Wine bar Vindict – ‘Gourmet heaven’

Anyone who loves a good glass of wine and enjoys tasting something other than your average Sauvignon Blanc, can indulge in wine bar Vindict. With over 800 wines on the menu, including an impressive collection of Dutch wines, the choice is huge. But don’t panic: sommelier Jan-Jaap Altenburg will gladly and passionately take you on a wine journey. 

Bar Vindict can be found on the corner Ceramiquelaan / Docklandsweg since 2023. It is a collaboration of four bon vivants: Jan-Jaap Altema and Richard Dietz can mainly be found behind the bar; Samir Doueiri conjures up magical dishes from the kitchen and Roderick Meijer takes care of operations in the background. “We all do what we do best. And that works,” Jan-Jaap explains. 

The choice for Noord was an easy one. “I came to live in Noord five years ago. Whereas in Amsterdam city centre you can find a wine bar on every corner, the supply in Noord was then very limited. While the rent on this side of the IJ is a lot more attractive.” Jan-Jaap continues, “Initially, the idea was to start a wine shop, as an extension of the one we already have in De Pijp. But when the opportunity was offered to combine a shop with a wine bar, we were completely won over. Pretty exciting, as we were the first infill in the new building at the time. The pavement hadn’t even been laid yet.” 

“Exclusive wine at a reasonable price.”  

Meanwhile, the neighbourhood knows how to find Vindict well. “The development that Noord has gone through recently is enormous. So many new people have moved in. Because we were open from the start, we have really become a meeting place in the neighbourhood. People sometimes come in for a glass of wine at the bar and five hours later they are still sitting there. Cosily chatting with other wine lovers.” 

And that is also the secret behind its success, Jan-Jaap explains: “We are very accessible. We offer people the chance to taste exclusive wines at a reasonable price. And does a wine taste so good that you want to buy a bottle? Then just step through the connecting door into our shop.That natural crossover works fantastic.” 

Jan-Jaap never tires of talking about wine. This is already evident in the podcast series, which now has over 135 episodes. But he also likes to share his knowledge at wine tastings and events.”Every month we organise something different. For instance, we serve oysters or paella with different matching wines. This month, we serve coq au vin three times: once with a cheap wine from the supermarket, then with a medium-priced wine and we finish with a very exclusive wine. It’s so much fun to let people really experience what wine can do with a dish.”  

“A new house is a celebratory moment. The Dutch Cuvée Alliance certainly fits that bill.” 
 

Although it’s mainly about the wine at bar Vindict, the menu is also definitely not to be missed: confit quail legs, sea bass or aubergine from the oven can be ordered until 10.30 pm. “It’s all getting a bit out of hand,” laughs Jan-Jaap. “That’s because we do what we really like.”

What wine does Jan-Jaap recommend to tenants in Yvie? “A new house is a celebratory moment, so I would go for bubbles anyway. Very chauvinistically, I would then choose a Dutch sparkling wine from Landgoed Heemwerf. Their Cuvée Alliance really is the very best.” Cheers!