Amsterdam’s Champagne Festival Nears Sellout

Fête du Champagne will return to Amsterdam’s Rembrandtpark from Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25, the Pinkster weekend holiday period in the Netherlands, with organizers saying the event is heading toward a sellout as warm weather is expected to draw large crowds.

The festival, which focuses on champagne but also includes French still wines and crémants, is set to feature producers including Bollinger, De Venoge, Amis de Beauregard and Hautbois, along with Château de Berne and Arthur Metz. Organizers said visitors will be able to taste a range of styles, from prestige cuvées and grower champagnes to rosés from Provence and sparkling wines from Alsace.

Among the headline pours is Bollinger’s La Grande Année 2018, which the house will present at the festival as an early opportunity for Dutch consumers to taste the wine. Bollinger, founded in 1829, is known for its use of oak fermentation and long cellar aging in Aÿ. De Venoge, another featured house, will show its Princes line, bottled in a decanter-style shape that has become one of its signatures.

Amis de Beauregard, a smaller producer from the Vallée de la Marne, will have its makers behind the bar during the event. Hautbois will also be represented by winemaker Fabien Hautbois, who is expected to discuss the family’s approach to sustainable viticulture and its Jean-Pol Hautbois and premium selections.

The festival’s wine program extends beyond champagne. Château de Berne will pour Provence rosés at a central bar operated with Gall & Gall, while Arthur Metz will bring crémants from Alsace. Organizers said the broader selection is meant to give visitors a chance to compare sparkling wines from different French regions in one place.

Food service will include charcuterie boards from Maison Charcuterie, this year paired with products from Brandt & Levie, the Amsterdam sausage maker known for using Beter Leven 3-star pork and a nose-to-tail approach. The festival is being promoted as an outdoor tasting event built around food pairings as much as wine.

The timing appears favorable for attendance. Organizers pointed to weather forecasts showing strong conditions throughout the holiday weekend and said ticket sales have accelerated as the event approaches. The festival opens Thursday and runs through Monday, with Monday observed as the second day of Pinksteren in the Netherlands.