Scan Magazine | Culinary Feature | Erik Sørensen Vin
What is inside the bottle? Did you know that some grapes grow up listening to Mozart? It might sound a bit over the top, but it is the kind of dedication that characterises the wine makers whose wines are sold by Erik Sørensen Vin. With more than half a decade of experience within the world of wine, the Danish wine retailer has one simple goal: that its customers will not need to open their bottles to know that the wine inside is of the best quality and taste. By Signe Hansen | Photos: Erik Sørensen Vin
In 1956, Erik Sørensen started up his first wine importing business. The sales venue was a small shed in front of his home in Hellerup, and the wine was sourced exclusively in France. Much has changed since. Today, the wine retailer sells wine from all over the world and, with two physical shops as well as online sales, a growing number of Danish wine enthusiasts are extending their own wine journey through the retailer’s expansive assortment and knowledge. “As people are becoming more conscious of the quality of what they eat and drink, the Danish wine market is 28 | Issue 110 | March 2018
changing, and that is an advantage to us because the more people know about wine, the more they will search to find a wine retailer like us,” says Janus Platen of Erik Sørensen Vin. “Even before the customers open the bottle of wine they have bought from us, they should feel assured that they are about to experience the best taste and quality.” On top of expertise, Erik Sørensen Vin has exclusive import rights to some of Europe’s biggest wine houses; two things highly valued by its corporate customers, who include many of
Copenhagen’s best restaurants, such as Michelin-star restaurants Kong Hans, Kiin Kiin and AOC.
Taste and quality When asked what the criteria is for wine to be included in Erik Sørensen Vin’s assortment, Platen’s answer is very simple: “Taste and quality,” he says. “It’s Alfa and Omega.” In addition, the wine retailer’s long-standing relationships with some of Europe’s leading wine makers have given exclusive access to a part of the market, which might have been difficult to achieve today. “We have exclusive import rights to all the wine we sell, and we have stocked some of our brands since the 1970s. Back then, they weren’t big names, but they had the same quality. For instance, we represent Zind Humbrecht, one of Alsace’s best-known wine houses,” explains Platen. “This also means that when we approach big brands today, it’s easier for us as they can see the rela-