Dare Wines Exclusives: Michael Daals

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May 15, 2019

Aiming for the top
My interest in wine actually started early. My father was a big fan of Chablis (a wine region in the north of France) and he came here regularly. This meant that I inherited his knowledge and passion for wine! After all, I grew up with it.

However, working with wine was not the path I had planned for myself from a young age. I have always played football at a high level, but when I could no longer do this due to a nasty accident with a shard of glass, it was time to look further. At the time, I worked in a restaurant in Oisterwijk, where my already existing interest in wine was further stimulated.

In football you want to get the highest possible out of yourself, this also applies to my passion for wine. I asked myself where I would like to be in a few years, then you look for the right people to approach so that you can grow!

DNA of Dare Wines
In 2008, GaultMillau named me the most talented sommelier in the Netherlands. Of course, I am super proud of that! I owe this title to my unique choice of wines. I believe that you should always show innovation in a wine arrangement. This is also the DNA of Dare Wines: we always put some more classic wines on a wine list, but with a wine arrangement you can surprise people with new discoveries, unique wines and especially incredibly cool wine-food combinations that result from this.

I like to share these unique combinations! A nice example of this is that my brother, who lives in London, often calls on me for good wine-food advice. When he goes out to dinner with a business relation and wants to make a good impression, he sends me the wine list of the restaurant in advance. I then help him choose the right wine.

The golden combination
In my opinion, a good host and sommelier is someone who knows what the guest wants and can respond to this. There are enough people on this planet who may know much more about wine than the best sommelier in the Netherlands. But they are often journalists, who are in the books 24 hours a day and only build up knowledge. If you look at the very best sommeliers in the Netherlands, they are all also extremely good hosts. You cannot see these two separately, it is the combination that makes someone good.

I also give hospitality courses myself. Hospitality can be learned to some extent, but it certainly has to be in you. You have to naturally like to interact with people and like to speak in public or with people. Restaurants are quick to think that if they “take care” of someone for an evening, they have already been hospitable; the coats have been taken, the plates are empty and the guests have been neatly escorted outside again. But hospitality is also guest-oriented! The most common mistake is really to treat everyone the same. You have to get to know the individual.

Getting Started
In the morning I always take my children to school first and I am at the office around 9 o'clock. Here I start by answering my emails, we have been on a moving express train with Dare Wines for about 10 years now so we have to be able to switch quickly. I always try to keep a kind of helicopter view internally: I assist, help and manage where necessary. In addition, I am of course also very busy maintaining my own business relations. From tastings to presentations: everything is discussed.

The most fun thing for me is still inspiring people. Whether this is during a training or a tasting, it doesn't matter to me. This is also applicable to my staff. I like to give them tools to further develop themselves.

Wine Facts and Personal Favorites
During a wine trip I made to Chianti (wine region in Tuscany), I was told about the new vintage that this was a blend of different vintages. I couldn't believe my ears! It turns out that a vintage doesn't have to be 100% from the same year. The reason for this is that they can ensure a consistent taste of the wine in this way, this is especially applicable to house wines. You choose a more expensive wine specifically for the unique taste of the vintage, but you actually want a house wine to always taste the same. You can only guarantee this by making a blend.

If I have to choose a favorite wine-food combination, I go for a light preparation of shellfish, such as scallops or langoustines, with a fresher sauce. With a Grosses Gewächs Riesling from Germany, this is really ultimate for me! Of course, such an experience also depends on various factors, such as the season and the products that are used.