A taste of nobility. The wine cellars of Alfred Vilain XIIII in late nineteenth century Belgium

Abstract

This article examines the wine cellars of Alfred Vilain XIIII, a member of one of Belgium’s most prominent noble families, at the time of his death in 1886. An in-depth analysis of the inventory allows us to map the wine consumption of a noble household in great detail. The wine stock consisted of 11,000 bottles of wine, liqueurs, and spirits, reflecting the refined tastes and social status of the Belgian elite in the nineteenth century. It primarily featured high-quality French wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy, aligning with the preferences of the aristocracy and bourgeoisie of the period. The wine cellars were located at the family’s castle in Wissekerke and their townhouse in Brussels, with notable differences in the contents, suggesting varying tastes between the rural and urban settings. Although providing a comprehensive overview of the Vilain XIIII wine inventory, the article calls for further research into the family’s wine purchasing habits and broader culinary practices, proposing that such studies could offer deeper insights into the gastronomic traditions of Belgium’s affluent circles during the long nineteenth century.