Masterclass & Nytårstaffel: A Social Start to the Year
Bruno Paillard MC. Photo DSF
I arrived early at Restaurant No. 2 on a cold morning in Copenhagen. After driving around a bit to find parking, I went inside to get ready for the day. The programme included a Champagne masterclass followed by Dansk Sommelier Forening’s Nytårstaffel. I had arrived early as I was scheduled to meet Pierre-Jules Peyrat before the masterclass.
The masterclass focused on Bruno Paillard, and I had the chance to sit down with Pierre-Jules Peyrat, Export Manager at the house. We spoke about the history of Bruno Paillard and their overall approach. A longer article based on this conversation will follow.
Nytårstaffel. Photo DSF
The masterclass itself was inspiring and well organised. We tasted a strong selection of Champagnes, which gave a clear picture of the house style and precision. A big thank you to our Gold Sponsor, Wine Group, for organising the masterclass.
Nytårstaffel: The First Gathering of the Year
After the masterclass, we moved on to the yearly Dansk Sommelier Forening Nytårstaffel. Our sponsors had brought a wide range of wines, and from the start the atmosphere was relaxed and positive.
Christian Aarø welcomed everyone and introduced the food and snacks. As more members arrived, the room quickly filled with conversation. People were tasting, talking, and catching up.
Conversations with Members
During the event, I spoke with several members about what they were looking forward to in the year ahead.
I met Dennis Eklund Harding from Hugos No. 19 and asked him what he was most excited about in 2026. He spoke about travel, especially visiting vineyards and spending time in local environments, meeting winegrowers and producers. Hungary is on his list later this year, although he said, with a smile, that he still needs to agree on dates at home.
Sri Lanka also came up, driven by his curiosity about Thambili wine.
Looking back on 2025, Dennis highlighted the many tastings organised by Dansk Sommelier Forening together with its sponsors. He appreciated the wide range of styles, from classic wines to New World expressions, and how these tastings showed the influence regions have on each other. For him, taking part in so many different tastings was one of the highlights of the year.
Sponsored banner from our sponsor Hans Just
Later, I spoke with Thomas Bohelt, who shared that he is looking forward to returning to Marbella. He wants to explore the local wines more deeply and enjoy them together with food. For him, the wine always depends on the dish, and he enjoys discovering wine and food side by side in a local setting.
We would like to thank all our sponsors for their support and wines, and a warm thank you to all members who joined us for both the masterclass and the Nytårstaffel. It was great to see you and to start the year together in such a social way.
