Natural wine without barriers. For anyone who wants to feel happy about what is in their glass.
What started with a wine tasting in 2017 grew from a small mobile bar on the terrace into a permanent spot in the Fenix Food Factory. You can find Blije Wijnen there next to Kaapse Brouwers. Founder Maud van Berlo serves natural wines, cider and alcohol free options together with her team, including her daughter Juna. Six days a week, inside and outside. Since the beginning the goal has been clear. Make natural wine accessible and help people discover it.
When does a wine become a “happy wine”?
Maud: “In 2012 I was sitting on a terrace in France where they only served natural wine. The atmosphere, the taste, the way those farmers worked. That made me happy. Natural wine is made without pesticides or herbicides and often with little or no sulfites. A lot of manual work and very little interference. You can taste that. You also notice it the next day. That combination of taste and ideology made me fully focus on this.”
What will you never see on the menu here?
“Wines made purely for profit. Industrial wines will never be on our menu. I only work with small, artisanal farmers with whom I have a personal connection. I import the wines myself and only from Europe. At Fenix we serve ten wines by the glass and offer a selection of bottles. Accessible wines for a broad audience, but also some more adventurous natural wines. They can be a bit cloudy or a bit more acidic. Let them breathe for a moment, keep them in your mouth a little longer, then you discover the purity.”
How do you introduce people to natural wine?
“By letting them taste it. During Tasting Tuesday you can join without a reservation and try three wines with an explanation. Very approachable, just try it. It costs ten euros. In general you can always taste before choosing here. We also have bottles to go, chilled and ready for a picnic by the water. What do I drink myself after a long day. Often a lightly chilled light red wine with fresh acidity. But it always depends on the moment. Wine should match the atmosphere.”
