Heuvellandse wijn

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The plots are situated mainly on south-facing slopes and hills with good drainage, specifically on the southern flanks of the hills Monteberg, Kemmelberg, Baneberg and Vidaigneberg, Rodeberg, Zwarteberg and Scherpenberg.
• Heuvelland has a poor, acidic sandy-loam soil with very good drainage, owing to the ferruginous sandstone in the subsoil and a deep water table.
• Heuvelland has a cool climate with fresh nights, and the proximity of the North Sea moderates the winters, preventing temperatures from dropping low enough to be detrimental to the vines.
• The cool climate and fresh nights provide a long ripening period, during which more aromas develop without an excessive build-up of sugar, resulting in aromatic wines that always retain their freshness.

• The Heuvellandse wines have an aromatic, mineral, and fresh character and can range from fairly light to moderately full-bodied, with a typically original herbal and floral bouquet.
• The sparkling wines are fairly full-bodied, elegant, and complex, and the aging potential of the wines can range from 2 to more than 5 years, depending on the vintage and grape variety.

• The ferruginous sandstone at the surface creates a warmer microclimate that allows the grapes to ripen slightly better each vintage, ultimately yielding a wine that is well balanced between sweetness and acidity.
• The dry, lean soil causes the vines to enter a phase of slowed or arrested growth more quickly, leading to more efficient photosynthesis and greater production of polyphenols and secondary metabolites, giving the wines more structure, aromatic complexity, and aging potential.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Belgium

Sources

• Specification (EUR-Lex, single document)
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-BE-A1426
• Official trade body site — Belgische Wijnbouwers vzw