First things first, I - ALWAYS - find fantastic wine when I or my husband goes to a wine shop in France. No matter what. Every time. Paying around €15-20 per bottle.
So, when I heard that the Okhuysen in Haarlem has direct relationships with French wineries and imports better French wine than any other store in Haarlem, I ran to try out their selections. After 10 visits or so, I have to say that I'm slightly disappointed. I don't ALWAYS get a good bottle of wine here. Sometimes the wine is ok, sometimes it's "off", and usually I just go somewhere closer to home or open when Okhuysen isn't.
I loved seeing the cellar space and the store itself is beautiful, but I just haven't had a fantastic wine from this store - or any other store in Holland - yet. Always makes me wonder if the decent French wineries just don't export their wines to the Netherlands. read more