Top Dining in Copenhagen - Mr. Brunello
The king of Italian wine is without competition the fantastic Brunello di Montalcino. These are not cheap drops. In fact, the good vintages can run into hundreds of pounds. But for restaurateur couple Jennifer and Ermenegildo Russo, making it possible to enjoy these noble grapes at an affordable price has been a goal in itself. So, when they opened L'Enoteca di Mr. Brunello in the heart of Copenhagen in 2015 - within walking distance of the Central Station and Tivoli Gardens- they were wise to price the expensive wines at a level only slightly above retail price.
"Now, Brunello di Montalcino itself is not the cheapest wines. But we have been determined from the start not to serve wines at three times the purchase price, as is customary. We wanted to serve our guests the best of the best from Italian vineyards and Italian cuisine, but at prices where as many people as possible could afford it," says Ermenegildo Russo.
And it has succeeded beyond all expectations. The Michelin Guide has discovered the small restaurant in the street Rysensteensgade. So has the international magazine Wine Spectator, which in 2019 awarded L'Enoteca di Mr. Brunello with the Execellence of Award in the form of 'two glasses', which corresponds to two Michelin stars.
Not insignificant. Jennifer Russo has an Italian equivalent of the French sommelier training and is one of only 300 Italian Wine Ambassadors worldwide.
600 bottles on the wine list
Wine is the natural focal point of L'Enoteca di Mr. Brunello. Enoteca is the Italian word for 'wine shop'. And it is this shop that helps ensure that the restaurant can serve delicious wines at a reasonable price. In fact, Ermenegildo and Jennifer Russo have selected more than 600 wines in different vintages and labels that can be purchased in the wine shop. Of these, more than 70 are Brunellos.
"Even though Brunello comes from a very small area around the town of Montalcino in Tuscany, there is a big difference between the wines of the individual farms. All are, of course, produced from the Sangiovese grape. But there are many clones of it, each with its own distinctive character. In addition, the very local conditions play a role. In different microzones, the wine can develop differently than in another a few hundred meters away. And of course, it also matters what kind of wood the wine barrels are made of and how the wood has been treated," says Jennifer Russo and continues:
"We are both very passionate about wine, and as passionate as we are about wine, it's just as important to us that both food and wine work together when we pair food with wine and vice versa. But my husband is the superstar in the kitchen. Brunello di Montalcino in particular provides a fantastic counterpoint to truffles and mushroom dishes, for example. Or a tomato-based pasta dish."
And they know what they are talking about when it comes to creating gastronomy at a high level. The couple previously worked in one of Copenhagen's best-known Italian restaurants, Il Grappolo Blu, which Ermenegildo Russo opened back in 1999.
Chasing authenticity
Both on the floor and in the kitchen, everything is done in singing Italian. It's the noble ingredients that play the main role. But it's the interplay between the quality of the wines and the menus that is crucial in giving L'Enoteca di Mr. Brunello top marks.
"For us, it's quite natural that we compose a menu where we try to achieve as perfect an interaction as possible between food and wine. In fact, without really having discussed it, we have had another purpose in running an Italian restaurant here in Copenhagen. It's about creating an authentic experience. After all, our guests come through the door with high expectations and lots of love. We simply want to reciprocate this joy and affection - it happens naturally. And at the same time, create gastronomic experiences and memories that will hopefully live on for a long time, and a sense of feeling a little 'at home'. We're definitely trying to create a family environment," concludes Jennifer Russo.
Ermenegildo and Jennifer took a risk when they reduced the prices of all their wines instead of multiplying by three. They gambled that guests would pay for quality when good wines could be bought at prices that often only mediocre wines can be found for. And they were rewarded. Because L'Enoteca di Mr. Brunello is still at the top of the Copenhagen restaurant scene.