Talking Wine with...

Valerie Kathawala, co-founder of Trink Magazine, wine journalist, textbook author Wine Scholar Guild.

In our interview series Talking Wine with..., we talk to prominent experts from the international wine and gastronomy scene, as well as private wine lovers, about their vinophile passion.

When Valerie Kathawala is not planning and editing the next issue of Trink, the wine journalist writes for such renowned international wine magazines as Noble Rot, Pipette, Flug, The Art of Eating and Meininger's Wine Business International. She now lives out her love of wines from German-speaking countries not only with Trink magazine, which she co-founded with Paula Redes Sidore in 2020. She is currently also designing and writing the textbook for the German Wine Scholar, which can be taken at the Wine Scholar Guild from 2025.

Wine passport Valerie Kathawala

Favourite producer: Impossible to answer! But to
pick one where the human being, location, and consistent excellent quality wine come together exceptionally well, I’d say Hofgut Falkenstein.

Favourite wine region: Any other tough one! But Württemberg.

Favourite music to drink wine to: Radio FIP

Favourites from Best of Wines: The selection is superb, again making a very difficult choice. But I would probably go with Wittmann Nierstein Riesling ‘22 because I have so much respect for the biodynamic farming talent, and terroir here.

Valerie Kathawala

First of all, congratulations on being able to fill the German Wine Scholar of the Wine Scholar Guild with life and content. How did this collaboration come about?

Thank you! It's a great honour – and a great challenge. I've been knocking on the Wine Scholar Guild's door for years, asking if they would like to include Germany in their programme. Mainly because I really wanted to do it myself! When they got back to me last year and asked me if I could research and write the programme, it was easy to say yes. How often in life do we get the chance to contribute to global understanding of a topic that is close to our hearts.

How difficult is it for you to keep your finger on the pulse of the German wine scene from New York?

It would certainly be easier if I had a location in Rheinhessen or the Mosel! But one of the reasons Paula and I started TRINK was that we both have our ears close to the ground: contacts with producers, experts and journalists. We were frustrated by the gap between what we know is happening in German wine and what the world sees from the outside. TRINK exists to bridge that gap.

How often do you travel to Germany for research?

I am very conscious of my carbon footprint, so I limit my research trips to 2, maximum 3 per year. But then they are intense!

Why did you lose your wine heart to German wines, anyway?

I'm a Germany freak. I can't quite explain it. I have always been fascinated by German culture and felt connected to it. I am of German descent, but that was not particularly formative. It is more the ‘rough edges’ of the German language, history, society, culture - so much beauty and romance, so much that was the opposite. When I first fell in love with wine, it was the obvious thing: great Italian or Californian reds. But I quickly realised that the more nuanced complexity and vibrancy of German wine is more appealing. I have always been drawn to the details that point to a story. And German wine is a gateway to a broader cultural study that I still can't get enough of.

How can we imagine your work for the Wine Scholar Guild exactly?

Me at the big, 100-year-old oak dining room table in our apartment in New York City. Half a dozen books, maps, notes, my laptop and coffee! But it also looks like research trips, industry tastings, phone or Zoom interviews and lots and lots of emails! Every day looks different. I love that.

And then there's Trink too! How do you manage to fit it all in?

Getting up early, careful prioritising and a strong partnership with Paula. When she's very busy, I try to make more space for TRINK. When I'm immersed in other projects, she steps in and does a great job of keeping everything on track.

As a wine journalist, what topics are particularly close to your heart?

Wine is a luxury product. It is also the product of very special cultures and landscapes. How can we keep it alive while making a positive contribution to our climate? Many German winemakers are developing brilliant ideas for this. I want to strengthen their work. If something I write makes an idea from a producer globally known or vice versa, then my work is done.

How are dry wines from Germany perceived in the US?

They are loved!

Riesling above all? Or does Germany have more to offer in your opinion?

We both know the answer to that! German Riesling is absolutely irreplaceable. If I had to choose one wine for a desert island, it would be this one. But Silvaner, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay – and many others can produce top-quality wines in the right hands and in the right places.

If you could only drink one wine for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

It would be a very, very difficult choice, but in the end I would opt for Riesling. There is no other wine in the world with this versatility and range.

Do you have a favourite wine-food pairing?

If we stick with Riesling, my family will say: Spätzle from the Spätzlehobel, which I bought decades ago at a Munich flea market for 2 DM, a fine white sausage with mustard and a crisp salad with the simplest of dressings. With a Kabi from a good vintage, that could be our dinner every night for a year.

Is there a wine that you still want to enjoy in your life?

The wines of Klaus Peter Keller are the ultimate. I was lucky enough to taste some of them. But to really study them, that would be a dream.

What makes a special wine for you?

Quality and ‘distinctiveness’ are the result of many different factors. But the winemaker's approach and intention, his way of thinking, his background, his openness, make all the difference for a wine.

Which restaurant do you think has the best wine list?

For me, the best wine list is one that focuses on a mix of exciting discoveries and proven favourites, perfectly matched to the food and mood. In New York City, that's Chambers. Pascaline Lepeltier has put together a list that is exceptional not for its scope or its trophy wines, but for its commitment to showcasing the producers and regions she champions. Her taste is, needless to say, always on point. And despite her international fame, she works the floor with grace and modesty almost every night. She has a fine sense of all the factors that make a good wine—the food, of course, but also the flavour, the company, and the price. I know I can drink very, very well there.

And last but not least: Do you have a recommendation for an exciting wine bar or restaurant in New York for us?

Noreetuh. I really like this Hawaiian culinary-meets-German wine bar on Manhattan's Lower East Side. It's an unassuming but imaginative and wonderfully welcoming restaurant/wine bar with an excellent wine list that also lists hard-to-find Rieslings and Pinot Noirs. Jin Ahn, who runs the wine section, is the epitome of hospitality and a wonderful ambassador for German wine!