Page 18 - Naked Foodies - July 2021

All wine regions are influenced by their climatic circumstances and varieties grown are chosen to best fit those circumstances. Sunlight hours and rain are important as well as is the quality and composition of the soil where the vines anchor themselves. To give a short summary the northern part of Europe was actually quite warm, and dry, around 1000 years ago. Then irregular weather patterns followed and leading into what came to be known as “the little Ice Age” which lasted approximately 500 years. Temperatures then started rising again, add to this abundant sunlight during the growing season, and the circumstances become favourable both for quality and quantity. However, it is not only climate that influence what, when and where grapes are grown. The politic and economic circumstances make a huge impact as well.
Sweden is a monopoly-country when it comes to retail sales and distribution but after joining the EU in 1995 private companies gained the right to import wine onto the market.
The system might seem complicated for those not familiar with it and in many aspects it is. For many years the debate around whether the monopoly is a good way of selling alcohol to consumers, or not, often leads to heated discussions amongst consumers. Swedish wine producers can sell their wines through the monopoly or serve them at cellar door, with food, if they have the license to do so. Bringing a few bottles home is, however, not allowed.
Around 100 hectares of vines are planted with vines in Sweden where over half is found in the southern parts, mostly near water. Water has a mitigating effect on the overall climate as well as hindering frost during the crucial period of the growing cycle. When speaking with winemaker K Felix G Åhrberg at Kullabergs vingård the picture of Swedish wine growing becomes clearer. He explains that their vineyard not only enjoys 25% more sunlight hours than Bordeaux, but the soils are some of the oldest and healthiest in the world. A composition of sand, clay and Kullait mineral.
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