In the northern reaches of Europe, far from the traditional Mediterranean wine regions, a group of innovative winegrowers is exploring Sweden’s potential for wine production.
Lena Magnergård, a former political communicator, is one such pioneer. Together with her husband Erik Björkman, a farmer, they established a vineyard on Selaön, an island an hour west of Stockholm, in 2019.
This vineyard, regarded as Sweden’s northernmost, spans approximately one hectare of vines.
A Learning Phase in Viticulture
Despite producing their first wine three years ago, Magnergård acknowledges they are still in a learning phase. As a trained sommelier, he has found that while books offer valuable insights, they are no substitute for the generational knowledge found in traditional winemaking regions. To bridge this gap, Magnergård has turned to France and its rich winemaking traditions for guidance.
The expansion of viticulture in northern Europe, including Sweden, is partly due to the development of new grape varieties suited to cold climates. One such variety is Solaris, known for its disease resistance and ability to thrive in colder conditions with a shorter ripening cycle. These traits make Solaris ideal for the Nordic climate, where summers are brief and temperatures can be low. Magnergård cultivates Solaris on his estate, leveraging its resilience to establish a foothold in Swedish wine production.
Experimentation and Expansion
On the Bjäre peninsula in southern Sweden, another estate, Thora Vingård, also grows Solaris across its 11 hectares of vineyards. Established in 2015 by a Swedish-American couple, Thora Vingård experiments with more traditional grape varieties like Pinot Noir, notable for typically requiring warmer climates. French winegrower Romain Chichery, in partnership with Emma Berto, notes that the variety of grapes that can thrive in Sweden was unexpected. Chichery describes Sweden as “a new playground” for viticulture, with untapped potential waiting to be explored.
The growth of viticulture in Sweden is steadily expanding. Chichery even managed to convince a neighboring farmer to plant 200 feet of vines next to his dairy farm. Despite these advances, he acknowledges that there is still significant work to be done to enhance the quality of wine produced in the region.
Climate Change and New Frontiers
Climate change, which is affecting traditional wine regions, has prompted some professionals to consider northern Europe as a new frontier for viticulture. In Sweden, the wine sector remains small, with approximately 200 hectares under cultivation. Although this figure is double what it was five years ago, it is still tiny compared to the vast vineyards of countries like France.
Murre Sofrakis, a 56-year-old winemaker and a prominent figure in Swedish viticulture, owns a two-hectare vineyard in the south of the country. Sofrakis points out that there are two types of people in the sector: entrepreneurs who see an opportunity and those for whom viticulture is a way of life. One of the current barriers is Sweden’s alcohol sales system, which forces visitors to order wine through the state monopoly Systembolaget, limiting direct access. However, the Swedish government has announced plans to consider allowing direct sales on estates from 2025, with a limit of three liters of wine. Sofrakis believes that this measure will enable Swedish wine to compete on a level playing field with other producing countries.
Looking Ahead
Thora Vingård produced 10,000 bottles last year and aims to reach 20,000 bottles for the 2024 vintage. Although the industry is still in its infancy, there is growing interest and significant potential for the development of viticulture in Sweden. As climate change reshapes the landscape of wine production, Sweden’s winegrowers are not only adapting but also innovating, carving out a niche for Nordic wines in the global market.
Source: Vinetur