Why Wine?
As a new Chapter on our blog, we want to focus more on the wine world. For us, it is one of the most fascinating and complex things in the food and beverage market. Not only because it develops properly but also because it’s so much history and style behind the making. Not only due to the possibilities of giving the wine its unique character, but also because it is such a big part of our culture in central Europe in so many ways.
For me, the journey with wine started when I was in Tourism College almost ten years ago when I made my junior sommelier course. I know it was just a little step, but for me, it was clear that I would stick with it. A couple of years later, I also thought about getting into the winemaker business, so I packed my things in Germany and went to Chile to do an internship in a vineyard. I didn’t even speak Spanish, but that was part of the adventure. After a short time in Chile, I found a winery in the Casablanca Valley. Sadly I couldn’t make the experience I was hoping for because the winery was too big with almost 200 hectares and over two million bottles of wine every year. But I will tell you guys about my experiences in Chile in another article. After this time, I knew at least that it’s not the time for me to be a winemaker (but it’s a big goal of Daniel and me to own a Winery one day ;-)). So after this, I still had the love for wine, and it was clear to stay in hospitality, so I signed in for the big sommelier in Munich. And eight months later I can call myself a sommelier.
But what is a sommelier?
Is it just a guy who is drinking a lot of wine? Or is it the fancy guy at that expensive restaurant around the corner talking a lot and trying to sell the expensive wine?
Maybe the answer is not that simple, and perhaps a sommelier is a bit of both of it, but there is so much more. A sommelier for me is someone who is trying to keep up with the fast-moving and changing wine-world and someone who is bringing some complex stories behind the wines to everyone. A big part of the sommelier life is to travel and meet the people behind the bottles. Also, it is essential to deal with the different vintages and to know the advantages and disadvantages of every year. For me, this is the hardest part! Why? Because for example, you have a hyped wine year 2018 and in the end lots of wineries struggle with the balance of the alcohol and acidity. Or you have a nice autumn in Piedmont for example, but a lot of rain could make the harvest in the close by Ticino area in Switzerland quite exhausting.
Another important thing is to test and value the wine even if you don’t really like the wine or just the style of the wine you have to taste it objectively and evaluate the quality and the expenditure behind the making of the wine.
So as a Sommelier you know all wines and which is your favourite?
This is a simple question and easy to answer: NOO!! But even to know the characters of every grape and the styles of several regions makes it easier to figure out what wine you will is the right one for the occasion or the guest I am hosting at the moment. And I personally have no favourite wine. There is always the right wine for the right moment, and sometimes I prefer a heavy oaky red wine, but otherwise, I love a fresh and fruity white wine on a hot summer day – the perfect time for a German Kabinett of the Mosel area right now.
The wine which accompanied me while I was writing this article was a German white burgundy. The 2018 Odinstal Weißburgunder 350 N.N. A biodynamic winery in Palatinate area. It’s one of the highest wineries in this area and is known for its authenticity. The wine is fresh with wild floral notes of dried herbs and orange zest in the nose, and due to its extended contact with the mash, it has a fine structure with light tannins in the mouth. Due to the hot year in 2018 it has a high ripeness which is padded gently in its acidity so all in all it is a well-balanced wine which needs time to develop in the glass and a drinker which is appreciating its beauty.
Winery: Odinstal
Region: Rhineland Palatinate, Germany
Vintage: 2018
Price per bottle: EUR 25.00
Overall Rating: 18 | 20
