In the peaceful Dutch village of Tegelen, a group of nuns has been struggling with a peculiar problem: a surplus of wine. As guardians of an old monastery, the sisters have amassed an impressive collection of bottles over the years, but with their small community and the decline of wine consumption overall, they are finding it difficult to keep up with the glut. To tackle the issue, the nuns have appealed for help from local experts and wine enthusiasts. This wine intervention brings to light the realities of the changing cultural attitudes towards alcohol in Europe and the unique challenges of preserving traditions in a rapidly modernizing world.
Sint-Catharinadal, a Dutch convent in Oosterhout is appealing to wine drinkers for their support as it has an excess of 64,000 bottles made from its vineyard thanks to an extremely hot and dry year. Prioress Sister Maria Magdalena said in a video appeal, “We had a lovely summer last year, warm temperatures, and it promises to be an excellent harvest of more than 60,000 bottles.” However, due to an excess of bottles and a lack of knowledge around online retail, the nuns were struggling to share their bumper harvest. With the help of local farmers’ groups, they are now offering cases for sale online or for pickup at €14.50 per bottle. The campaign launched last Wednesday, and almost 5,000 bottles have already been sold.
The convent started its vineyard in 2014 to generate income for the maintenance of its buildings, recruiting approximately 130 volunteers. The nuns felt that wine was more appropriate than beer as it is biblical and points towards Jesus. Thibaud van der Steen, joint founder of Breda Maakt Mij Blij, which helps producers, farmers, and growers sell excess goods, said, “We started Breda Maakt Mij Blij in 2020 out of a need for positivity [during the Covid pandemic] as there was so much misery. In 2020, the nuns had wine that was intended for KLM, although there was no signature on the deal so it didn’t go through, and we helped.”
The nuns were struggling with excess wine and an energy crisis in a badly insulated building. They contacted Thibaud van der Steen, who helped them set up a campaign. “There’s a bit of a mistaken impression that Dutch wine isn’t tasty, but nowadays it is almost always good – and this is wine with a story,” said van der Steen. The nuns’ previous harvests have inspired decent ratings on the wine site Vivino. If the campaign does not succeed quite as planned, the nuns would not mind a glass or two of the holy grape themselves.
With the popularity of the campaign, it seems unlikely that the nuns will have much left over. Breda Maakt Mij Blij is helping producers, farmers, and growers sell excess goods, creating a positive outlook for surplus crops. Wine lovers can now purchase the Dutch nuns’ white blend of auxerrois, pinot blanc and pinot gris, or a pinot noir/gamay rosé, all for €14.50 per bottle. The nuns’ story highlights not only an excess of grape harvesting but also how a sense of community can enable those producing goods to find new and innovative ways of selling their surplus crops.
