The first organic wine produced in Ruddervoorde (West Flanders) now goes on sale. Vines were first planted in 2020 and the first grape harvest happened 2 years later. It is wine from these grapes that is now being marketed. The bottle’s label was designed by famous West Flemish cartoonist Kamagurka.
Ruddervoorde may not seem the obvious choice for the location of a vineyard, but that's a very false assumption says winemaker Filip Vermeulen. ‘A few centuries ago, the Bruges area was known as a wine region. We had our soil analysed, and it turned out that it was quite suitable for viticulture. We are located on a hill, some 30-35 metres above sea level. That's not much, but for this area that's already quite an elevation.’
‘Now the first bottles of 2022 vintage can be served,’ says Filip Vermeulen. ‘It's a natural wine, nothing has been added. No yeast, no sulphite, no sugars. Everything remains in its natural state until the process is complete and the wine is ready to drink. We chose highly resistant varieties. These grow better in our climate. They don't need any pesticides, which allows us to create a natural wine.’
Special labels on the bottles
A striking feature on the wine bottle is the label drawn by local cartoonist Kamagurka. He has been a customer of the organic farm for many years. ‘Kamagurka is a loyal customer at our farm. He loves to eat our tomatoes. One day, the idea of drawing a new label was born. He only needed a few lines to come up with this playful result.’
‘I thought it should be a simple drawing,’ says Kamagurka. ‘But at the same time an image you don't forget. It turned out to be a vine with a bottle for its head. The figure carries its own grapes and is drinking a glass. It perfectly sums up what the wine stands for: very simple, a pure grape, nothing else.’