Pulp Wine is founded by Russell Schaper-Kotter, a certified sommelier that has worked at leading Michelin restaurants like Relæ and Noma in Copenhagen.
Russell is very passionate and knowledgeable about natural wine, but is everything but a wine snob. At Pulp Wine, we are all about introducing our customers to the best possible natural wine at the best possible prices.
You can find our physical winebar and shop on Fiolstræde 18 in Copenhagen, where we are always happy to help with any questions you may have about natural wine, or you can write us at pulp@pulpwine.com.
Russell's Journey
I grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I came from a humble low-income family, so I always learned at an early age that you had to work hard if you wanted anything.
I started working at the age of twelve, crushing cardboard boxes at a grocery store for five dollars an hour at three hours per week. Believe me, that handful of cash gave me such a sense of freedom; I was instantly hooked. Over the next two years, I would work my way up to the clerk position and segway myself into landing another job at a fish restaurant as a dishwasher. Over the years, I earned the job as a sous chef, and since I was not overly academic in school, I quickly realized that restaurants were where I was meant to be. On top of that, I had such an outgoing personality that I made the switch from kitchen to front of house as it was much more engaging to 'hang out' with guests than be sweating in the back cooking for them.
I started working at the age of twelve, crushing cardboard boxes at a grocery store for five dollars an hour at three hours per week. Believe me, that handful of cash gave me such a sense of freedom; I was instantly hooked. Over the next two years, I would work my way up to the clerk position and segway myself into landing another job at a fish restaurant as a dishwasher. Over the years, I earned the job as a sous chef, and since I was not overly academic in school, I quickly realized that restaurants were where I was meant to be. On top of that, I had such an outgoing personality that I made the switch from kitchen to front of house as it was much more engaging to 'hang out' with guests than be sweating in the back cooking for them.
Fast forward another seven years, and I had been busboy, waiter, assistant manager, manager, trainer, and general manager of a couple of restaurants.
For most of my early years in restaurants I dabbled in the cider and wine world. While I was in Canada, it was all conventional wine. Still, to this day, there is very little awareness about what natural wine is in Vancouver.
For most of my early years in restaurants I dabbled in the cider and wine world. While I was in Canada, it was all conventional wine. Still, to this day, there is very little awareness about what natural wine is in Vancouver.
When I made it out to Copenhagen, I immediately completed some certifications from the Court of Master Sommeliers. I learned where in the world wine was made, "how it should taste," and how to serve it. It quickly became evident that most renowned restaurants were doing something completely different from what I had learned. In fact, my certifications were widely laughed at because natural wine can't really be put in a box. It was a different animal altogether.
Before Pulp, I cut my teeth at several high-profile restaurants that served natural wine, including Relæ, Manfreds, Bæst, and even Noma. These establishments trained my palate and exposed me to what natural wine is. A living, pure product that shows the true place and authentic personality of the wine. Dumbfounded, I almost stopped drinking conventional wine overnight. I found it literally challenging to swallow the idea that this "wine" that I was so used to was adulterated with unpure additives that weren't grape juice. It didn't taste like wine to me anymore.
Enter Pulp Wine, which was initially going to be a wine bar and wine shop, but then the pandemic altered the course of that idea. I opened a wine shop in Valby, which desperately needed(in my opinion) a place to sell natural wine. It has been a lot of fun meeting the community who are either seasoned natural wine evangelists or new to the idea.I can only hope that Pulp Wine can be an easy-going place for people to discover Natural Wine. You are welcome to come by anytime and say hi!