25 years entrepeneur in wine
Wow, how time flies! This year I have been a wine entrepreneur for 25 years. For a long time I was the young dog in wine country, I was also called 'Tintin in wine country' because of my blond hair and literally stubborn crest. I can now leave that title to others, but I think that being a wine pioneer is an enormous privilege that not everyone can maintain for 25 years.
I will spare you from listing everything below, but I still want to share a number of highs and lows with you.
Germany
A long time ago I studied for four years at the Warmonderhof and was trained as a biodynamic farmer. When I finished, I could not earn a living with that in the Netherlands, so I left for Germany. There I worked for a biodynamic agricultural company not far from the German wine region of Nahe. There was a wine farmer who inspired me enormously, Fuchs Jacobus, and it was in his vineyards that I knew: 'Yes, I want to work in this sector.'
A long time ago I studied for four years at the Warmonderhof and was trained as a biodynamic farmer. When I finished, I could not earn a living with that in the Netherlands, so I left for Germany. There I worked for a biodynamic agricultural company not far from the German wine region of Nahe. There was a wine farmer who inspired me enormously, Fuchs Jacobus, and it was in his vineyards that I knew: 'Yes, I want to work in this sector.'
At that time, organic wine was not as popular as it is now and I sometimes felt completely unheard. “Organic wine, that’s for woolly socks,” was what people said. The consequences of using herbicides and pesticides were not yet known and Parkinson’s was not yet an officially recognized occupational disease among winegrowers at that time.
Although I sometimes felt like a voice crying in the wilderness, it inspired me enormously to give organic winegrowers from Europe and other parts of the world a platform. Wine writers did not yet write about organic wine, until the late Nicolaas Klei, known at the time for the Omfietswijngids, picked me up as the first wine writer. I personally brought the organic wine to his home. And he wrote a great piece about my organic wine from Spain. Man, I was so proud!
Not so much of myself but of the fact that organic wine was given the platform it deserved.
Spain organic wine country
I had introduced the wine he wrote about to 30 health food stores and for the first time customers from these stores came with hand trucks to fetch piles of wine. I soon discovered that when it comes to price-quality, there is no better wine country than Spain, which offers extremely good quality for a more than reasonable price. In addition, the climate is perfect for organic work: dry, warm summers and cold winters. As a result, there is little mold and disease pressure, which makes organic work without pesticides easier there than in humid areas such as the Loire or Bordeaux.
I had introduced the wine he wrote about to 30 health food stores and for the first time customers from these stores came with hand trucks to fetch piles of wine. I soon discovered that when it comes to price-quality, there is no better wine country than Spain, which offers extremely good quality for a more than reasonable price. In addition, the climate is perfect for organic work: dry, warm summers and cold winters. As a result, there is little mold and disease pressure, which makes organic work without pesticides easier there than in humid areas such as the Loire or Bordeaux.
Making my own organic wine
After almost 15 years of being an importer of organic wine (I have never sold a non-organic bottle in the past 25 years), a door closed and I left the wine company I founded, which created space for the most beautiful initiative to date: making organic wine myself in Spain. In the beginning without my own winery and now with my own team of winemakers and wines that have won international awards.
After almost 15 years of being an importer of organic wine (I have never sold a non-organic bottle in the past 25 years), a door closed and I left the wine company I founded, which created space for the most beautiful initiative to date: making organic wine myself in Spain. In the beginning without my own winery and now with my own team of winemakers and wines that have won international awards.
Supported by 5,000 co-owners who invested 10 million euros in a few years and support our mission: Organic wine for a better world.
“Dream your life and live your dream.”
Was it all plain sailing? No, definitely not, but boy, am I proud that I can live my wine dream and boy, is there still a need to get people to switch from regular wine to sustainably and organically produced wine. Whether it is Neleman wine or not, please choose wine made without pesticides and herbicides. That is better for you and for the planet.
Highlights
Low points
- Introduction of the first Fairtrade wine in the Benelux
- Introduction of organic house wine PLUS
- International documentary made about organic wine farmers: Kissed by the grape featuring Miguel Torres
- Most inspiring entrepreneur of the year (2021 proclaimed by the Entrepreneur)
- Own winery in Casas del Rey
- Raised 10 million euros through share funding and 5,000 co-owners/ambassadors
- Highest wine score ever in Dutch newspaper the Volkskrant: 10-/10 for Neleman Just Fucking Good Wine white
- Best Bobal made (from Valencia and perhaps from Spain)
Low points
- Corona, suddenly containers were left standing and all orders were cancelled, export went from good turnover to zero and we had just hired an entire purchasing team.
- Fire in the nature park where our winery is located.
- Exploding bottles because we tried to listen as an organic wine farmer to the demand from customers in the catering industry to make sweet wine (with added sugar). In one day 13 bottles exploded at shops and a number of customers' homes. If you work organically you do not want and are not allowed to add anything to inhibit the second fermentation. If you use sugar you get a second fermentation in the bottle which can lead to exploding bottles. I have never had such stress as then and swore with my then winemaker never to make sweet wine again.
- The worst natural disaster in Spain in 50 years a few kilometers of our winery in Casas del Rey: huge floods.
- Recent trade war with the USA that has paralyzed sales there.
Best idea
To start making wine ourselves under the name Neleman and ask 5,000 co-owners to help us spread our mission Good wine to save the world.
To start making wine ourselves under the name Neleman and ask 5,000 co-owners to help us spread our mission Good wine to save the world.
Biggest marketing blunder ever
For my previous company, I had large posters put up in front of our wine shop in Velp in January: NO SALE. The idea behind it was that everyone has a sale in January, but we don't participate in that. How can we offer organic farmers a good price if we discount everything? But the effect was that customers thought our shop was not open, while we just didn't participate in the sale. Oops, we had a very bad turnover that month and it took a while before we figured out what the cause was.
For my previous company, I had large posters put up in front of our wine shop in Velp in January: NO SALE. The idea behind it was that everyone has a sale in January, but we don't participate in that. How can we offer organic farmers a good price if we discount everything? But the effect was that customers thought our shop was not open, while we just didn't participate in the sale. Oops, we had a very bad turnover that month and it took a while before we figured out what the cause was.
When can we close Neleman?
When pesticides and herbicides are no longer used in wine growing and all wine is 100% controlled organic. Only 6% of all wine is organic, so it is clear that there is still a lot of work to be done. Fortunately, I have the support and help of co-owners and the entire Neleman team in the Netherlands, Spain and America who help me with this.
When pesticides and herbicides are no longer used in wine growing and all wine is 100% controlled organic. Only 6% of all wine is organic, so it is clear that there is still a lot of work to be done. Fortunately, I have the support and help of co-owners and the entire Neleman team in the Netherlands, Spain and America who help me with this.
How can you help?
Only choose controlled organic wine, the quality is there and you don't have to leave it for the price these days.
Only choose controlled organic wine, the quality is there and you don't have to leave it for the price these days.
Cheers to your health and that of our beautiful planet that we should cherish because there is no planet B.
Derrick Neleman
