It has been 9 months since we conceived the idea of Vins du Levant. I was still in Jerusalem, and Michelle was guarding the fort and the dogs in DC. We were talking about my retirement plans and desire to return to my native Denmark after half a lifetime on the road. What Michelle would be doing there. How I could remain engaged in the longstanding struggle for peace in the Middle East. How Michelle could reconnect with her family there. Including a brother-in-law in the wine business. We had tasted his unique wines on a visit to Beirut in late 2023. The idea to bring wines from the region to Denmark emerged, and evolved. The wines are well-known and sold in the other Scandinavian countries, but surprisingly absent from the even larger Danish market. We wanted to be more than a wine store, to share an experience. Not just the wines, but the food and the culture. Where it all started, and how it came together.
Starting a business in Denmark from abroad proved to be easier said than done, and importing wines from the troubled Middle East raised red flags all around. But having reassured the suspicious minds in the tax department and the banks, figured out the logistics, and secured the first delivery of some of the finest Lebanese wines, the business is ready to take off. Initially online, but with a beautiful and very centrally located store in Copenhagen to open over the summer of 2024 with a planned larger selection of similarly sole-sourced higher-end Levantine wines. Geopolitics and logistics permitting.
We hope that the terrible ongoing war and human suffering there will end soon and a new road be paved towards peaceful and prosperous co-existence of the people with their diverse beliefs but shared history.
We look forward to welcoming you to our virtual store and soon in-house wine experience.
Happy Easter, and Ramadan Kareem to those who celebrate these holy days,
Cheers,
Michelle and Thomas