I started working for De Wijnwinkel in 2016, after having been a customer here most of my adult life. If you consider the time I have been of legal drinking age, I have been coming here all my life.

Let's just say there's quite some history here, and that I do not intend in any way to break my habit of going to this wonderful shop whenever time and budget allow.

It just that... Well... Something came along that I could not say no to.

As of this coming Saturday I will be the food critic for Het Parool. A great honour to be taking over from the esteemed Hiske Versprille, who is moving to De Volkskrant. 

I have been reading Proefwerk since the early nineties (about when I started buying wine at De Wijnwinkel), and being asked to take on this responsibility is as fantastic as it is unfortunate. There is no way that I can combine my new position with my work for De Wijnwinkel.

This, therefore, is goodbye. But only as your friendly wine-dude. We'll certainly be seeing each other where food- and winelovers meet, or in our favorite shop in de Runstraat. 

Thank you, dear producers and customers. And thank you Olle and Pander for the amazing times and everything I have learnt while being part of team De Wijnwinkel.

- Gilles van der Loo 

Summer is here to stay, and last week saw the return of some of our most joyous whites: Mosel riesling's regal Dr. Dirk Richter & Son saw fit to send us their new vintages....

Verona, what's not to love? 

Maybe the expo grounds to the south of the city where VinItaly is held every year...