Rotterdam Urban Winery | A world’s first: wine from rescued table grapes

22-7-2024

With the launch of the first circular wines of Rotterdam Urban Winery, the brand has taken a revolutionary step in the world of sustainable wine production and curbing food waste. These wines, made from table grapes that would otherwise end up in the waste bin, set a new standard for sustainability and innovation in wine production. The celebratory launch was at Bar Stroom, where farmers, circular food entrepreneurs and Rotterdam culture makers are working together to create sustainable change.

3 minutes read

Wine for a better world

Rotterdam Urban Winery was born during the pandemic out of the need to make a real contribution to a better world. Its founder, Wouter Bijl, already had a lot of experience with residual fruit through his previous ventures in cider. He says: “When a supplier asked if we could do something with grapes, we first thought ’wine? No’. Yet we couldn’t shake the idea, so we started experimenting. After many tests and increasingly better results, we decided to go ahead, provided we could get funding,” Bijl says. Thanks to support from Citylab010, a municipal programme that supports sustainable Rotterdam initiatives, and an innovation loan from the Rabobank, Bijl was eventually able to make his dream a reality.

From waste grape to flavourful wine | The story of Rotterdam Urban Winery

A Suez Canal jam, closed borders after geopolitical quarrelling or a very successful or poor harvest: there can be many reasons why table grapes become surplus or fail to meet quality standards. Dutch traders and supermarkets therefore throw millions of kilos of table grapes into landfills or fermenters every year. Rotterdam Urban Winery takes over these grapes and transforms them into flavourful wines. ‘The fact that we throw away perfectly usable food actually strikes me as idiotic,’ says Bijl. ‘As consumers, we don’t have a good idea of what is being thrown away. Our ambition is to challenge the problem of food waste by making the experience of sustainability more fun and tasty.’

Innovative lab, big ambitions | Urban terroir for rebels

On Rotterdam’s Keilepand, on the site of the former fruit docks, Rotterdam Urban Winery is setting up its own lab where continuous experimentation is taking place to make the whole process more efficient and circular. Bijl and his team have big ambitions, ranging from vinification and wood aging to applying the champagne method and even maturing wine at the bottom of the sea. “We want to experiment a lot,” says Bijl. “I prefer to do things that people say can’t be done. I like to prove that things can be done.” Wine from Rotterdam, for example. That’s why the brand does carry the slogan ‘Urban terroir for rebels’, with the city and its ports – Europe’s largest fruit transit ports – being the fertile soil on which tasteful wine is produced in a contrarian way.

Rotterdam Urban Winery | Not a Grand Cru, but great enjoyment

Rotterdam Urban Winery’s wines are meant to make sustainable enjoyment accessible and enjoyable. ‘Not pedantic, not too expensive, but rather nicely accessible,’ Bijl stresses. ‘Our wines should never become a Grand Cru, but they don’t need to. We want, in a fun and tasty way, to help the United Nations in its goal of halving food waste by 2030. We are happy to contribute our sip to that!’

Assortment

Rotterdam Urban Winery currently has two wines in its range, which can be ordered via their website. In Rotterdam, the wines are also available at hospitality outlets Bar Stroom, Bar Alaska, Marseille and Biergarten. New batches and more variants will be launched later this year, including a red wine and a brut.

This is a Sparkling White #01: The Sparkling White is a demi-sec with 7.5% alcohol. Made from Thompson grapes, the wine has a slightly sweet taste with aromas of elderflower and tropical fruit. It is subtle and full-bodied, with a fine acidity and a pleasant finish. Lovely for a sunny day on a terrace.

And a Sparkling Rosé #01: A sparkling sec with 9.5% alcohol, made from Sable grapes. Pale pink bubbles with a rich Muscat aroma, a full flavour, dry finish and soft tannins make for a flavourful wine. Delicious with summer salads, as an aperitif, with a BBQ or fruits de mer.

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Website: Rotterdam Urban Winery

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