Amsterdam - VI.NO.SO
There is never a bad time to visit Amsterdam , such a great place to grab a beer , wine or coffee and watch the world go by.
We are here for VI.NO.So Amsterdams premier Natural wine event. what’s not to like.
A wonderful city . A canary in a coal regarding environmental factors and a somewhat conspiracy theorists wet dream.. Cash has effectively been outlawed , if you are planning on a visit don’t bother taking any it will be of no use..
After covid the city kept a lot of the restrictions , Cars hard hard to come by and with very restrictive use, well more than ever.. Ohh and the farmers are kicking off about compulsory Land grabs. The Netherlands now have some of the strictest environmental policies in the world. An acid test for the world on how far you can push regulation without impacting the lives of People too much.
The leader of the movement is green campaigner , Johan Vollenbroek has made the Netherlands cap the number of flights arriving at major airports, reconsider housing projects and cut the speed limits on its highways. But it’s his showdown with Dutch farmers over nitrogen pollution that has drawn the most attention and spilled the greatest quantities of bad blood.
With thousands of farmers facing uncertain futures because of his efforts, the conflict has turned bitter, violent and arguably deadly — but Vollenbroek has no intention of slowing down. Indeed, he believes what’s happening in the Netherlands is just the beginning. “It is clear that farmers all over Europe will have to go through a transition,” he said.
Not to dwell on the massive devisions effecting holland at this moment in time.
i’m here for Vi.No.So , Amsterdams’ premier wine natural wine gathering.
Based in Amsterdam Noord , the redeveloped old port area , small village feel.
The Eatery and Bar next door to Hotel De Goudfazant
https://deverbroederij.nl
Lovely place to chill , complete with their own organic urban gardens.
A semi-social consuls cafe in which you can cafe
Max Dexheimer
Max is a 5th generation winemaker whose great-great-grandfather founded the winery in 1896, and Marika is an Estonian sommelier.
Stunning wines from Max Dexheimer. all very nice and well balanced. from Rheinhessen region in Germany.
grown on limestone, a touch of clay, and yellow sand
We tasted the 2021 Reisling which was lovely and crisp , i’m a big fan of Riesling.. A direct pressed and aged 12 months over Lees aged in Oak Barrels.
and also a beautiful pinot noir , which seems that the Germans are really on it when it comes to producing pinot noir.
No sulphates
Chianti Vergamo
Mauro Vergano worked for many years as a chemist, producing some of the best vermouths you’ll taste . vini aromatizzati, wines that have had various aromatic ingredients added to them. Mauro begins with base wines full of healthy fruit. Fresh, clean, balanced wines that provide the perfect jump-off point for the flavour juggling that ensues. Mauro will add to the base wine some sugar, raw alcohol and any combination of citrus, quinine, wormwood and other botanicals.
These wines are blended with a mixture of raw alcohol, wormwood, citrus skin and herbs like thyme, marjoram, basil and oregano.
Cafe Brandon
Another Cracking bar ..with outside chilling area ,where you can hangout next to the canal , Aphrodisia since 1626 - The 3rd Oldest bar in Amsterdam. (Keizersgracht 157). A mix of people hanging out families with young kids , hipsters and artsy folk.
A pizza shop next door so you can enjoy a beer and pizza whilst watching the world go by.
Elegast Cider - based south east of Utrecht , Netherlands.
Producing lovely ciders from wild and cultivated apples. also on a mission to save the ancient orchards.
The orchards are remnants of a biodiverse and varied landscape of wooded banks, hedges, avenues, groves, solitary trees and orchards: a landscape with lots of nature and life. Since we were born, 50% of bird and insect life has disappeared due to large-scale modern agriculture. These standard orchards are reserves: the old trees have cavities for bats and birds, the old bark and dead branches are a habitat for insects, we encounter mosses, lichens and fungi everywhere on the trees, and also the grass and herbs under the trees are diverse in flora and fauna.
Where to drink in Amsterdam
Cafe Pieper
Prinsengracht 424, 1016 JC Amsterdam.
I’ve been coming to Cafe Pieper for a couple of decades , its near the liedsplien and situated on a quite part of the Canal , a great place for a quite beer in the summer on the terrace or even better in the winter when everyone locals and regulars are crammed into this
1665 Brown Bar and Cafe"
One of the oldest bars in Amsterdam, Cafe Pieper has been around since 1665. It is popular 'brown cafe' i.e., a cozy old cafe with traditional Dutch-bar style, wood-paneling. Step inside and truly feel transported to another time, as most of the old decor like the worn out wooden floorboards covered with sand, the low hanging bar ceiling and the fading stained glass walls are still in place.