On Thursday 9 July, register vinologist Barbara Verbeek (Wine Theatre & Champagne Bar) named sommelier Elise Moeskops as the fourth nominee for the title Wine Woman of the Year 2020. This was announced during a lunch at Restaurant D'arrêt, The Fallon Hotel Alkmaar with the jury of Wine Woman of the Year. Elise owns star restaurant Lastage and Lazuur in Amsterdam together with her boyfriend Rogier van Dam. In addition, she organises wine courses and tastings. The other three nominees for the coveted title are Anja Vondenhoff, Tjitske Brouwer and Magda van der Rijst. The national award Wine Woman of the Year is an initiative of the Wine Theatre and publicity agency MissPublicity.
About Elise Moeskops
Elise Moeskops (b 1983) comes from a burgundy nest where her father brewed his own beer and made wine from grapes from the garden. While studying and working in the hospitality industry, she met the two most important men in her life: wine importer Hans Bijvoets and chef Rogier van Dam, who later became her lover. She became Bijvoets' right-hand man and learned everything about Italy as a wine country from him. Together with Rogier, she opened restaurant Lastage in 2010, which received its first Michelin star after just one year. In 2019, Elise opened her second restaurant Lazuur in Amsterdam Noord, together with chef Sherif Khalil.
Elise likes to tell her guests about the winemakers whose wines she has on the menu. About their work, but especially about their passion to make the finest wines. Elise sees herself as a messenger between the winemaker and the guests in her restaurant, and is always on the lookout for gems from special vintages. The staff at Lastage therefore affectionately call her 'the encyclopaedia'.
Jury's verdict
The jury particularly praised Elise for her entrepreneurship during the COVID-19 period. For instance, Elise was the first to come up with online wine courses including tasting samples and tastings via Instagram with coravin. She also currently has a collaboration with the Internationale Theater Amsterdam, which is empty because of COVID-19, where restaurant Lastage is now pop-up. Elise is a true wine connoisseur and, as a person, very connecting and entrepreneurial
Wine Woman of the Year award
In recent years, we have seen more and more powerful, energetic and driven women working in a special way in the wine world. She is someone who makes the wine world even more beautiful with her work, passion, knowledge or creations. According to initiators Barbara Verbeek and Clarissa Slingerland (MissPublicity), the women in the Dutch wine industry are unique. These women work hard, inspire, are creative, colourful and mostly an encouragement to other women. It is high time to put these wine women in the spotlight. Core values for the award include accessibility, connection, professionalism, knowledge and ambition. Main sponsor of Wine Woman of the Year is Champagne Ayala, where Caroline Latrive is at the helm as Chef de Cave.
Professional jury and nominations
The expert jury for Wine Woman of the Year consists of Barbara Verbeek, Peter van Houtert, Heleen Boom, Janny van der Heiden and Birthe van Meegeren (winner Wine Woman of the Year 2019). The winner of Wine Woman of the Year 2020 will be announced in September. Voting for this will be possible soon.
About the Wine Theatre
The Wine Theatre is a touring stage for women in wine. The mobile theatre, with a set from grandmother's time, pops up as a wine and champagne bar in various places. You will find the Wine Theatre at festivals to educational shows about wine, glassware and food at hospitality fairs throughout the Netherlands. It is a place where you come home as a wine lover.
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