Sweden is known for its wonderful café scene in Stockholm, the Aurora Borealis, the innumerable islands and household brand names that fill our daily lives like IKEA and Volvo. And yet one thing that isn’t talked about enough is the Swedish wine movement. But with the changing climate and an increasing number of ambitious winemakers there is now a thriving and quickly growing Swedish wine trade that is looking for international recognition, as Andrew Lofthouse, aka The Northern Wine Guy, reports.
The pioneers of the modern winemaking era in Sweden saw the establishment of the Swedish Wine Association in 2002 following the EU officially recognising Sweden as a wine country in 1999. Amongst the leading pioneers were Klagshamn Vineyard, Doman Sanana and Ahus Vineyard looking to create a new style in unexplored terroirs.
Supplementary to that was research of the Scandinavian region. Jeppe Appelin from Vejby Vingard (the first grape grower on the Bjare peninsula, southern Sweden) wholeheartedly agrees that it was, and is, a pioneering industry which required an “understanding and in-depth research, some 20 years ago, of how they were able to grow grapes in a similar climate such as Denmark”. The view being if Denmark can make wine then why can’t Sweden?
Fast forward to 2006, the Swedish Board of Agriculture stated there were just four companies selling self-produced wine. Now, according to Piwi International there are around 50 commercial vineyards, equating to nearly 200 hectares of vineyards. The rapid rise in development has seen the establishment, two years ago of the SBOV, Sweden’s Branch Organisation for Oenology & Viticulture with PGI approvals to follow.
Which grapes are grown in Sweden?
PIWIs are the key here. PIWI is a German term, "Pilzwiderstandsfahige Reben" which stands for fungus resistant grape varieties. Magnus Oscarsson at Flyinge Vingard claims it is these PIWIs that has established Sweden on the international wine map.
He explains: “The dominating grape today in Sweden is Solaris, a PIWI Solaris. It needs less spraying which is hugely positive and more agriculturally friendly and it also ripens each year, with a great profile and good acidity too.”
Previously in the Swedish wine movement the grape that was used the most was the blue grape, that of Rondo, which we see today in cool climate areas such as the UK.
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