RIGA - The wine culture and history of sommeliers in the Baltics is something that goes far back in history, but is rarely recognized. Though Latvia does hold the world record for the northernmost vineyard (Sabile) and has many distinguished sommeliers, much of the wine industry has been left to outsiders to develop. The simple case for this is that most families make wine at home, with no thought to popular distribution.
Not quite an outsider, John Braun, originally from the U.K., settled in Limbazi nine years ago and created his own unique type of wine made from oak. He also experiments with wine made from daisies, linden blossoms and birch juice, and has gained local recognition for his unorthodox creations.
More traditional methods of wine creation could be seen last month at the Wine Days Festival in Vilnius which brought together Baltic sommeliers, wine enthusiasts and Lithuanian wine companies.
Anyksciu Vynas was founded in 1926 by agronomist Balys Karazija who started a small fruit-berry winery. From there the company went on to win gold medals for production in Paris and the natural wine earned its place as a traditional Lithuanian beverage.
Despite the rarity of local wines, the sommeliers of the Baltics stand strong and are among the world's best. All three nations have sommelier associations, which gathered in May for their annual competition. Winning first place for the third time was Raimonds Tomsons of Vincents Restaurant.
Urmas Silmans, CEO of Liviko alcohol company, and sponsor of the event stressed the importance of moderation, in a nation where alcohol is on the rise.
"Latvian sommeliers are doing an excellent job 's they are ambassadors, who spread their knowledge of the culture and usage of alcohol, and we are witnessing the changes in consumer habits 's giving preference to quality, not quantity," said Silmans.
The Baltic sommeliers also have the privilege of putting together "Nautimus," a list of 48 wines from around the world balancing high quality and price in the market.
But how to pair Baltic cuisine, not famous for its light and delicate meals, with the perfect wine?
According to the sommeliers at Prike, a Baltic spirits company, the choices are fairly straight forward:
For a meal of sauerkraut with ham or sausages, drink an aromatic Pinot Gris or and Alsace Riesling.
For seafood and salad, Prike recommends a Riesling or chardonnay with a hint of lemon. The ever-present white trout goes well with a light white Sauvignon Blanc, whereas a fattier fish such as the Baltic salmon (especially smoked) goes better with champagne or a rose wine.
Though Latvia may not have its own wine to send out into the world, they do send out special varieties of Latvian grapes to winemakers across Europe, thanks to the work of Andris Dishlers. Varieties like Alpha and Zilga has been most frequently used in wine production, whereas Skujins-675, Supaga, Veldze, and Smugljanka are still being developed and cultivated.
For a summer taste of the rare Latvian wine and the chance to meet with Latvia's sommeliers head to the small village of Sabile the last weekend in July for the annual Sabile Wine Festival.
