With 173,000 subscribers on YouTube, Konstantin Baum is Germany’s youngest Master of Wine and a successful entrepreneur. His motto? Make the world taste better.
With 173,000 subscribers on YouTube, Konstantin Baum is Germany’s youngest Master of Wine and a successful entrepreneur. His motto? Make the world taste better.
Becoming a Master of Wine means pursuing a level of excellence that requires both rigor and passion. Do you recall a key moment that helped shape your approach to wine?
I studied oenology and business at university. I already knew I wanted to become a Master of Wine. I realized I had a good palate while working as a sommelier at Patrick Guilbaud’s two-star Michelin restaurant in Dublin. The head sommelier and I would often blind-taste wines. I said to myself, “If I can beat my boss—who was very talented at tasting—then perhaps I can make a career of tasting, analyzing and rating wines.” That’s how it all began.
Your motto “Make the world taste better” implies that wine can change our perception of the world. What is it that gives wine this transformative power?
I believe it comes from the fact that wine is both magical and spiritual. It has long been used in religious contexts, but it also allows us to better comprehend nature, as we observe how grapes grow, how terroir influences wine and how wine is shaped by time and vintages. This is all part of what makes wine so fascinating.
You have several businesses. How are they complementary?
Whether it is by importing and distributing wines for Baum Selection, overseeing the wine program at Brenners Park Hotel and Spa in Baden-Baden or holding in-person masterclasses around the globe with my communications agency or online courses with my platform CellarClass.com, all of my activities serve the same goal, that of making the world taste better.
You share your passion on YouTube in a fun, educational fashion. What was your goal when you began and what has been key to success?
I launched my channel on YouTube four or five years ago, and today it counts among one of the leading channels in the wine industry. It’s interesting to note than nearly 60% of viewers are under forty, which is on the young side for a subject like wine. From the very start, I wanted the channel to be accessible to all audiences. Today, I am thrilled to see that amateurs as well as professionals watch my videos. I think that honesty works. I won’t hesitate before criticizing an expensive wine if I’m not convinced or featuring an unknown, affordable wine. I also leave my errors in, whether I’ve broken a bottle or made a mistake… This creates a real connection with viewers. I don’t like to talk about “demystifying wine” because wine has to maintain its aura of mystery. But one thing is certain: I want to make it more accessible.
What is your relationship to the grands vins of Bordeaux ?
I feel very close to Bordeaux. I lived there at one time, and I worked for a négociant. I have also travelled a good deal through the region. What fascinates me most is the cellaring potential of the region’s grands vins. Even vintages that are considered less qualitative remain magnificent after decades.
Cos d’Estournel has always been inspired by exoticism and foreign journeys, something that hearkens back to its historical ties with India. What role does travel play in your approach to wine?
Travelling is one of the main reasons why I chose to work in wine. It is what enthralls me the most: discovering new places, immersing myself in different cultures and tasting wines that bear witness to these different influences.
Do you have any special memories of Cos d’Estournel?
I ran the Marathon du Médoc in 2009. After passing Château Lafite, you begin climbing the famous hill that leads to Cos. It’s a point of transition between Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe. The landscape changes, and the light is different. So is the terroir. I think this is something that resonates in the wines of Cos d’Estournel, this movement towards other soils, other forms of expression. You could almost say it is the very definition of terroir.
How do you see the defining characteristics of the wines of Cos d’Estournel? Do you recall a vintage with particular appeal?
In terms of style, Cos d’Estournel incarnates the excellence of Saint-Estèphe. I really like how it offers both maturity and richness, while maintaining a distinctive structure. The texture of the wine is remarkable: the sensation and grain of its tannins, its freshness… Personally, I especially enjoyed Cos d’Estournel 2009, which I tasted in London during the en primeur season. I love its richness and velvety texture.
What three words would you use to describe Cos d’Estournel?
Exotic, for the architecture of the château. Cos d’Estournel is a magnificent edifice that clearly stands out and represents something entirely unique among the châteaux of the Médoc.
Audacious, in the way it incarnates history. It required a good deal of daring to build a château with that architecture, and I think the estate’s wines also reflect this audacity in their quality, flavor and structure.
Transition, because it marks the passage from Pauillac to Saint-Estèphe, a frontier between two different terroirs. Cos d’Estournel can be found at the exact hinge point of the appellation.
