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We look back on our portfolio tasting, share the tasting list, look ahead to the 2026 Nouveaus and list the Zuiver Bar agenda for November and December!
Dear all,
First of all, we’d like to thank you all for your wonderful enthusiasm during the portfolio tasting, at the bar and at the winemakers’ dinner at Restaurant Choux. We had a fantastic time, and the winemakers enjoyed every minute of it too! In this newsletter we look back on the weekend together, go over the highlights and, for completeness, share the full tasting list, so everyone can take another look at home at their leisure. As is tradition, a webshop discount applies to all wines on this list for the whole week, for anyone who’d like to take home something special from the tasting.
In this newsletter, we’re also looking ahead to the arrival of the nouveau wines, which will be available from the third Thursday of this month. By chance, we already had a small (and very tasty…) sneak preview last weekend of the 2026 Beaujolais Nouveau Chrysalide 2026 by Romuald Valot. Besides this Chrysalide, we’re also receiving the white Vin Blanc Nouveau 2026 and light red Blouge Nouveau 2026 by the fabulous Puzelat sisters of Clos du Tue-Boeuf, as well as limited quantities of Benoît Camus’ nouveau Dernière Vendange 2026. We’ll be celebrating the arrival of all these primeurs at Zuiver Bar on the third Thursday of November from 17:00.
There’s plenty more happening at the bar as well: on 25 November, Merijn, Roy and Figo reunite to revive their pop-up restaurant Repéré, and on 2 December the team of Restaurant De Kas* will serve a three-course menu. On 9 and 10 December, friends Job, Denis, Mattis, Matt & Olivier take over the tables at the bar to cook a small menu and put together a wine list with the wines of their dreams, both young and old.
As for new wines, there’s a lot more on the way besides the incoming primeurs, and we promise to give them plenty of attention in December. In the meantime, keep an eye on our website for the latest arrivals.
Read on below for the recap of the portfolio tasting 2026, the wine news and the Zuiver Bar agenda. The full tasting list of the portfolio tasting can be found at the bottom of this article.
HORS CATÉGORIE FRENCH WITH DOMAINE LA BOHÈME AND DOMAINE DE L’OCTAVIN
Alice of Domaine de l’Octavin
The top floor was shared by two big names in French natural wine: Patrick Bouju of Domaine La Bohème and Alice Bouvot of Domaine de l’Octavin. Expectations were sky-high, but both domaines managed to exceed them all the same — tasting their wines, we went from one delight to the next.
Both Domaine La Bohème and Domaine de l’Octavin work with a combination of their own grapes and négoce fruit, something they also discussed together during an inspiring talk on Sunday. Once again, we were struck by how both Patrick (and his partner in life and wine, Justine, who couldn’t make it this weekend) and Alice manage to keep a unique and recognisable style, despite the wide variety of grapes they work with. What stood out most was that freshness came first for both winemakers. Compared with their neighbours, but also with other négociants, Patrick and Alice are exceptionally good at preserving the fresh, crisp character of their wines. Timely picking and strict selection result in low(er) alcohol levels and lively, floral wines with tension and energy like no other. Their signature could also be tasted in their domaine wines: in both cases, the wines are atypical compared with the intense, dark wines of the Auvergne or the rich, sticky wines of the Jura. As far as we’re concerned, the wines of Patrick and Alice are benchmarks when it comes to preserving energy and tension. Choosing favourites is like choosing between your children…
In the cellar of Alice of Domaine de l’Octavin, August 2026
ITALIAN JOY WITH DENAVOLO AND PANEVINO
Gianfranco (Panevino), calm personified
The hardcore Italian natural wine pioneers were well represented during the portfolio tasting weekend by Giulio Armani of Denavolo and Gianfranco Manca of Sardinia’s Panevino. These two winemakers, each with a completely different style and on a different terroir but with a similar vision, have been proving for over forty (!!!) years that Italian wine doesn’t have to be heavy, cumbersome or predictable.
Giulio Armani is considered one of the pioneers of Italian orange wine, and works in the hills of Emilia-Romagna with carefully measured skin contact and plenty of precision. His wines are delicate, finely woven, ‘sensitive’ and beautifully perfumed, and despite their Italian character they have an almost un-Italian softness.
Panevino, the project of the legendary Gianfranco Manca, finds its strength in Sardinia’s old vines and local grape varieties. Gianfranco’s wines are intense, captivating and gripping, but never heavy or cumbersome. Where people sometimes fear heaviness in Italian wine, Panevino’s wines are little miracle cures: you can’t help but smile, and they’ll certainly never put you to sleep.
With their wines, Giulio and Gianfranco create worlds of their own, with one thing in common: they surprise us time and again and always put a smile on our faces thanks to their liveliness and beautiful aromas. It was no different at the portfolio tasting, where tasters stood smiling at the Denavolo and Panevino tables as if under a spell. We’re still dreaming of Denavolo’s new Catavela and the fantastic Mansano, not to mention ‘Onna 2020…
With Gianfranco of Panevino in his ‘anarchist’ vineyards, August 2026
UNBEATABLE VALUE WITH MEINKLANG AND VINYES TORTUGA
Tasting with Angela and Werner of Meinklang
Luckily, good natural wine doesn’t always have to cost an arm and a leg. At Meinklang, the versatile family estate from Burgenland, biodynamic farming and a broad range go hand in hand with wines (and prices…) that invite you to pour just one more glass. The same goes for the wines of our friends Dido Voorma and Jurriaan Morsink, Dutch by origin, who make fantastic wines in Catalonia at sharp prices. The winemakers proved once again at the tasting that affordable by no means equals lower quality, with wines like Meinklang’s deep, Earl Grey-esque Graupert Pinot Gris 2022 and the Tortugas’ new red Magnolias 2024.
We also tasted wines from both Meinklang and Vinyes Tortuga in the (slightly) higher price range, where the winemakers seek even more tension and complexity. It underlined the breadth of their range once more. We’re certainly not done drinking yet…
Beautiful Tortuga vineyards in front of their home in the national park of Rabós, March 2024
ONE-IN-A-MILLION WITH ROMUALD VALOT
Dining al fresco with Job and Romuald at the bottom of one of their Gamay vineyards, August 2026
The inimitable Romuald Valot has been doing exactly as he pleases for quite some time now, always with admirable results. After his time as cellar master at a chic Burgundy domaine, Romuald set up on his own high in the hills of Beaujolais, to make truly pure wines from vineyards that are practically untouched. Romuald and his partner Cosima belong to a small group of sauvages within the world of natural Beaujolais, standing out with their old Gamay vines and a radically natural approach. Their wines can’t easily be pigeonholed, but they’re always wonderfully drinkable, juicy and rich at the same time, all for a price we often find hard to believe. But tasting with the Valots, it quickly becomes clear that they do everything from the goodness of their hearts, out of love for sharing with, and inspiring, those who drink their wines. A special place in our hearts…
TENSION AND SURPRISE WITH MAKARIDZE AND RADOVAN ŠUMAN
This year we already ate and drank in Georgian style with Keto and Gogita on Thursday, to kick off the weekend a day earlier than usual
Everyone was fully focused at the tables of the charming Keto and Gogita Makaridze of Makaridze and the ever-energetic Radovan Šuman and his partner Simona of Vina Šuman: both estates step off the beaten track of conventional winemaking and instead embrace age-old traditions, while also both working according to biodynamic principles. The Makaridzes make wine in Imereti, in western Georgia, in traditional qvevri: buried clay amphorae that have been used there for the vinification and ageing of wine for 8,000 years. Because Georgian wine culture is so deeply rooted in tradition, local grape varieties and traditional vinification in qvevri are central at Makaridze, but they are also firm believers in biodynamic farming, something that is still quite rare in Georgia.
Simona and Radovan also gave clear biodynamic lectures outside the scheduled talks
When it comes to biodynamics (and energy), Radovan goes one step further in his vineyards in Slovenian Styria, working from a similar curiosity about local grapes, surroundings and natural expression, but with a signature all his own. Part of the grapes are harvested with botrytis, each cuvée is made with a variety of ageing methods and barrel sizes, and everything is always bottled by hand à la chèvre, so as not to disturb the wine more than necessary.
Besides the winemakers’ tables, there were six lectures and discussions on the third floor this year: from Meinklang’s ‘Gamechanger’ on large-scale biodynamics and Jurriaan and Keto’s discussion on young winemakers in a declining market, to Romuald’s lessons in non-interventionist winemaking, Gianfranco and Radovan on natural wine radicalism, Alice and Patrick on natural négoce, and Giulio Armani looking back on 46 harvests in the Trebbia Valley. Plenty of food for thought (and drink)! Many thanks to all the winemakers for their openness, and to everyone who joined for the great questions.
We also have a few newcomers to the portfolio, some of which we (secretly) let you taste already. Besides two very exciting wines by Rita & Rudolf Trossen, we poured three wines by Bastian Wolber (Laisse Tomber), Burgundy’s rising star, whose wines made their very first appearance at a Zuiver tasting this year: his Bourgogne Blanc LT 2023, Gamay LT 2025 and Bourgogne Rouge LT 2025. They showed exactly what unsulfited natural Burgundy should taste like: the reds aromatic, bright and zippy, the white almost Ganevat-esque Jurassic, thanks to its long élevage, salty minerality, serious acidity and suave roundness.
Besides Wolber, we also poured two Une Tranche wines by natural wine pioneer and Beaujolais/Burgundy stalwart Philippe Jambon: Une Tranche de la Chapelle 2023 and Une Tranche Sudiste GM 2024. His domaine wine(s) and a number of very affordable Une Tranche wines will soon be available online and on our shelves. We promise to tell you much more about the wines of Wolber and Jambon (and possibly other new arrivals…) in our December newsletter…
Basti!
THIS WEEK ONLY: WEBSHOP DISCOUNT ON THE PORTFOLIO TASTING WINES
Last weekend we already offered a small discount in the shop on all wines that were open at the tasting, but since the shelves emptied faster than we could restock them, the offer continues online for the rest of the week.
Until the evening of Sunday 8 November, you’ll get a discount on all wines that were open at the portfolio tasting.
Simply enter the code ‘BIOSOPHISTE’ at checkout.
Please note: the discount applies not only to the wines of the visiting winemakers, but also to the wines on the mixed tables. Have a look at the full tasting list via the link below for inspiration and guidance.
Also: stock of some wines is limited, and after the tasting weekend things tend to move fast, so don’t wait too long. We’ll prepare all webshop orders for pick-up or shipping as soon as possible this week. If you have any questions about your order, you can reach us via webshop@zuiverwijnen.nl.
Poster for the Les Primeurs event at Zuiver Bar on the 19th of November
Besides looking back on last weekend, we’d also like to look ahead in this newsletter. November has arrived, which means the very first wines of the current vintage will soon be reaching us. These so-called nouveau wines are traditionally released on the third Thursday of November, and this year we can offer primeurs from no fewer than three domaines.
Based on previous vintages, we reckon these will be among the tastiest (and possibly best-value) natural nouveaus around, and we can’t wait to take a good look at the 2026 vintage.
From Beaujolais, we’ll be receiving a red Gamay Nouveau from both Cosima & Romuald Valot (Chrysalide 2026) and our friend Benoît Camus (Dernière Vendange 2026), while from the Loire, the Puzelat sisters (Clos du Tue-Boeuf) are sending us a Nouveau en blanc made from Sauvignon (Vin Blanc Nouveau 2026), plus a so-called ‘blouge’ made from Grolleau and Sauvignon Blanc (Blouge Nouveau 2026). Attentive tasters will already have tried Cosima & Romuald’s version last weekend…
We’ll release the wines in our webshop somewhat before the third week of November, so we can start shipping them in time and everyone has their wines at home or ready for pick-up in the shop from the third Thursday of November. As stocks of all four wines will be relatively limited, we’d advise ordering in time. As usual, the arrival and release of the wines will also be announced on our Instagram.
ZUIVER BAR AGENDA NOVEMBER AND (EARLY) DECEMBER
Zuiver Bar during the week with Freddy’s Kitchen
There’s plenty to look forward to at Zuiver Bar this autumn, starting of course with the approaching third Thursday… Below, we’ve listed all upcoming events.
Les Primeurs @ Zuiver Bar (Thursday 19 November)
Of course, we can’t let the third Thursday of November pass without celebrating the arrival of the Nouveau wines at our very own Zuiver Bar. We’d love to invite you all to come and taste the Nouveaus by Cosima & Romuald Valot, Benoît Camus and Clos du Tue-Boeuf with us at the bar on 19 November, from 17:00.
Alongside the Nouveaus, we’ll add more beautiful wines from Beaujolais and the Loire to the wine list, and serve a simple warm meal all evening. Everyone is welcome to just drop by — no reservation needed.
Repéré @ Zuiver Bar (Wednesday 25 November)
November also brings a nostalgic evening: on Wednesday 25 November, Merijn van Berlo, Roy Wiggers and our very own Figo van Onna come to Zuiver Bar for a one-off revival of their pop-up restaurant, Repéré.
Repéré was Merijn and Figo’s very first temporary project, before they opened Restaurant Choux together in May 2015. For this special Wednesday, Merijn and former head chef Roy will cook a Repéré three-course menu at the bar for €39,50, with the option to add a cheese-and-truffle course as a fourth. Everyone gets a Boys beer, and Figo puts together the wine list, of course.
There will be two seatings, one from 17:30 and one from 20:15. Reservations open on 12 November, after which you can book for the Repéré evening here. We’ll also share the announcement on the Zuiver Bar Instagram on 12 November.
Restaurant De Kas* @ Zuiver Bar (Wednesday 2 December)
A week after Repéré, the team of Amsterdam classic and Michelin-starred restaurant De Kas* comes to cook a three-course menu at the bar, for the familiar price of €39,50.
In its own gardens and greenhouse, the De Kas team grows around three hundred varieties of herbs, vegetables and fruit; De Kas was one of the city’s very first farm-to-table restaurants. The menu will therefore revolve around vegetables: chef Dominik Kühne cooks, and sommelier Robbert pours the matching wines and puts together a concise wine list with favourites from the team in Park Frankendael.
Denis, Job, Matt, Mattis & Olivier @ Zuiver Bar (Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 December)
So far, all Zuiver Bar guest events have revolved around food, but in the end our bar is about wine as much as it is about the food! On not one but two days in December, our own Job and Olivier team up with good friends and sommeliers Denis, Mattis and Matt to put together the wine list of their dreams.
The bar will be filled with wines that have long been on their lists: wines that stand out for the great effect they have on the drinker. It will be mainly Zuiver wines, young and old, possibly with something special from the five friends’ private collections…
With help from Matt and Olivier, Mattis Neumann cooks a bistro menu following the usual formula, plus a few extras to add to the three courses. Service will be with tablecloths, by the way; mit Gedeck, Austrian style…
Reservations will open later; keep an eye on our Instagram to book.
We’re thrilled with another fun and energising edition of the portfolio tasting and are still basking in the afterglow. The winemakers’ dinner at Restaurant Choux on Sunday and the (rather wild) Saturday night at Zuiver Bar with all the winemakers won’t be forgotten anytime soon either. We hope you enjoyed the weekend as much as we did! And there’s plenty to look forward to this autumn, so we’re happily riding this wave of energy for a while longer.
If you have any questions, you can reach us as usual via webshop@zuiverwijnen.nl, by phone, or in person at De Ruijterkade 143. See you soon!
