A low sun shudders its way towards the horizon. In the north of Zealand, an hour’s drive from Copenhagen, the UNESCO-protected landscape of Odsherred takes on a bucolic tranquility. Unbroken fields of agriculture – cabbage, potatoes, and carrots mainly – are punctuated by modest farmsteads and the occasional Bronze Age burial mound. The Ice Age has left its mark here, and somehow, in the stillness, it can still be felt.

For centuries, Odsherred has been Denmark’s garden kitchen – its landscapes a source of inspiration for local painters – but its significance in the country’s food culture has never been more pronounced. Copenhagen’s meteoric rise as a global gastronomic destination, thanks in part to Noma, but also the combined impact of those behind the New Nordic movement, has encouraged a new appreciation for ingredients of transparent origin. What started as a trend – hyper-local, foraged, and seasonal cooking – has settled into something more significant: a rejuvenated respect for the land and what it can provide.

It’s no longer just chefs who are in search of authenticity, diners, too, are deeply invested. Growers that once operated from the shadows, as largely anonymous suppliers, are increasingly recognized as artists in their own right. The humble white asparagus, for example, has become a star ingredient of Odsherred, brought notoriety to farmers such as Søren Wiuff, who has turned his family farm into a renowned producer of some of the best spears in Northern Europe.

At the heart of Odsherred’s evolving culinary identity is Dragsholm Slot, a historic castle now part of the Relais & Châteaux group. A stone’s throw from the Danish coast, it was once a medieval stronghold, later a noble estate, and even a prison, but today, Dragsholm’s centuries-old walls house one of Denmark’s most acclaimed restaurants. Under former chef Claus Henriksen the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2017 and has retained it ever since.

Jeppe Foldager is now in charge, and the kitchen operates with the same monastic dedication to local ingredients that built its early reputation. “We use as much as we can from the estate” says Foldager. The estate’s herb gardens provide the foundation for many dishes, and wild plants found across the sprawling grounds make their way onto plates in ways that are both imaginative and deeply rooted in tradition. Estate ranger, Anders Tønsberg notes that “if you stop fighting nature, and stop trying to control everything that grows, then it’s fascinating to see what emerges. Besides, it feels good to use what the earth gives us.”

Beyond the grounds, local vegetables are in abundance. An ambitious land reclamation project started in the the late 19th century was completed in 1943, the result of which is a large plain of very fertile farm land. “We’re always leveraging the produce of the nutrient-rich soil of the reclaimed Lammefjord” says Foldager.

Over the years the Dragsholm’s restaurant wine cellar has become more local too. Danish wines are now prominent on the list, and frequently used to great effect in tasting menus. No longer are they slipped in as a quirky local offering, but rather, presented alongside the most important main course dishes.

In the early days, former sommelier Peter Fagerland built a high end list based on the usual Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne names common in the fine dining world. He reflects that “you couldn’t have a conversation with guests about Danish wine at the start. They just weren’t interested. You’d suggest it and they’d say – oh, no thank you, terrible idea. Well not any more.”

The current sommelier is Riccardo Meconi, who continues to evolve the cellar’s identity and its relationship with Dragsholm’s cuisine. He notes that today’s diners bring both curiosity and doubt, but, “such skepticism disappears as soon as we explain how suitable some specific terroirs are – like the south-facing hills formed 18,000 years ago at the end of the ice age.” This is where Njord Vingaard grows its incredibly sought-after wines, described by Meconi as “of very rare finesse and elegance for a new cold-climate wine region.”

There is far more awareness about Danish wine now however and Dragsholm sells a lot of it by the glass. It’s clear that demand for locally sourced produce is extending to wine. “People are now curious about local wines and are now coming to the table with their own Danish wine experiences already.” says Meconi. He is now tasked with building out the cellar in a way that continues to offer diners world class wines, which is an inevitable prerequisite of Michelin-starred status, while also enhancing the connection with local wines. “In developing a collection of Danish wines, it was first necessary to understand which were designed, or at least had the potential, to be aged. Some vintages show that cellaring potential more than others. The pattern of the seasons here in Denmark is still varied, but we’re understanding quickly which grapes work. Solaris can be exceptional, regardless of whether its is affected by botrytis or not.”

The growing appreciation for locally made wines isn’t just a matter of patriotism. Denmark’s climate is shifting, and with it, the boundaries of European viticulture. Where once it would have been unthinkable to attempt a commercial winery this far north, wineries are now cropping up across the country, producing wines that are increasingly finding their place in top end restaurants and cellars.

In 2015 Dragshom Slot planted its own vineyard in response to the inevitability and opportunities of climate change. The project was predominantly a bit of fun, however the belief that the area could one day be capable of producing good wines hadn’t escaped them. “Claus and I brought a few local bottles in one day and he cooked up langoustines with green strawberries. It was just delicious. We knew at this point we should have a go” says Fagerland. It was a risk, but some years already brought enough warmth and sunshine to ripen wine grapes, and besides, just up the road there was a genuine wine venture developing rapidly.

At Vejrhøj Winery in the village of Fårevejle, Neils Fink and his wife, Nina, are producing 20,000 bottles per year. Originally meant to be a small retirement project, their vineyard has grown into a bigger commercial enterprise, requiring additional hands to manage the expanding workload. Fink points out that Danish wine is very much a cool climate style, that “has a nice acidity and well developed green aromas.” Contemplating their gastronomic appeal, he says “that fits well with the lightness of the new Nordic kitchen, especially with lightly prepared vegetables and the local sea food.”

The volume of wine produced in Denmark is a drop in the ocean compared to the volume of wine consumed. So far Vejrhøj has sold out every year. “There are around 200 producers registered with the Danish tax authorities, but most are only producing very small volumes.” He notes there are something like 20 wineries producing more than 10.000 bottles a year, “but the number of vineyards is growing – and established vineyards are planting more vines.”

Of course, one may wonder why a handful of little vineyard plots at the far north of Europe’s grape growing capabilities are significant. Are they any more than quirky hobby projects? Climate change has played its role, but the significance of Odsherred’s small wine renaissance lies in something deeper – the region’s identity as Denmark’s kitchen garden and the prominence of Denmark’s cuisine on the international stage. The integration of viticulture into this landscape is a natural evolution, one that enhances rather than disrupts the existing ecosystem of food production.

The appreciation for the authentic has reshaped not only what people eat and drink but how they think about the landscape that produces it. As the sun sets over Odsherred, casting long shadows over the ancient fields, it’s clear that something special is happening here. This is a place where history and modernity intertwine, where tradition informs innovation, and where the future of Danish food and wine is being written in the soil. Dragsholm Slot is at the heart of that.