an ideal microclimate. Our challenge: ensuring that each glass of wine reflects the climate, terroir and fingerprint of its makers.

Wine Estate Vigna

Protected by the nearby woods, wine estate Vigna is located in Wijnegem near Antwerp. On this site, where the ‘Vigna’ water and lemonade factory used to be, vines were planted for the first time in 2004. After several extensions, the vineyard currently covers 11.5 ha. Each wine bears the name of a grandchild and every time they try to make it express the uniqueness of the variety. Recently, a B&B has been opened on the estate as well.

Domaine du Chant d’Eole

With more than 470,000 chardonnay vines on 52 hectares, Domaine du Chant d’Eole is the largest vineyard in Belgium. Located in Quévy in Wallonia, the south-facing, predominantly calcareous, white soil is ideal for drainage and irrigation, making it ideally suited for sparkling wine production. This chalky soil and the chardonnay grape give our wines minerality, fraîche and elegance.

Winery Stuyvenberg

Since 2017, the Stuyvenberger Brut won one silver and five gold medals at the Best Belgian Wine competition (organised by the VVS). In 2021, this wine became the ‘Overall Winner’ of all participating Belgian wines. At Winery Stuyvenberg, we work as sustainably as possible. Since the start, no chemical herbicides have ever been used. Weed control is done entirely mechanically.

Wine Estate Oud Conynsbergh

Wine Estate Oud Conynsbergh opts for classic varieties such as pinot auxerrois, chardonnay, pinot noir and gamay. White, rosé, red and also sparkling wines are produced from these grapes. Started in 2014, the 10 ha of vineyards have become certified organic in 2021 and the winemakers work according to biodynamic principles. Every weekend you can taste their wines in the historic mill in the village of Boechout.

Wine Estate Woest

This estate consists of a conventional vineyard in Evergem, where sauvignon blanc, pinot noir and muscat have been grown since 2010, and a 100% organic vineyard in Oosteeklo planted with the resistant Champagne grape voltis. Both vineyards cover an area of 2.5 ha. On the Meetjeslandse sandy soils, Tim Van De Woestyne makes still and sparkling (organic) wines with a unique and spirited character. You can taste passion.

Wine Castle Vandeurzen

The stately Castle of Linden is just a stone’s throw away from the busy city of Leuven. Starting in 2014, the 6.5 ha of sloping flanks opposite the castle are being transformed into one of the largest vineyards in Flanders. In the brand new production facility wines full of character are being made, some with varieties you rarely see in Belgium, such as albariño or tempranillo.

Wine Estate De Steinberg

Starting with just one hectare in 2016 and two more in 2018, all in the communality of Bree in the East of Belgium, Wine Estate De Steinberg is now one of the fastest growing wine producers in Belgium. Its owners, Ilse and Dominique Dedecker, managed to acquire another property of no less than 22 hectares, which means that a total of 25 hectares will be productive from 2024 onwards

Wine Estate Den Nachtegael

The rolling landscapes and beautiful panoramas of Zonnebeke and Moorslede form the backdrop of wine estate Den Nachtegael. With 14.5 ha of vineyards (of which 11.5 ha are in production) in a special location and from a passion for the age-old wine tradition, Den Nachtegael succeeds in reflecting the character of this terroir in wines of superior quality.

Wine Estate Petrushoeve

The winery consciously chooses climate-resistant grape varieties, including johanniter and regent. Their natural resistance to disease means less intervention in the vineyard. This process extends to vinification, where sustainable and organic practices are the norm. Quality remains paramount at all times. Responsible intervention and adjustments are made where necessary. Wine estate Petrushoeve’s range also includes the wines Coberger and Hagelander.

Winemaking in Belgium

When people think of Belgium, they often refer to our remarkable beers, delicious chocolates and the best French fries in the world. Correctly so, but what more and more people are starting to discover, is that Belgian wine has earned a spot in that list as well. Time to let more people in on that secret…

Belgium is a small country, so our wine industry is rather small as well – but growing rapidly. In 2021 there were a total of 237 registered winegrowers in our country, amateurs and (semi-)professional producers combined. Together, they own 695 hectares of vineyards – more than five times as many as ten years ago. In 2018 and in 2020 our winemakers produced over two million liters of Belgian wine (around 450,000 cases).

In a small country like Belgium there is no room for large scale wineries. Only a handful of winegrowers own thirty hectares of land or more; the average size is about four hectares. This means that Belgian winemakers simply need to focus on quality and take an artisanal approach. Government agencies and trade organizations stimulate this focus on quality as well.

Lots of sparkling and still white wines

Due to our location – most of Belgium is above 50 degrees north latitude, long considered to be the northern limit for making wine – the production of sparkling wines is very popular here. (Less sunlight means less sugar, which emphasizes the freshness of the grapes even further). In fact, sparkling wines account for about 45 percent of the total production. 41 percent are still white wines. Next come red wines with 8.5 percent, and rosés with 5.5 percent. (Based on 2021 harvest data)

The chilly and relatively wet climate also explains the proliferation of mold and mildew resistant grape varieties, such as johanniter, regent and solaris. Some Belgian winemakers have already been working with those varieties for decades now, and have long since learned to make excellent wines with them. Because these grapes are better adapted to the local climate, they also need less treatments with pesticides, allowing for a sustainable and environment friendly way of working.

Among the classic grape varieties, the most popular are similar to some nearby renowned wine regions, such as Burgundy and Alsace: chardonnay, pinot varieties (including auxerrois), müller-thurgau, and so on. In fact, there is a tremendous diversity in Belgian wines, but they all have an undeniable cool climate touch – including relatively low alcohol percentages – and show great quality.

Appellations

Belgium has ten official appellations, each with its own regulations, to guard the quality of wines from these regions. There are two Protected Geographical Indications (PGIs):

There are also eight Protected Designations of Origin (PDOs):

About the VZW Belgische Wijnbouwers

Since 2009, the non-profit organization VZW Belgische Wijnbouwers (Federation of Belgian Winegrowers) has been working to improve the quality of Belgian wine, to create a professional framework in which our winegrowers can optimally reap the benefits of their hard labor and to increase the awareness of Belgian wine among consumers, both at home and abroad. To this end, the association organizes numerous activities: interesting and useful training courses, events (such as this group stand at Prowein), bringing together wine growers with questions or needs, trying to clarify and simplify legislative and administrative matters, negotiating interesting group purchases, etc.

For more information, go to: www.belgischewijnbouwers.be