2017 was a good year

New Year's Eve. Wow, I would have written this blog sooner, but the stomach flu hit me too. I've slept about 30 hours in three days, so I feel great again. Time for action!

2017 was a good year. For me, not necessarily for the wines. For Italy and France, it was even disastrous. The harvest was at a historic low, wrote Decanter . The biggest culprit was the frost in the spring. We don't have to worry about that yet, because 2015 has just been bottled And we'll be able to taste it soon. It just so happens to be a banner year.

Best nine of 2017

Back to 2017. Let's start with the nine best Insta photos of 2017. It makes it nice and clear. From left to right, top to bottom.

I see the delicious turkey of Boers & Boers . If you missed it this year, be sure to check it out next year. A good story, a juicy turkey, and a cozy atmosphere – because the turkey serves 12! Not to be missed with a glass of Coppola Pinot Noir.

The tasting at De Rotterdam, themed "La Bella Italia," was also enjoyable. This time, we were on the 39th floor. I'm already looking forward to the next one!

In the summer, I enjoyed a good glass of Priorat with the sun shining on my head. I even remember which one it was: Bodega Pardelasses Priorat Les Clivelles from Grape District, which I discovered in Barcelona during the famous weekend getaway with "destination unknown."

Oh god, and look at me standing here in the Rijksmuseum Hall of Fame . At the invitation of KLM, I was able to sample a selection of wines after closing time at the Rijksmuseum. That was a major highlight of 2017! In the next photo, I'm sipping a glass of Muscat at Look restaurant on 's Gravendijkwal, where I had dinner with my colleague Denise. Not bad, Muscat. The frivolous dress and I are then standing at a vineyard in Barolo. I'm feeling quite happy here too. How beautiful is Italy?

Speaking of happiness, champagne makes me happy. Check out the entire bottom row. Along with Christien and others, I put it to the test: bubbles (from Peeters) with cheese (from Booij). It was A party at the Fenix ​​Food Factory, which we concluded in style with a beer at Kaapse Brouwers. My mother and brother and I had lunch at FG restaurant. The last photo just goes to show that I'm not a fancy guy who only eats at Michelin-starred restaurants. I even drink champagne at the campsite! Yolo!

A few other moments

Okay, Instagram can't know everything. There were a few other moments that made the year truly epic...

At the end of 2016, I took the WSET-3 exam and earlier this year I heard I'd passed (with distinction, thanks very much). Hooray! That left me wanting more, but I felt I needed to see more of the wine world first. So, that led to a trip to Italy: Piedmont. and Tuscany . Thanks to importer Vinites, I was able to visit Pio Cesare, Castello di Brolio , Poliziano, and Ornellaia . In Tuscany, my love for Sangiovese was ignited. When I got home, I was ready for the next challenge in my wine life: teaching! In September, I started teaching for Wijnstudio, and the first Le Club des Vins wine course launched. Free time? No, I didn't have any. Hence all those champagnes; you need them 😉

And we haven't even mentioned the Zeeland Wine Festival yet. The wine festival of the Netherlands. This time with The whole bunch at the campsite . From the queen with a bottle of beer to a carriage ride with the mayor and a yoga session with a hangover. A moment of pure happiness.

Another highlight was finding myself sitting at a table with the wine world's high society at Restaurant Parkheuvel. You'll get the full report next week. We were invited by Podere Forte, the (hidden) gem of Tuscany.

Finally, a shout out to the Riesling. Sangiovese for red, Riesling for white. I think. It could change again, so don't hold me to it. Anyway, Riesling. Marcel Deiss suddenly came into my life. Since then, I understand where "wine is bottled poetry" comes from. Top Mosel winemaker, Ernie Loosen himself, gave a masterclass at Wijnhandel Peeters, where we even... a 1982 Riesling tasted. Awesome. Finally, I also took a look at the Mosel and the Nahe with Elef ( Rotterdam Wine Lovers ) and Jerome ( Bottle Stops ). What a sight.

What's next in 2018…

Yes, then it all gets even more serious. More teaching , more Tastings . But first, an oliebol and champagne! Happy New Year, everyone!