“We are all looking for that special, unique sip” philosophises Nils Lackner as he slowly swirls his glass in his right hand, filled with the Riesling of a young German winemaker. Appearing almost meditative, the golden yellow wine turns counter-clockwise evenly. He has deliberately decided against decanting, as the wine thus opens up in smaller steps: “To taste every nuance of the developing wine is in itself a special experience”.
Aromas and taste development are an essential part of Lackner's everyday work. Together with his business partner, the sommelier made a dream come true by opening up a wine bar and wine shop called "Concept Riesling.
Discovering and developing new wine talents early on is part of the business model. To do this, Lackner must be able to rely on his sense of smell and taste. "A good glass helps to recognize even the finest notes. Due to the fact that we test the glasses in advance, we have to judge how the wine will taste in a year or two," says Lackner. "It can sometimes occur that we buy the entire vintage of a wine. We can't afford to make any mistakes."
"A good glass helps to recognize even the finest notes. Due to the fact that we test the glasses in advance, we have to judge how the wine will taste in a year or two."
With tousled hair and dressed in a leather jacket, T-shirt and sneakers, Lackner might not look as though he belongs into the classic world of wine. But appearances are deceptive, the wine expert living on Sylt is one of the most booked German wine lecturers. He is known for his progressive, contemporary way of dealing with the subject of wine. Again and again he sniffs at the glass before he even dares to take a sip. "The bouquet is important and says a lot about a wine. It's like on a first date, you want to get a good look before you go 'all in'. "The wine introduces itself to us through its bouquet by saying 'hello'. If a glass is able to aid in this process, that’s great.”
"The wine introduces itself to us through its bouquet, by saying 'hello'. If a glass is able to aid in this process, that’s great."
The first thing Lackner noticed in the Josephine glasses was the special sweep of the goblet. Somehow this unusual feature fascinated and intrigued him. The delicacy and elegance touched him. "The Josephine glass No 2 Universal goes especially well with the wines I love. Mineral Riesling, dry champagne and fine Chardonnays are presented purely and clearly. The cool nuances, the subtleties of the soil are directly reproduced. But nothing is spared. The Josephine is brutally honest. "If the wine is no good, she'll show you."
"The Josephine is brutally honest. If the wine is no good, she'll show you."
Finally, he takes a sip of his Riesling. "You see, a very clear portrayal of the stony coolness and light flavour of herbs. That's because of how the wine flows out of the glass - no aroma is lost." Lackner devotes his attention back to his wine, where he clearly wants to keep it.
