Across Borders with Wine: Rasmus Lunkov Marquart
RASMUS LUNKOV MARQUART, DIRECTOR OF BEVERAGE Image: THE INN AT MATTEI'S TAVERN, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION
From a baptism gift of Château Clinet to leading wine programs in California, Rasmus has carried his passion with him. When I spoke with him over Zoom, he came across as open, realistic and very humble.
It is an early autumn morning when I put on Zoom to speak with Rasmus. Since he lives on the West Coast of the US, we had to find a time that worked with the time difference. Luckily (or maybe not so lucky) I am used to waking up early because of my kids. Setting the alarm for 4:30 was not such a big effort.
When Rasmus appears on the screen, I quickly get the feeling that his own words about being humble describe him very well. He seems realistic, approachable, and open.
Childhood among wine cases
“I think I have to blame my father a lot for why I am where I am today,” Rasmus begins with a small smile. He tells me about his childhood, how his family visited many of the great châteaux in Bordeaux before he even turned eight. “Every summer we would drive down to France. Often we stopped in Alsace or Burgundy. My sister and I would be sitting on wine cases from Alsace all the way back to Copenhagen.”
His parents opened a restaurant in Copenhagen in 1997, when Rasmus was ten. That restaurant became his natural environment. At the same time he was also playing football. “I had too many injuries. Then I had to decide what to do with my life. Apart from football, everything I knew was in hospitality.”
RASMUS LUNKOV MARQUART, DIRECTOR OF BEVERAGE Image: THE INN AT MATTEI'S TAVERN, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION
It was here the choice came: management or wine. “At the time, wine seemed more fun,” he says.In 2010 he joined Vinakademiet in Copenhagen, as part of one of the very first groups to take the education.. “Back then very few people were doing it. I was in the same class as Christian Thorsholt.”
After that, he focused less on wine study for a while. He had his own wine import and shop in Islands Brygge. But the pull of wine returned. “In 2015 and 2016 I decided I wanted to focus on wine study again. I started going through the Court of Master Sommeliers. I passed Certified in August 2017, then Advanced within the year, with the highest score at the time.”
He was scheduled to sit the MS in 2020, but then the world shut down. “There were no exams for quite a while. It got delayed. Eventually we moved to the US, and I transferred to the American chapter.”
A baptism gift of wine
I ask him about an article I once read, that his father gave him a case of wine. Rasmus nods. “Yes, both my sister and I received a case of Château Clinet from our birth year. I still have ten bottles left. They are in Denmark, which is good, otherwise I might be tempted to open them late at night here in California,” he laughs.
He explains how his father was a man of passion. “He could not cook an egg, but he opened a restaurant anyway and ran it for 15 years. What he wanted was to give guests a great experience. That passion is something I have carried with me.”
When it clicked
I ask him when wine really became his own, not just something he grew up around. “In my early twenties, 21 to 22. We started importing Austrian wines for our bar and shop. Traveling in Austria, meeting the producers, that really started the journey.”
The competitive side also became important. “I am very competitive. To find something you love, and then have it also be a competition, that was a lot of fun.”
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Mentors and friends
When we speak about mentors, he is quick to name names. “Christian Thorsholt and Arvid Rosengren. I saw how they treated it like elite sports, how they ate, slept, trained. That discipline made me set ambitious goals.”
And then Nina Jensen. “We worked together, competed together, coached each other. Having that kind of partner has been incredibly valuable. She has more wins over me, but it has been inspiring.”
He smiles when he speaks about her, and I can tell it comes from a place of deep respect. “Sometimes before the Danish Championship we barely saw each other. But the day after, we would be back training together, sharing what we had learned.”
The move to California
After two years in Dubai, Rasmus and his wife based themselves in Copenhagen, but they were restless. “After I left Denmark the first time, I never really felt at home again. I wanted something bigger. We traveled and fell in love with California. I loved the wines. My wife loved the climate. It was the only place we both agreed on.”
He first thought about LA, but it did not fit after they had children. “Then the opportunity came in Santa Barbara County. I have now been here three years, and it feels right.”
Building from an empty cellar
His role was to manage the wine and beverage program at a boutique hotel in Santa Barbara wine country. “When I arrived, the cellar was empty. That was exciting. I could build the wine list from scratch, and the owners supported my vision.”
He says with pride, “Even though I had the title I had, I was hands-on. That Danish mentality of working hard came with me.”
He soon began to help with openings of other Auberge hotels in Dallas, South Carolina, and Florence. “Now I am moving into a bigger role. I will be Area Director of Beverage, based in Napa. I will oversee more hotels, plan big dinners, private labels, things like that.”
How to build a list
I ask him how he approaches wine lists across the US, from Dallas to Florida to California. “It is like doing a pairing. I look at the concept of the restaurant, talk with the local team about trends, research competitors. Then I balance it with my own knowledge.”
He adds, “I always want lists that invite people to drink. Too many lists here just mark up all wines the same. The expensive bottles then become impossible to sell. Pricing and layout are important. Is the list inviting, or do you give up before starting to read it?”
RASMUS LUNKOV MARQUART, DIRECTOR OF BEVERAGE Image: THE INN AT MATTEI'S TAVERN, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION
What people drink
“What are people drinking now?” I ask.
“What surprises me is that it is still back to basics,” he says. “Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, they always sell. But here in Santa Barbara, people are also excited about alternative grapes: skin-fermented Albariño, Riesling, geeky varieties. Guests are open when they know the wine is made ten minutes away.”
Other beverages? “Craft cocktails are growing again, across all ages. Craft beer too. It feels like Denmark ten years ago with all the small breweries.”
Comparing Denmark and the US
I ask him about the hardest part of working in the US compared to Denmark. “The rules,” he says, shaking his head. “In Denmark you work the hours needed. Here everything is fixed, eight hours, mandated breaks, overtime. Very regulated.
One thing he has brought from Denmark is the idea that guests should not have to think. “When they check in, everything should already be planned, tastings, spa, dinner. Our job is to take away decisions, so they can enjoy being here. Reading the guest is key. Too much service can be as bad as too little.”
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Scandinavian influence
Does he think he influences US wine lists with a Scandinavian approach? “Yes. In Denmark we are spoiled. We have so many importers which mean we can taste something anywhere and usually find it imported. Here many lists are 100 percent local. For me, even in wine country, only half the list is California. I also want a list that winemakers themselves want to drink from.”
Competitions and the MS journey
Of all his achievements, winning the Nordic Sommelier Championship in 2019 stands out.Training for competitions was already hard, but the Court of Master Sommeliers took it to another level. “I sat the exam four times here in the US, without success so far. I studied with maps, flashcards, tastings, everything. I prefer face to face study groups, but in Santa Barbara there are so few candidates. It is not the same to sit online once a week.”
Language has also been a challenge. “I often know the answer, but not the exact words they want. The phrasing is very American, and sometimes I get lost in translation.” He smiles, but I can see that this is something he takes seriously.
I ask him when he will try again. He takes a pause. “I do not think I will go next year. Maybe I have had my last attempt. But never say never. Moving to Napa will give me more opportunities, because there are many more Masters and candidates there.”
He is realistic about the balance between family, work and exams. “With kids and a new role it is hard to cover the time and the nights you need for MS preparation. It takes everything. For now I am focusing on the new job. Maybe later, when the timing is better, I will try again.”
What inspires him
When I ask what inspires him, his answer is simple. “Wine itself. It is always changing. You can drink the same wine seven days in a row and it will never be the same. That constant change inspires me.”
Sustainability
On sustainability he says: “Most producers we work with are certified in some way. For me, good wine comes from good grapes and from people who care. Transport is one of the biggest footprints, so sourcing locally helps.”
He adds, “Young regions like California are very open to innovation. In Sonoma they are even testing electric trucks in vineyards. Small changes, multiplied, make a big impact.”
Outside wine
Outside wine, his passions are simple. “My motorcycle,” he says with a laugh. “And traveling. Since meeting my wife, traveling has been a big part of our life, and always will be. And of course, tennis.”
Advice to young sommeliers
His advice is straightforward. “Work hard. Stay humble. Do not ever think you know everything. Surround yourself with people who share your ambitions. Learn from them, and be grateful. Be a sponge.”
He adds: “Do not be afraid to travel alone to wine regions. Reach out to importers and suppliers, set up tastings. The best place to learn about wine is in the vineyard with the winemaker. You cannot beat that.”
The future of the profession
“I am hopeful,” he says. “In Denmark the stage is much bigger now. There are more education opportunities, more competitions, more attention on wine. The success of people like Christian and Nina has raised the profile of sommeliers. That inspires more to join, to learn, to grow.”
And finally he adds: “A big thank you to the Danish Sommelier Association. Tim, Christian, and everyone who has worked so hard to build the community. They have done an incredible job.”
When I close my computer the sun has just started to rise, I think back to what Rasmus said about being humble. That word fits him well. He speaks openly about successes and failures, about hard work and about working with something you love. He is realistic, approachable, and open.
