I first met Nicolai at our old high school in Brooklyn. I was teaching myself German, making slow but steady progress on Duolingo. My sister introduced him to me as the new German exchange student, so we chit chatted in my broken German. Hanging around Brooklyn and exploring the city, we became very close friends.

After his exchange year, I visited Nicolai in his hometown: Ludwigshafen am Rhein during the summer of 2018. On the outskirts of the city, the landscape slowly faded into lulling vineyards. Nicolai and his family introduced me to their region’s rich winemaking tradition dating back to the Romans.

Having marveled at the world’s largest wine barrel: “The Heidelberger Tun”, we returned to Ludwigshafen for a schnitzel and a glass (maybe two) of wine at “Alles Geht Zu Bruch“. This local restaurant was the epitome of the German language’s “Gemütlichkeit”- a sense of coziness. Their hearty schnitzel paired with an elegant, dry riesling made a lasting impression on me. It was certainly a changé from the two-dollar pizza and cheap deli beer I was used to in Brooklyn (though that has its’ own merit).

After a few trips with Nicolai to Europe and many bottles of wine, I began my career at a Brooklyn wine store in 2021. With my fluency in German, I was able to delve into German language articles and podcasts on wine (check out Cheers weinpodcast). In 2023, I finished my WSET level 3 course and began working at a V.O.S. Selections, an awesome wine importer and distributor in N.Y.C. This has given me the opportunity to connect with so many talented and wonderful people.

This blog is dedicated to my international friendship, exploring the world of German wine and the great joy it brings to my life. Raised in the heart of Germany’s wine country, Nicolai shares invaluable insight into his country’s rich culture and history. Prost (cheers) Nicolai!