Den Nachtegael · Syx Sense

Den Nachtegael

Dirk Syx doesn’t do things halfway. When he decided to become a winemaker, after entrusting the reins of his company, Syx Automations, to his eldest son, he spent several years training intensively, deepening his knowledge under the guidance of Martin Bacquaert from Entre-Deux-Monts. He also committed the financial resources necessary to make his dream a reality. The result: an 18-hectare vineyard, a fully automated dual winery, and a state-of-the-art bottling line.

At the Den Nachtegael estate, everything is conceived and planned with long-term vision. There are also subtle nods to the past: the estate’s name refers to the old farmhouse once built on the site, and each cuvée features a nightingale (nachtegaal with two “a”s in Dutch) dressed in splendid attire, while the “Sinnebec” seal on every label echoes the ancient name of Zonnebeke, the town where the estate is located. Each of Den Nachtegael’s 26 still wines – 26 to encompass every letter of the alphabet! – bears the name of a nun from either the Augustinian or Benedictine abbey, both founded in Zonnebeke in the 12th century.

Syx Sense 

This “sixth sense” is what would allow us to perceive the world more deeply, says a somewhat philosophical winemaker who has chosen to spell “Syx” in his own way. Moreover, there are also six grape varieties in the blend of this festive sparkling wine.

Mechanical harvest. Fermentation and ageing in stainless steel tanks, followed by 12 months on lees.