A Turkish Food and Wine Pairing in Berlin, A Wine Bar Under a Bridge in Copenhagen, and the Future of European Grapes at Karakterre

Hey guys!

We just got back from Europe on Monday, spending last week in Berlin and Copenhagen. My brother was able to join for this leg of the trip, a rare treat, and it was great to explore two new cities together. Today, I’m diving into how Turkish migration shaped Berlin’s food scene, a perfect afternoon at a canal side wine spot in Copenhagen, and a trailblazing Italian winemaker redefining sustainability with PIWI grapes. Hope you enjoy!

Berlin’s Vibrant Turkish Community, Plus, A Few New Favorite Food and Wine Pairings 🇹🇷 

One meal in Berlin turned out to be one of the most memorable of the trip.

We spent a day in Berlin with the folks from MoreNaturalWine, bouncing between their shop and bar all afternoon before landing on a plan for dinner: Turkish food. It was something we’d been eating a lot during our time in Berlin, almost without realizing it. Turkish restaurants are everywhere in the city, and I found myself wondering why, especially since I had never had Turkish food before this trip.

Turns out, there's a fascinating story behind it.

Back in the early 1960s, West Germany was riding a postwar economic boom but struggling with a major labor shortage. To fill jobs, the government signed recruitment agreements with several countries, including one with Türkiye in 1961. Citizens of Türkiye were invited to work as “Gastarbeiter” (guest workers), with the idea that they’d stay temporarily. But many ended up settling, bringing their families, and building lives in cities like Berlin.

West Berlin, in particular, was in need of workers due to its unique position during the Cold War. Turkish families found jobs, housing, and community in several neighborhoods, and over time, what began as a labor migration grew into one of the largest and most vibrant Turkish diasporas in the world.

So with that context, that’s how we found ourselves at Hasir Restaurant, a beloved local spot that welcomed our BYOB bottles that we brought. I wasn’t sure how the wines would match, but I was curious, and very hungry.

First up: a bright Piyaz Salad paired with a Jura Chardonnay from Les Bottes Rouges. Then came spicy Adana Kebab skewers with a Gamay d’Auvergne from Clos Bateau: juicy, herbal, just enough lift to balance the heat. For dessert: Baklava with an oxidative Pinot Gris by Anders Frederik Steen in Ardèche, probably my favorite of the night.

The combinations were unexpected but seamless, each dish brought out something different in the wine, and vice versa. It was one of the best meals of the trip, and a pairing discovery I’ll definitely be chasing again in New York.

The Copenhagen Wine Bar That’s Under a Bridge 🍷 

A sunny afternoon at Rosforth & Rosforth helped me finally understand the city

After some time in Berlin, we spent the rest of last week in Copenhagen. The trip had already been off to a strong start, but the weather here made it a little harder to settle in. The first few days were mostly rainy and gray, and while we were still enjoying ourselves, I hadn’t quite connected with the version of the city so many people had described. Friends spoke about Copenhagen like it was an urban paradise, and I wasn’t sure I saw it yet.

Then the weather shifted. By Saturday, it was 75 degrees and sunny, and the whole city seemed to open up. People were out in full force, filling terraces, biking along the waterfront, even swimming in the canal.

One place that kept coming up when we asked for sunny day suggestions was Rosforth & Rosforth, a legendary natural wine importer and distributor with a warehouse tucked beneath the Knippelsbro Bridge. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, and when I initially explained it to my brother and a few friends I was with, they followed along with some skepticism.

Walking there, it was clear this wasn’t the kind of place you’d stumble upon. More of a neighborhood spot rather than something you’d find on a “Top 10 Things to Do in Copenhagen” list. But on a sunny day, it definitely draws a crowd.

We arrived in the late afternoon and joined a short line at what really is a hole in the wall, an opening under the bridge where you ask for a type of wine and someone just hands you a bottle. We paid less than $40 for a bottle and found a place to sit by the water.

There must have been a couple hundred people stretched out along the canal, drinking, talking, passing around wine. The mood was relaxed and easy, the kind of setting where it felt like no one had anywhere to be. At that point, it clicked. I finally saw the Copenhagen everyone had been talking about.

If you're lucky enough to catch a sunny day in the city, this is exactly where you should go. Such an awesome experience.

Producer Highlight ⭐️ 

One of our favorite parts of wine is the discovery: we’re constantly being put on to new regions, producers, and cuvées from our friends. We’ll never be able to try EVERY wine, but we want to take a moment to mention some producers that excite us!

That’s all for today! Thanks so much for following along as I bounced between countries the past two weeks. There’s still so much I didn’t get to cover, so I’m looking forward to sharing more stories, and more wines, with you soon.

Stay tuned and, as always, drink responsibly 🥂