That Dutch wine is getting better and better, I already knew. That Dutch vineyards can also be fabulously beautiful, I have now discovered for myself. With some regularity, I spend a day pruning or picking at the Reestlandhoeve, a wine estate and care farm in beautiful Balkbrug.
Balkbrug is situated in the Dutch province of Overijssel, between Hoogeveen and Ommen. A long drive from my hometown The Hague, but worth it just because of the last few kilometres. From the exit near Staphorst, you drive through a beautiful landscape with woods, meadows and beautiful vistas. The Reestlandhoeve itself is a tremendously nice place. This winery is also a ‘care farm’: people with various care needs are given the opportunity to use their talents as supervised volunteers. This gives the Reestlandhoeve an extra sympathetic touch. And then those vineyards, of course. On a sunny day, you imagine yourself abroad for a moment.
The sweet Solaris
One of the grape varieties grown at the Reestlandhoeve is Solaris: a hybrid white grape specially developed for vineyards in cooler regions. Even in Sweden, they make wine from it. Solaris is a grape variety that ripens early and thus develops enough sugar even in colder climates. As you sometimes put a grape in your mouth while picking, I can confirm: the grape is deliciously sweet. At the Reestlandhoeve, they make the Reestlander Wit Sonate from the Solaris, among others. A fresh, dry white wine made from a combination of Solaris and Johannitzer grapes. If you’ve never drunk a Dutch wine before, this is a great one to start with. Coincidentally, the Wit Sonate 2022, which I helped pick myself, is still available in the webshop of the Reestlandhoeve!