The Umeå company Visionary Wine, run by sommelier and gastronome Kristian Rönnlund, in collaboration with the restaurant Bistro Le Garage, has developed a new concept - wine education for anyone with a genuine interest in wine. This is something that has previously been offered primarily to professionals. Those interested in wine have the opportunity to develop their knowledge of wine, its aromas, origin, history, production methods and how it can be best combined with food.
It can be seen as an evening sommelier training programme where participants can choose to participate in all or the segments that interest them. We will be held at Bistro Le Garage where I will share all my knowledge about the world of wine. The programme is divided by region, starting with the Rhone Valley and tasting wines from there with matched snacks. Then we'll move on to other wine regions, one by one," says Kristian.
The meetings should be characterised by a relaxed and dynamic feeling where there is a high ceiling and the participants should feel involved. Kristian also wants to emphasise that the focus is not on drinking large amounts of wine, but on learning, inspiration and the social aspect that is at the centre.
Of course, we will be tasting wine on all occasions, but I want people to be able to look at an activity like this in the same way as going to the cinema, for example. Some people enjoy watching films, while others are more interested in wine, its origins, history and how to best combine it with food. The alcohol is not the main thing, says Kristian.
The meetings will take place at Bistro le Garage once a month starting on 31 October.
I have always wanted my events to be characterised by a relaxed, lively and dynamic atmosphere. So it's great to be able to launch this concept at Bistro Le Garage. A company whose mottoes live in symbiosis with my own. My ambition is for this to become a recurring social activity for people interested in wine, so it feels fantastic to be able to do this together with Umeå's best neighbourhood restaurant," Kristian continues.
We like collaborations with local actors, so we are particularly pleased to work with Visionary Wine.Kristian has a broad and solid knowledge in his field. Through the collaboration, we will be able to further strengthen our brand and continue to offer fun and qualitative experiences outside the city centre," says Sindy Wu Nilsén and is supported by Victor Wu Nilsén, both owners of Bistro le Garage.
Kristian has a background as head sommelier at Köksbaren and has been running the company for a year now. Visionary Wine. Visionary Wine's main activity consists of wine tastings in a home environment. In addition, he also conducts research studies at Umeå University where he is currently working on the research report "Riesling in Rock" about how music affects the sensory experience of wine. He describes the new collaboration with Bistro Le Garage as a perfect match between them and the tastings will be a further complement to each business.
Text: Kristian Rönnlund, Visionary Wine
Photo: Sindy Wu Nilsén, Bistro le Garage
