The public once again enthusiastically welcomes the wine festival ‘Lochem with Taste’

LOCHEM – The ‘Lochem with Taste’ wine festival returned to Gudula Church on Saturday (15/10) after 3 years. This longer than usual absence did not harm the event. It was busy and there was a lot to enjoy for wine and food lovers. On behalf of the organization, Harry Mengerink looks back on a great edition of the festival with great satisfaction.

“I hear a lot of enthusiastic voices from visitors. We had about 675 people inside. It’s a good number,” says Mengerink. Counting the number of visitors is like “counting the glasses”. On entering, each visitor was presented with a wine glass with which they could taste wines from all over the world at the numerous stands. A well-filled glass or snacks can be purchased for a fee.

saber

For the opening of the festival, the president Martin Lamers of the local Commission (PC) of Gudulakerk was invited. He said the money generated by the wine festival is more than welcome. The church has indeed become a place of events. The building has been managed for several years by the Oude Gelderse Kerken Foundation. The PC is responsible for what happens inside. Culturally, but also in terms of design. This year, the new mood lighting was paid for with money from ‘Lochem met Smaak’.

In the first part, we asked Martin Lamers to saber a bottle of champagne, that is to say to uncork it with a saber. It took quite a few hits, but then the spirit-rich fluid flowed freely. For visitors, it was a sign to have glasses filled with red, white or rosé from France, Italy, Spain, Germany and even New Zealand.

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To eat

In addition to the stands of wine merchants, many restaurateurs and caterers were present. This was more than during the six previous editions of the festival. In the hope that people would stick around for a bite to eat – and thereby boost church income – the start and end times had been pushed back to later in the day. That plan in itself worked out pretty well, except that the church slowly emptied out over the last hour.

Among the exhibitors present were many local entrepreneurs. Butchery Sieverink, poultry store ‘t Vöske and Zuivelhoeve, for example, but also Laren’s successful caterer Lekker Laorns. Mitra and liquor store Gorssel De Wingerd were also present. Some supermarkets also presented their wines in the church. Joop Cornelis from PLUS: “It’s an excellent opportunity to introduce our wines. We are not allowed to give people a taste in the store, but we can do it here and in a friendly atmosphere.

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German wines

German wines, mistakenly, were often missing in previous editions of ‘Lochem met Smaak’, but this time DokterMaler from Lichtenvoorde was present to fill this gap. Vinos Y Más de Warnsveld was present with Spanish wines. And wholesaler and importer Vinoviccio from Apeldoorn has had great success with more gourmet wines from Portugal, among others.

Those who preferred to keep it closer to home could go to Wijn van Helène and Wijngoed Kranenburg. The restaurants De Babbelaer, Hof van Gelre, Bij Jansen & Jansen, Witte Wieven, Zwijnshoofd and Bosrestaurant Joppe offered a wide range of snacks.

design house

It is worth mentioning the presentation of the sponsor Het Ontwerphuys, which includes a series of photos that come to life in a special way thanks to augmented reality. The technique can also be applied to your own photos or drawings. And for board member Ruud Veeze, it was the last edition of the festival he attended. He was thanked for his efforts and “rewarded” with a special bottle of wine.

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