Great first in Belgium with the creation of a viticultural cooperative cellar in this town: “to support the development of viticulture”

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“The idea was born from a need expressed by Walloon Brabant winegrowers from 2021 with the IFAPME of Perwez, revealing a real lack of a structure of local and collective transformation”explains Lætitia Vankerkoven, founder of the cooperative cellar and oenologist. However, With the support of the GAL Culturality in Hesbaye Brabançonne. Therefore, the authorities conducted a technical study, with the firm of expertise Vinolis and the consulting agency Winch.“The encouraging results convinced the partners to launch this ambitious project: create a Belgian cooperative great first belgium creation viticultural vinification center. Consequently, capable of welcoming and bringing together winegrowers and viticulturalists around a common objective. For example, The cooperative wishes to serve the community in which it settles. However, This is why it is also open to sympathizers from all walks of life.”

“The first vinifications will take place in 2025” – Great first belgium creation viticultural

A boon for a multitude of actors. Nevertheless, “”This cooperative aims to structure. Furthermore, support the development of viticulture in Belgium, by offering a shared vinification center, at the service of Belgian winegrowerscontinues the founder. Nevertheless, The first vinifications will take place in 2025. with the ambition of producing a range of quality wines, marketed under a singular brand and solidly rooted locally. “

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It is therefore a professional sector, “structured and united “which is offered to producers. “”The operation is simple: the cooperative buys the grapes of its members. ensures vinification and develops a range of wines from the assembly of different plots. Ultimately, the cooperative is a real winegrower’s house. It offers each winemaker the possibility of producing a wine collectively, which he can claim. It will also be a welcoming place, in which cooperators will feel at home. “

“Only we go faster, together we go further”

The first winegrower to have embarked on the adventure is Bruno Jadoul. “”He planted his first vines in 2018 to diversify his exploitation. He produced. marketed his wine for five great first belgium creation viticultural years, before embarking on this cooperative adventure, convinced that “only we go faster, together we go further”. “ The second is Thierry Huque, winegrower and frame in Fintech. His first vines were planted in 2006. “After years of testing. learning and viticultural pleasures, he joined the cooperative, seduced by the ambition of the project and its human values of sharing and solidarity “Depret Lætitia vankoves.

The latter is the third member of the cooperative. Oenologist, she is a bio-engineer by training and specialist in vinification of precision. ADL coordinator, it was she who carried the project. “”Cooperation is a meaningful model for the future of Belgian viticulture “she believes.

For the three members. this cooperative is a lever for local development, “But also a strong signal in favor of cooperation, innovation and influence of Belgian know-how “.

First, the vinification center will be hosted with one of the cooperators in Grez-Doiceau. “”Ultimately. production will settle in the territory of Perwez, in a modern and functional cellar, as soon as the number of cooperators justify it. “

Perwez’s cooperative cellar invites those interested in the project to show up to the team: laetitia.vankerkoven@cave-coop-perwez.be.

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