Michiel, Josien and Melanie

De Brabantse Wal Vineyard: from forty vines to a family-run vineyard

Forty vines. Eleven years ago, that was all it took to embark on an adventure. With no experience but full of curiosity, Josien planted the first grapevines behind her house on the Staakberg in Bergen op Zoom. The first wine was, as she herself says with a laugh: ‘Just a sour mess’. Nevertheless, together with her son Michiel and daughter Melanie, she threw herself into winemaking. Together, they can now call themselves the owners of De Brabantse Wal Vineyard.

The family are constantly reading books, taking courses and learning, step by step, everything involved in winemaking. From grape varieties and soil types to food and wine pairings and vinification: their curiosity grows with every bottle.
The work at the winery is changing too. Whereas in the early years the grapes were still picked from the bunches one by one, there is now a destemmer, a press and a bottling machine. Not because they have to, but because the hobby is slowly getting out of hand. “At some point, people start asking if you’ve got any more bottles,” says Michiel. “That’s when you know you’re on the right track.”

An opportunity not to be missed
In the summer of 2025, winemaker Paul Bosse crosses their path. He decides to give up his vineyard. The family doesn’t need to think twice. Through crowdfunding, they aim to take over the harvest and get off to a flying start. Not long after, an investor who has faith in their plans also comes forward. Suddenly, everything changes. From around 150 vines in the back garden, the vineyard grows to over 4,000 vines on one hectare of land. Three thousand kilos of grapes are ready to be processed. A good year now yields around four thousand bottles of wine.

“That was quite exciting,” says Melanie. “But also absolutely wonderful.” Since then, the wines have been produced in collaboration with an experienced winemaker in Limburg. Together, they determine the style of each wine. They taste, compare and keep searching until the wine matches exactly what they have in mind.

Everyone experiences the vineyard differently
Although Michiel and Melanie are the official owners, the vineyard still feels like a true family business. Everyone has their own role and their own reason for enjoying being here. For Melanie, the vineyard provides the perfect counterbalance to her other work. “During the day I’m a teacher trainer; in the evenings, a winegrower. I find complete peace here. Working amongst nature is a truly mindful experience for me.” She also believes the volunteers make a significant difference. “We work together, but there’s also time to catch up. That’s what makes it so much fun.”

For Josien, the vineyard marks a special chapter in her retirement. “In the first year, I did a lot of crochet and painting, but I find this much more enjoyable. You’re doing something meaningful and following the whole process up close.”

Michiel laughs as he explains that his hobbies always get out of hand. “I’m not very good at sitting still. And here at the vineyard, there’s always something to do. You blink and the vines are already growing over the wire again.” As well as working amongst the vines, he also organises guided tours, tastings and marketing. “I love teaching people new things. That’s actually something all three of us have in common. We all work in education.”

The Brabantse Wal in a glass
According to the family, the fact that the vineyard is situated on the Brabantse Wal is anything but a coincidence. The sandy soil with a subsoil of loam provides an ideal base for grapes. Its hillside location almost always ensures a cooling breeze, and the special microclimate also works in their favour. “The Brabantse Wal is truly a unique area,” says Josien.

According to Michiel, more and more people are discovering just how good Dutch wine has become. “People often still have preconceptions. Until they taste the wines, that is – then they’re genuinely pleasantly surprised.” Visitors also come to better understand why production in the Netherlands is more expensive than in many other wine-producing countries when they see just how much manual labour goes into every bottle.

Nature sets the pace
Anyone who makes wine soon learns that not everything can be controlled. “There are things you can and can’t control,” says Melanie. “You have no influence over the weather; frost or hail can cause a lot of damage.” That is precisely why, according to Michiel, winemaking is all about attention to detail. “Seventy to eighty per cent of what ultimately ends up in the wine is determined right there in the vineyard. It’s all about timing, observing carefully and prioritising quality over quantity.”
No two seasons are the same. Every day calls for different choices: thinning out the leaves, selecting the grapes, or simply doing nothing for a while. Nature sets the pace.

A good glass of wine and a good story
Anyone visiting De Brabantse Wal Vineyard may come for a wine tasting, but usually goes home with more than just a bottle of wine. During a guided tour, visitors stroll amongst the vines and discover just how much care, patience and careful decision-making goes into a single glass of wine. Afterwards, they take their seats for a tasting in the barn, right in the middle of the vineyard.

“The passion really shines through,” is something Josien, Michiel and Melanie often hear. That is perhaps the finest compliment of all. Ultimately, they hope that visitors will remember not only the taste of their wine, but above all the feeling of this place. The tranquillity of the Brabantse Wal and the realisation that beautiful things sometimes start small. With forty vines.

Visit the De Brabantse Wal Vineyard website

August 2026