How to Choose the Right Wine at De Coninck Wine in Belgium

At De Coninck Wine, the Belgian market leader with an excellent reputation, our experienced team is here to guide you, backed by an impressive stock of over 500,000 bottles. To make the right choice, we take the same approach as a traditional wine shop, emphasizing personalized advice.

1. Prepare Your Visit

Before visiting one of our stores, keep the following in mind:

• The occasion: Is it for a dinner, aperitif, gift, or a wine to cellar?

• The planned menu: Food and wine pairing is essential. Mention if you plan to serve red meat, fish, or a specific dish like stews.

• Your taste preferences: Specify whether you prefer fruity, oaky, light, or structured wines.

• The budget: Give a price range to guide the selection. Price isn’t the only indicator of quality but helps narrow the options.

2. Trust the Experts

De Coninck Wine’s team is renowned for its expert advice.

Don’t hesitate to:

• Ask questions: Request recommendations for current favorites or wines from small producers.

• Taste (if possible): Take advantage of tastings, especially during their annual “Open Cellars.”

• Explore specialties: While De Coninck offers wines from around the world, including major French appellations like Bordeaux, feel free to ask for Belgian wines or lesser-known regions.

3. Use Digital Tools

If you prefer to explore the catalog online before or after your visit:

• The website deconinckwine.com lets you browse the “offers of the moment” or filter by country, region, or type of wine.

• You can also use external apps like Vivino to scan labels in-store and check additional reviews.

4. “House” Wines

De Coninck owns its own estate, Château Martet.

Consider exploring their own wines, which often offer excellent value for money and a reliable choice from the house.

A Short Introduction to Wine Tasting

Tasting wine is not just “drinking”; it involves three senses in a specific order: eye, nose, and mouth.

1. Visual Phase (The Eye)

• Tilt your glass over a white surface.

• The color: Observe the hue. Very pale white often indicates freshness, while red with orange reflections signals age.

• The tears: Swirl the wine. Thick streaks running down the glass (“legs”) often indicate higher alcohol or sugar content.

2. Olfactory Phase (The Nose)

• First Nose: Smell without swirling to catch the most volatile aromas.

• Second Nose: Swirl to aerate the wine; the bouquet opens. Look for families: fruity (cherry, citrus), floral (rose, acacia), or tertiary (vanilla, leather, smoky) if aged in oak.

3. Taste Phase (The Mouth)

• Take a small sip and draw in some air (the “grumage” step).

• The attack: The first impression (often freshness or sweetness).

• Balance: Seek harmony between acidity (mouth-watering), alcohol (warming), and tannins (dry sensation in reds).

• Persistence: How many seconds does the taste linger after swallowing? This is called “caudalie.”

Pro Tip (Belgium-specific)

• Temperature is crucial: red wine served too warm (>18°C) highlights only the alcohol.

• Conversely, white wine served too cold (4°C straight from the fridge) will be muted.

• For Belgian wines, aim for 8–10°C for sparkling and 14–16°C for light reds.

In Summary
The De Coninck experience stands out through three unique pillars:

1. Direct link to the vineyard: Unlike a standard retailer, the family owns estates like Château Martet. Buying from them provides a “vigneron-merchant” vision, ensuring full control from vineyard to glass.

2. A hub for collectors: Thanks to their massive storage facilities, they can offer perfectly preserved older vintages in Belgium, whereas supermarkets only carry the current year.

3. B2B expertise accessible to individuals: De Coninck supplies the country’s top restaurants. As a private customer, you access the same catalog and high standards as Michelin-starred restaurants.

It is therefore the ideal place for exploring beyond the usual path while enjoying the security of a house with international influence in the wine market.

Ordering Online at De Coninck Wine

• Enjoy the convenience of the De Coninck online shop, with 24/7 access to over 500,000 carefully selected bottles, exclusive online promotions, and fast delivery by the house or private courier.

• Benefit from the expertise of the digital sommelier to guide you in food-and-wine pairings and receive your favorite wines in secure packaging.

• Using the online cellar management system, you can view your detailed purchase history and technical sheets in one click, making it easy to reorder your favorites without remembering every label.