Discover Benelux  |  Special Theme  |  A Taste of Flanders

Around the world in a thousand wines TEXT: MYRIAM GWYNNED DIJCK  |  PHOTO: WIJNEN DE CLERCK / ENTRE-DEUX-MONTS

Wijnen De Clerck is much more than just a wine shop. Located in a onehectare warehouse near Kortrijk, Belgium, the store is like a discovery trail for wine enthusiasts. Reminiscent of a stylish, minimalistic library, its wooden cabinets allow customers to browse at ease through nearly a thousand different wines. Selling both to individuals, businesses and restaurants, the shop has knowledgeable sommeliers who help its customers select the best wines. Specialising in lesser-known domains, Wijnen De Clerck has many labels in its collection that are hard to get outside of their home region. Manager Bert De Clerck says: “Our main priority is selecting good quality wines for a fair price. We have an important selection of renowned brands but the fo14  |  Issue 56  |  August 2018

cus lays on family-run businesses. A few of our wines are available in Belgium or even Europe exclusively through us.”

Belgium’s best sparkling One of these unique brands is Sula from India. Set up in 1999, the vineyard is located near Nashik, about a hundred miles north-east of Mumbai. “We are always open for wines with a different story from outside the classic wine regions, such as this one” he adds. Another label that embodies the approach ‘think globally, act locally’ is Belgian brand Entre-Deux-Monts (Between Two Mountains). Located in the panoramic hillsides of West-Flanders, the wine estate straddles the Red Mountain and the Black Mountain, which inspired the name. They specialise in sparkling wine made according to the ‘méthode traditionnelle’.

Martin Bacquaert and his father from Entre-Deux-Monts.