Trendy drink: Is tea the new wine?

That Gold, of all people, has a need for tea is, of course, no coincidence. Early in his career, strained by the ever-present pressure in the restaurant industry to "drink along," he searched for an equivalent alternative to alcohol, or rather, to champagne, which plays a crucial role in Michelin-starred cuisine as an aperitif and accompaniment. A Japanese guest once gave Gold a kombucha culture, and that's how it all began. From this, the chef developed his own company, "Combuchont." Cold-bottled tea with the aim of being an equal substitute for sparkling wine. "I always wondered why we have to import everything," he says. "If we can grow wine, why not tea?"

Klemens Gold grew up here in Pechgraben and, together with his wife, wants to lead his family's former inn into the future. The Michelin star for his nature-focused restaurant "Rau nature based cuisine" confirms that he's on the right track. Even as a child, he says, nature in the surrounding forests was his playground. Accordingly, his fascination with biology and botany influenced his cooking from an early age. While many other chefs were following new trends, he immersed himself in the chemistry and microbiology of food, experimenting with fermentation, maturation, and aging.

In his modern stainless steel kitchen – his “laboratory,” as he calls it – the top chef now works with leaves, needles, herbs, and bark. Klemens Gold is fascinated by the liminal space between kitchen and garden, with its endless possibilities for flavor. These creative blends of locally grown fig leaves, stevia, or herbs, and traditional teas like gyokuro, bring a local flavor to his bottled beverage creations.

“The pitch ditch, with its abundant clay as a water reservoir, is a gift for tea,” says Gold, standing amidst his young plants, barely ankle-high. His plantation still needs development work. And a bit of missionary zeal. But once the plants have found their way into the European climate and into the minds of farmers, Gold hopes that tea's neglected status in German-speaking gastronomy could finally come to an end. In our culture, tea is often still a teabag-packed imitation of the plant's true potential in terms of diversity and aroma.

Alcohol-free is a trend that the restaurant industry still needs to understand.

Munich's top sommelier, Julia Kolbeck, sees the potential of tea as a great opportunity, an untapped treasure that the European restaurant industry has yet to fully discover. Kolbeck runs her own restaurant, "Mokum," in Munich's Westend district with two business partners. For years, she was responsible for both the wines and the non-alcoholic pairings at leading Michelin-starred restaurants like "Tohru" and "Jan." Now that wine pairings are no longer mandatory in gourmet restaurants and many guests consciously abstain from alcohol, she sees a shift. "It used to be, the immediate response was: 'At least have a glass!'" she says. Now it's normal for two people at a table to be sober. And the clientele is open-minded: "Many guests are curious these days. If you offer them something, show them the craft, they gratefully accept it."

For them, this isn't a passing fad, but part of a cultural shift. "Alcohol-free isn't a trend. It's the new normal – but the restaurant industry still needs to grasp that." Tea is a product as complex as wine: it has terroir, varieties, vintages, and fermentation processes. It can be bitter or fruity, invigorating or calming. Yet, in this country, hardly anyone has bothered to understand it as an equal accompaniment – ​​even beyond chilled kombucha.

“Ultimately, tea is very much on par with wine and often even has more aromas,” says Kolbeck. “When you work with infusions, you can create a great deal of variation.” In its structure, with tannins, bitterness, and acidity, it is, in a way, related to wine anyway. “The goal isn’t to copy wine,” she says. “But tea can do what wine can – just differently.”

In a makeshift storage area, Klemens Gold stands surrounded by riddling racks, the kind used in traditional sparkling wine bottle fermentation. His Combuchont is intended to fill a gap in the restaurant industry – as one of the endless possibilities for drinking tea. "It's not about replacement," he says, "but about a new chapter: What happens when we free enjoyment from alcohol?" Like wine, tea can also age. "Three years, five years. If you do it right, it becomes rounder, deeper, more refined."

When creating his teas, Gold proceeds much like a winemaker with a cuvée. He combines different varieties. "I create my blend in my head. I know what one tea can do, what another can contribute. It's like with wine – you compose aromas, but without alcohol." His work is like brewing and winemaking at the same time. His foundation in microbiology and chemistry is a tremendous help – both in the kitchen and in his tea manufactory. "I don't want a soda, but a drink with structure. One that can handle tannins, sweetness, acidity, and length."

The tea plant Camellia sinensis is the basis for the multitude of teas in all fermentation stages and qualities – from white to black tea. The nuances are solely due to the processing method, not – as is often assumed – a different "type" of tea. Strictly speaking, herbal infusions are misnamed.

Once Gold owns a tea plantation—the first harvest is possible after at least five years—the next learning process begins: the degree of oxidation. White tea is barely processed and only gently dried, green tea is briefly heated to stop fermentation, and black tea is completely oxidized. In between lie countless shades, such as yellow tea or oolong, which determine the taste, color, and aroma.

The kombucha, the basis for Gold's "Combuchont", further develops the tea microbiologically: a symbiotic culture of yeasts and bacteria that ferments the finished infusion and gives it acidity, freshness and fine carbonation.

Top chef Adeline Grattard also plays with precisely this endless variety. In her Parisian restaurant "Yam'Tcha," she demonstrates what sophisticated tea culture can mean as a menu accompaniment. After experiencing the tea culture of her husband Chi Wah Chan's native China, she returned transformed and reconsidered her approach. She calls this state "tea-drunk," which she wanted to recreate in France—successfully, as can be seen, for example, in the Netflix documentary "Chef's Table France." Tea culture is also more established in London and has moved closer to gastronomy, a consequence of colonial history. The renowned "Clove Club," for instance, offers tea pairings. And at the famous Michelin-starred restaurant "Hiša Franco" in gastronomically progressive Slovenia, tea drinks have long since been creatively perfected.

Julia Kolbeck has observed, however, that many of her guests in Munich are quite open to the idea. "We lack the foundation, as in Asia, where drinking tea with meals is completely normal." But you just have to show people. "Once you've experienced it, it becomes second nature."

While the trend towards alcohol-free options in the restaurant industry offers tea an opportunity, Klemens Gold's tea plants still require patience from the chef. He has never visited tea plantations in Asia, nor attended any tea schools. He deliberately wanted to start right here on his doorstep and learn without a role model. "I need to understand how tea behaves under our conditions," he says. "What works in Japan won't work here directly – the climate, the soil, the harvest are completely different." He doesn't want to imitate tea in Central Europe, but rather reimagine it – as a craft that grows from within the region.

“I need to understand the plants now so that others can work with them in ten years,” he says. He sees this not as an individual initiative, but as a long-term vision. Currently, he is cultivating four times as many seedlings as he will grow himself. Together with seven other farmers, he plans to develop an entire region into tea country. “What is being created here could be for our region what viticulture once was for other landscapes: a new agricultural identity.”

This is still just a vision of the future; the symbiosis between tea and cooking is hardly conceivable for many. But tea doesn't have to be exclusive or complicated, says Julia Kolbeck, it just needs to be treated better. Temperature also plays a major role and contributes to the possibilities for variation. "I like my tea lukewarm to warm, not ice-cold. It's easier on the stomach and clarifies the palate—especially after fatty dishes—washing away the grease and preventing it from coating the tongue."

It may be a while before tea is served with roast pork in Munich instead of beer. But Kolbeck already has an idea. "I would serve strong green tea with the roast pork and let it steep longer for more tannins – perhaps with a slice of ginger."

Which tea goes with what?

A few recommendations from sommelier Julia Kolbeck

White tea : Delicate and subtle – ideal as an aperitif or refreshment. Pairs well with light poultry or fish and anything gently cooked rather than grilled. Also delicious with desserts containing dried fruit, almonds, or white chocolate.

Green tea: It brings freshness and vegetal notes. After a short steeping time, it goes well with vegetarian dishes, salads, sushi, or raw fish – anywhere lightness is desired. Steeped longer, it develops more tannins and depth, like a strong green tea, which can even pair well with roast pork.

Oolong: Perfect with lots of umami flavors – such as soy sauce or mushrooms. It lies between green and black tea, providing structure without being overpowering.

Black tea: Fully fermented, with body and depth. Accompanies hearty dishes or braised foods, harmonizes with roasted aromas and spices. Varieties like Assam or Darjeeling bring warmth and tannins without being overpowering.

Lapsang Souchong / Pu-Erh: Powerful and smoky. Brewed hot or cold, it pairs well with dishes that have texture and roasted aromas – such as dark meat, game, or hearty vegetables.

Herbal extracts: These pick up on or complement the flavors of the dish. Mint tea goes well with oriental or very aromatic cuisine and has a cooling effect when spicy. Thyme and lemon thyme are good with spicy dishes – for example, braised lamb with cumin.

Kombucha: Fermented, cold-brewed tea with natural acidity, a fermented flavor, and sometimes light carbonation – available in countless variations. It works where freshness and vibrancy are desired – to complement a meal or to break up heaviness. asa