Saalhof Vineyard : Be A Bon Vivant Anywhere

Does one have to live in France to be a Bon Vivant? Or be present in Italy to experience La Dolce Vita? And why do we strongly associate certain delicious experiences with a particular place... Most importantly, how do we translate "living the good life" for ourselves and set out to create a lifestyle we want right where we live!

To me, being a Bon Vivant has a lot to do with enjoying what your local region has to offer. And I feel nothing inspires this appreciation more than eating and drinking of the land. Just like the mysterious concept of terroir suggests that the taste of wine embodies climate, terrain, soil and even traditions of a place, similarly why not we as people enjoy where we live by truly embracing all the elements.  

So the other week I went on a Bon Vivant excursion to experience the bounty of my adopted land, The Netherlands! Why not go wine tasting and see how the 'terroir' here affects the wine. We decided to go to Saalhof Vineyard in Wognum.

Vineyard!? In the cold and wet Netherlands? My surprise was big as yours, but apparently yes, there are more then 170 commercial vineyards according to Winehoek. 

The Saalhof Vineyard or, Wijngaard in Dutch, is in the region of West Friesland which is in the North West of The Netherlands. Historically fiercely independent and a bit stubborn people live there. I mean, how many floodings would you put up with before deciding that maybe you should not live in an area that's not meant to be above water? Well, none of that for West Frisians. They keep plugging away, sucking the land dry... for centuries! This resilient spirit is probably what's responsible for the success of Siem and Ada Loos, the creators of Saalhof Vineyard. 

To grow wine in such a cold wet climate is tricky to say the least. The vines must be planted further apart to give grapes a chance at catching those illusive rays of sun for a few minutes a day. The foliage must be trimmed often so that grapes are well ventilated and stay dry otherwise they can rott. Thus the position of grapes on the stalk is important... the list goes on. And even after all that, not just any ol' grape will grow in this climate. It takes a special kind of grape! For example the Souvignier Gris, a grape variety invented in Germany in 1983, and the Rondo, created in 1964, a grape very resistant to winter frost and mildew.

So what in the world possessed Siem and Ada to start a vineyard? Apparently one too many bottles of wine... literally. They were sitting around with neighbours, drinking wine and talking about France and the art of enjoying life. About the romantic atmosphere of the French vineyards, of reaping the fruits of your land and then gathering with family at the end of the day to enjoy a big meal all together. For Siem it wasn't just wine fueled talk, it sparked a realization of the kind of lifestyle he wanted, and inspired a mission to create it right here in his own country. 

My family immediately felt the joyful vibe as we pulled into the vineyard with its neat rows of vines, large tables set up outdoors for communal eating, and an inviting guest house. It was a gorgeous fall day with sun shining and with a glass of sparkling wine it did feel like we were somewhere in the French countryside. We came with my husband's cousin's family and their two kids for the open day and spontaneously decided to linger on for dinner.   

It was such a pleasure to walk through the vineyards, of course the kids ran around, exploring and playing hide and seek between the vines. I tried Secco "Het mirakol uit Westfriesland" (The miracle of West Friesland), a sparkling white wine. Made with Johanniter white grape, created in 1968 specifically to grow well in cold and moist regions. After falling in love at first sight with the place, I was worried the wine may not match the expectations. But those worries proved unfounded. From the first sip Secco is an absolue delight. True to the name, the wine is pleasantly dry, and fresh with a delicate aroma of green apples and melon. Light sparkle brought out further the citrus undertones of lemon and grapefruit. Yum!

We stayed to eat the most delicious burgers and home fries at the restaurant, Saalig. The sun was setting and we poured another glass of Rondo, a red wine made with Rondo and Pinot Noir grapes, to help "wash down" the satisfying dinner.  

It was a perfect afternoon! Also the family and staff are really welcoming and happy to chat with you about their work. Of course the best part is the feeling of joie de vivre that washes over you from spending a leisurely afternoon with your family without rushing and just giving each other attention. 

I grabbed a few bottles of wine to bring home and made a note to come back for one of theme dinners at Saalig. Oh and you bet I signed up to be on the list of volunteers to harvest the grapes! 

I challenge you to think about what does being a Bon Vivant mean to you? And how can you make it happen right where you live! Maybe a visit to a local vineyard can help with some inspiration...

Here is a video interview of the owner of Wijngaard Saalhof by Tasty Tales: 

KM Zero Tours : Slow Travel for a Taste of the Sweet Life in Tuscany

This special edition of "Take Us To Lunch" is actually an invitation to a virtual dinner! Our new friends Arianna, Olivia and Alessio of Km Zero Tours take us to an authentic polentata al fresco at a Tuscan casa.  

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Alla: What is Polentata? Arianna tells us all about this traditional Italian peasant meal...

Arianna: Polentata is an old recipe from the Abruzzo region, the birthplace of Alessio. This recipe was born as a traditional dish for poor people who could not afford to buy many ingredients or even enough plates for the entire family. It is made with corn flour, a type of flour that typically cost less than wheat flour. People cooked polenta in a large, deep pot, stirring constantly for a long time. When polenta was ready, they poured it directly onto the table, eating it right away, all together, not using any dishes!

The traditional sauce for polenta was tomato sauce enriched with a single sausage (given the high cost) which was used to give flavor to the entire sauce and was eventually designated to head of the house. We have decided to re-propose this ancient dish for our guests, enriching it with more sauce and sausages! ;-)

The best thing about this experience is that we eat together at the same table, sharing values and ideas and becoming friends.  

How did this idea of sharing Italy with visitors come about and what does Km Zero mean?

The expression “Km Zero” (literally “no distance”) products, refers to a conscious choice to buy quality products and to consume them as close as possible to their area of production, ensuring freshness, seasonality and biodiversity, as well as strengthening connection with the land.

Arianna: Inspired by this concept we developed our project “Km Zero Tours,“ wanting to give people authentic tasting experiences, letting them re-discover ancient traditions and refine their palettes by understanding the journey of a product from farm-to-table.

Alla: When your guests return home, what would you like them to bring back to their countries from this experience?

Arianna: The best souvenir our guests can bring home is to become fully aware of how a product originates, understanding its history, tradition and the hard work and passion of the producers. We'd love for them to rediscover the pleasure of sharing experiences and values with others, which encourage them to interact with local people, actively engaging with them.

Alla: How did you and your partners meet? How did you decide to start this business together?

Arianna: Olivia and I are sisters, so we didn't actually "meet," but Alessio (my boyfriend) and I met 9 years ago in Bologna and immediately felt we had in common an endless love for our land and for its products. Precisely this love and genuine passion has led us to get to know a lot of different local producers and to taste their products. It opened our eyes. In most cases we felt that there was no real information about what we eat, and most of all there was no way to witness the passion, experience and knowledge of producers.

We created Km Zero experiences to help people to get a taste of Tuscany from a local perspective, through authentic products and meeting genuine and passionate local producers. 

Alla: Is there a specific moment you can share when you felt especially inspired to be on this journey of sharing Italy with the world?

Arianna: We love to tell the story of a time we went shopping at a local market to buy vegetables, cheeses and other products. It was our turn at the stand of fresh vegetables and we asked the lady if she could give us some fava beans (fave toscane). It was late in the afternoon, and she told us that unfortunately the fava beans were already gone. In any other country, perhaps the conversation might have ended at that point, but in Italy, the market is not only a place to buy products, but a place where you can exchange experiences and stories...and you always finish your day with some nice surprises!

In Italy, those who are not in a hurry, ready to stop just to have a chat and listen to people...are the ones who gain the most!

The lady invited us to wait until the end of her working day, to go with her to her house, where she would give us fava beans directly from her garden. We were not in hurry, so we decided to wait. Not only did we get fresh and delicious fava beans, but we saw her beautiful country house, met her family, and even stayed there for dinner! We returned home with new vegetables and  friends, having tasted incredible food while sharing inspiring stories. 

Alla: What is your greatest challenge for you in your business?

Arianna: The most difficult thing being able to transmit a real experience through virtual channels such as the web. Despite this difficulty, we are still managing a method that allows us to overcome this obstacle and to be able to express our philosophy, passion and project. 

We "Live Like We're Traveling" every single day as we discover and encourage our guests to discover a different and charming world...from the artistry of olive oil making to woodworking.

Every experience represents an interesting journey and collection of stories, experiences, parfumes and flavors, that deserve to be savored. The best way to live the "dolce vita" is to follow the rhythms of this beautiful and charming country, enjoying its atmosphere and observing the people. To comprehend their gestures, listen to their stories and take part in the slow and creative lifestyle.

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Thank you Arianna, Olivia and Alessio! For sharing your work with us today and for sharing Italy with the world in a way that brings us closer to it's people and their way of living. Your advice for living la dolce vita is a great inspiration for us to get to know our own local producers wherever we happen to live. Thank you for reminding us that our taste buds are made happier not only by healthy food but by truly connecting over a meal and taking the time to talk with each other and listen to each others stories. 

{ Experience the Sweet Italian Life }

With Km Zero Tours you can really touch Italian culture. Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a wine maker? You can now experience it first hand. What about making goat cheese yourself along side cheese artisan themselves...or prepairing a slow cooked meal from the freshest ingredients while learning Italian? 

{ Live The Sweet Life In Tuscany }

For a complete immersion in the Tuscan way of living, stay in a stone villa, Casa Montrogoli, on the hills overlooking vineyards and rows of Cyprus trees. Perfect for bringing your entire family along!        

ALL PHOTOS VIA KM ZERO TOURS

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For more ways to connect with the people and world around you,
get everyday ideas @LiveLikeYoureTraveling

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