A Protected Designation of Origin for Flevoland vineyards

In September 2020, a large-scale study started to investigate whether Flevoland vineyards contain unique yeast communities. If so, the five participating Flevoland vineyards could qualify for a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), known in Dutch as a BOB (Beschermde Oorsprongsbenaming).

A PDO is a quality label that shows a product is made exclusively in a specific region, using traditional methods and local ingredients. A well-known example is Champagne, which can only be called Champagne if it comes from the Champagne region in France and is produced under strict rules. This protects not only quality and origin, but also the culture and craftsmanship behind the product.

The research was carried out in collaboration with Wageningen University & Research (WUR), led by Arjan Dekking. The central question was: “Can we characterize a unique set of ‘Flevoland’ yeasts that makes a Flevoland PDO possible?”

The study also explored how different cultivation and production choices influence yeast populations, and therefore terroir. These included the use of chemical treatments, spontaneous versus controlled fermentation, and whether grape seeds are returned to the vineyard.

In October 2020, Biotech Microbials carried out the first sampling and lab analyses. The results contributed scientific support for a Flevoland PDO.