VDP: Where and how did you get the wine bug?

Mads Jordansen: I caught the wine bug back in high school, when I realised that wine quality improved dramatically if you were simply willing to spend a little more. Suddenly our house parties and the warm-ups before school events shifted from cheap bottles to wines that actually tasted better and better — and that curiosity never left.

VDP: Your first encounter with German wines?

Mads Jordansen: I’m quite sure it was at a tasting where we tried a wide range of dry German wines, but especially Mosel Rieslings across different sweetness levels. It was incredible to experience those contrasts in style, and since I’ve always been a sucker for acidity, it became my big entry point into German whites. Early on I also realised the potential of Spätburgunder — even before the climate made things a bit easier than it is today.

VDP: What is your favourite story to tell about German/VDP.wine?

Mads Jordansen: There are hundreds of stories I could choose from, but one that stands out is a small trip I took to the Ahr many years ago. It was freezing cold in February, and the whole region felt almost magical in its winter landscape. Besides the wines being absolutely outstanding, the area itself is unique — with its beautifully slate-covered vineyards, distinctive Spätburgunder expressions, and not least the warm, welcoming winemakers and estate owners who made the visit unforgettable.

VDP: How many bottles of German wine/VDP.wines do you have in your cellar?

Mads Jordansen: Around 300 bottles at the moment. I buy German wine continuously — mainly Spätburgunder, Lemberger and Trollinger, plus ready-to-drink vintages of Riesling. And in the years with exceptional ageing potential, I stock up more heavily. I’m absolutely in love with the 2015 vintage for dry Riesling, and 2021 for Kabinett, so I made sure to add extra of those to the cellar.

VDP: What is your favourite vineyard in Germany – and why?

Mads Jordansen: I’m not sure I can pick just one — there are so many. There’s always something wonderfully “German” about those steep, river-side vineyards. But the one that surprised me the most is Wachenheim, the monopole site of Weingut Odinstal in Pfalz. Hidden in a small forest, there’s a clearing of vineyards that feels almost like a magical Narnia. The place has a very special energy, and that might just put it at the top of my list.

If it comes to German grape varieties, what is your favourite?

Honestly, I like them all — it depends on the mood and, of course, on how well the wine is made. I have a real soft spot for Silvaner; it has lived so long in the shadow of Riesling’s popularity, yet it offers something completely different: gentler acidity, beautifully aromatic fruit and it’s absolutely perfect with veggie dishes. It pains me to see how dramatically Silvaner plantings have declined in recent years.

I also believe strongly in Lemberger — or Blaufränkisch, which I think is a more sexier grape name. It brings something entirely its own compared to the German Spätburgunder superstar, and it handles rising temperatures remarkably well, making it a very promising grape for the future.