These are the most underrated wines according to top sommeliers
Of course, everyone knows the well-known wines such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. Often delicious wines, make no mistake. But there are also plenty of other wines that are worth drinking (more often). I asked top sommeliers which wines are often underrated but are actually absolutely delicious. Make the most of it!
Erica Verweijen, sommelier Aan de Poel
“Muscadet Sèvre et Main. Once very popular in the 1970s, it then quickly fell out of favor due to overproduction. But good producers show what an incredibly exciting wine it can be. When I eat oysters, I drink this wine with them.”
Nabil Touires, sommelier Graham’s Kitchen
“Morgon (Beaujolais), Menetou Salon (the wine region in the Loire located near world-famous Sancerre) and the fortified wine Madeira (from the Portuguese island of Madeira).”
Bram Faber, sommelier Wijncafé Lefebvre
“Without a doubt, Champagne! Anyone who says they don’t ‘like’ Champagne, I challenge them to try a truly good Champagne.”
Imil Ayoub, sommelier The Harbour Club
“Portuguese wines! When people think of Portugal, they usually think only of port, while fantastic red and white wines are made there too.”
Julian Cleton, sommelier Wijnbar VinVin
“‘What the farmer doesn’t know…’; our own little Netherlands has grown enormously in recent years when it comes to making beautiful wines. Led by Diederik Beker of Betuws wijndomein and Stan Beurskens of St. Martinus! Wijngoed Thorn makes excellent Pinot Noir, and Aan de Breede Beek in Nijkerk has a fantastic selection. It’s also good to buy (more) locally!”
Laurence Reintjens, freelance sommelier
“Almost nobody drinks semi-sweet wines from, for example, Vouvray anymore, but they pair incredibly well with Asian food. Or with a roasted chicken with mushrooms and cream sauce! I’d love to see sweeter wines make a comeback. Incidentally, increasingly better wines are also being made in Limburg, where I’m from! It’s time people discovered them!”
Wouter van Essen, sommelier Wijn- en Eetbar Most
“Riesling, for sure. I still hear every day, ‘But isn’t Riesling always sweet?’ No, it isn’t. Rieslings can also age beautifully, and they don’t even have to be the most expensive examples. Very few people know this.”
Ivar Roerink, sommelier Wijnbar Nic & ik
“The Pinotage Blanc from Aaldering. One of the most beautiful white wines I’ve ever drunk, and at a very attractive price. The wine has a very light pink tint and a full body. Creamy and soft at the same time. The wine lingers for a long time and has a very pleasant finish with soft acidity.”
Ruth Engels, sommelier INK Hotel Amsterdam
“A ‘Merlot’, as the Dutch sometimes call this wine, is terribly underrated. Merlot is a grape variety that can produce not only very approachable wines but also highly complex ones. It is also a grape that is widely used in the best Bordeaux wines.”
Sabas Joosten, sommelier De Librije
“People sometimes think that sweet wines have nothing in them besides sweetness. What a lot the wine lover who doesn’t open themselves up to this category is missing!”
Dennis Blaaser, sommelier Le Hollandais
“To me, it seems that appreciation for wine is cyclical: something is trendy, falls out of favor, is forgotten, then rediscovered, and so on. I have the feeling that we are slowly—and fortunately—daring to serve and drink somewhat sweeter wines again. I’m personally fond of Vouvray, for example: Chenin Blanc from the Loire with lovely fresh acidity alongside some sweetness. And also: fine Riesling Auslese. Both are wines with endless aging potential. And let’s be honest, how cool is it to be able to drink a wonderfully refreshing wine from your birth year?”
Isabel van Bueren, sommelier The White Room by Jacob Jan Boerma
“Muscadet Sèvre et Maine! A fantastic wine; elegant, with beautiful acidity… It’s such a shame that very poor Muscadets used to be made. As a result, the wine has a bad reputation. But people: give it a try. It’s so delicious!”
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