Visiting Sander Salburg of Wines Unlimited

Having the occasional glass of wine doesn't get in the way of a responsible life. You just need to make the right choices in terms of wine. But which ones? I asked Sander Salburg, a tireless ambassador of better wine made with love for the planet and people. - TEXT PETRI HOUWELING | IMAGE PETRI HOUWELING AND OTHERS

Visiting Sander Salburg of Wines Unlimited

'A wine should be exciting, there should be emotion and energy in it'

Sander has worked in wine for decades, but decided to move to Colombia in 2017 after selling his stake in Wijnkoperij de Hermitage. Unfortunately, this is a country where beer is valued more than wine and that did not fit with his basic needs. He came back to the Netherlands, where he decided to restart his company Wines Unlimited. So he came back into the world of wine, but now with a clear and very different mission. Because he too sees the state of our world. Regular, large-scale viticulture that produces cheap wines is certainly also to blame. That is why he has purely organic, biodynamic, sustainable and pure wines in his portfolio. 

Please explain!  

Sander: 'Organic wine comes from grapes grown according to the principles of organic farming. This prohibits the use of artificial or chemical substances. This is particularly true of pesticides against pests and herbicides against weeds. This is also the case with biodynamic wine production, but it goes a step further. It works according to Rudolf Steiner's anthroposophical teachings. Here, soil supplements are used, prepared according to his holistic formulas. Timing is important here, as one follows a planting calendar that depends on astrological configurations. The goal of sustainable organic wine is that it should be produced as thoughtfully, economically and ecologically as possible. Here, the impact on the environment should be kept as small as possible. Think about using water and energy as sparingly as possible, and reducing carbon emissions. Packaging is also being considered; there is even wine already for sale in a bottle made of cardboard. The people who make the wine are also well taken care of in terms of working conditions. Finally, the story behind pure or clean wines. These are wines without bacteria and moulds, and they have the lowest possible sulphite content.'

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Want to know more about Sander Salburg? You can read about it in WINELIFE 81. You can order this one here!

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