The humble pride of Heuvelland

At the beautiful sloping flanks of the Rodeberg and the Zwarteberg, right in the heart of Heuvelland, you can find viticulturist Martin Bacquaert. Right here, he is working on his mission: producing the best possible Belgian wines with humble pride and with a deep respect for nature and climate.

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Grapes from Heuvelland

The history of Entre-Deux-Monts

Destined to be

Three generations of the Bacquaert family formed part of the foundation of our wine estate. It all started with grandfather Jean who managed to get his hands on the first parcels of land. Halfway through the last century, he acquired some land on the beautiful sloping hills between the Rodeberg and the Zwarteberg. Father Yves, an ambitious wine and drinks merchant, saw his entrepreneurial spirit continued in his son Martin. He inspired him above all with the idea of making his own wine. Viticulturist and business manager Martin was, in other words, destined to 'do something with wines’.

The vineyard

“I never pushed Martin to grow his own wines. He completely mapped out his own path. Of course, I did plant a seed or two from time to time.” Yves Bacquaert

Independence

The idea of making our own wines has matured and grown over generations, just like wine does over the years. Martin decided to study bioengineering thanks to his love for nature. In his twenties, he became friends with someone whose father was a winegrower. He helped them pick grapes a few times and soon got the hang of it. His father, Yves, noticed his interest in wines and gave Martin the decisive push to pursue an additional master’s degree in viticulture and oenology in France. After graduating as an official winemaker-oenologist, Martin gained a lot of experience in various renowned French (Bordeaux, Montpellier) and Italian (Friuli) wineries. With this international experience, Martin felt ripe enough to take the step of growing Belgian wines himself.

“Those first years were a serious learning curve for me. Moreover, you have to invest a lot of money and practise patience before you can reap the rewards of all your efforts. You really have to stand firm to keep believing in yourself and the project you have in mind.” Martin Bacquaert

Martin and his father Yves

Perseverance

Father Yves’s dream of planting his own vineyard on grandfather Jean’s land became reality in 2004, when Yves and Martin planted the initial thousand vines. The first harvest followed in 2008, and it became clear that grandfather Jean’s terroir had the necessary qualities to put Entre-Deux-Monts on the map. The grapes were of excellent quality, and all the stars were in place to make a Belgian wine 'par excellence'.

Our wines

“We were certainly not the first winegrowers in Heuvelland, or in Belgium, but there was hardly any experience at the time. Yes, there were moments of doubt.” Martin Bacquaert

Martin may have been born to become a winegrower, but there were many obstacles on his path. Moreover, it is not easy to produce a traditional product like wine in a fairly northern region, known for its cool climate. Nature’s capriciousness has become an ever-growing challenge in recent years. Exceptional drought and heat, extreme rainfall, wind, frost, or hail are external factors that the Entre-Deux-Monts team must take into account increasingly more often.

The climate's impact on wine

Cold climate in Heuvelland

“A cool climate is perfect for making sparkling wines. This was no easy task for our still wines at first. As a nature lover, I thus have contradictory feelings about the fact that climate change is having a positive influence on the quality of our still wines.” Martin Bacquaert

Humble pride

The wine estate grew systematically, from 3 hectares in 2005 to 22 hectares today. The pioneering work resulted in a well-oiled machine, which is further developed on a daily basis by a team of seven. Our estate has grown to become one of the largest wine estates in Belgium, producing around 120,000 bottles per year. Our sparkling, white, red, and fortified wines are loved by connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike.

“I am very proud of what we have achieved but we keep our feet on the ground. We are largely dependent on nature. Every year is different, and thanks to our fantastic team, we make the most of it!” Martin Bacquaert

Joy and sorrow

Winemaking is a craft, a passion, and definitely not an exact science. Joy and sorrow alternate, like the seasons sneaking through our vineyards. For example, we are delighted when we notice that the harvest is of high quality, when a positive review arrives in the mailbox, when we win an important award, or when someone gives us a simple compliment. However, we’re equally uncomfortable when bad weather is forecast, when a disease is detected in the vineyard, or when things just don’t go our way. The quality of our wines depends on so many external factors, which makes us all the prouder during moments of joy and all the more determined during slightly more difficult times!

“Over the years, Martin has managed to transfer his passion to me as well. Our family eats, sleeps, and breathes Entre-Deux-Monts. We cheer when things are going well and we sympathise when they aren’t. I am very proud of my husband.” Anaïs, Martin's wife