The Swedish Wine Tasting, putting Sweden on the wine map
Website: https://www.theswedishwinetasting.com/
The event that put Swedish wines on the map! At the end of August 2024 a group of tasters were gathered to taste Swedish wines blind, paired with international peers. This was dubbed the Swedish Wine Tasting, and it was the brainchild of Mikael Mölstad.
The 12 wines we tasted were selected from 87 wines from 27 wineries by a group of Swedish tasters back in June.
The tasting was held in Skåne, which the southernmost county of Sweden, just across from Copenhagen, and with Malmo as its main town. [It’s sometimes referred to as Scania in English.] This is an area of fertile soils and it’s mainly flat, with a few gentle hills. This is where 30% of Sweden’s food production is from, and 90% of Sweden’s apples are grown here. It’s now the centre of the young but growing wine industry, with 25 vineyards, largely on the western and eastern sides of Skåne with the moderating influence of the sea.
Here I am publishing my own ratings of the wines we tasted, and then following this I’ve included the official results of the tasting, pooling the ratings from all 18 tasters. Some things to note. These notes and scores were written without knowledge of any of the wines in the tasting – we’d just been told there were 12 Swedish wines and 12 international wines. I haven’t edited the notes or changed any of the scores in light of the reveal.
They were served in flights of four, and we had plenty of time to taste. In retrospect I think that some of my scores were perhaps on the mean side, and that as I was tasting I was being quite analytical and critical – perhaps more than I usually would. But there’s certainly and honesty to these scores.
A film of the Swedish Wine Tasting 2024:
Of course, these are just my notes. I also filled in the scores for the competition, where we were given a check list on which we were to score the wines on different attributes. Together, these produce a score out of 100, but this will be much lower than we’d normally give as critics using the 100 point scale. I’ve published below the group scores and rankings to which I contributed, plus a full list of the tasters. These are the official results of the tasting, and when they were revealed the evening of the event, there was a lot of excitement among the Swedish winegrowers, journalists, buyers and trade folk because many of the Swedish wines did very well. This was such an interesting exercise to be involved with.
In following articles I’ll write in more depth about the growing wine scene in Sweden, with write ups of visits to seven producers.
Flight One
Flädie Vingård Ebba Renässans Brut 2019 Sweden
Distinctive aromatics with a herbal edge and some green notes as well as bright fruit. The palate shows herbs, some weedy notes, and taut lemony fruit, with some earthy undertones. Nice fruit here but there are some distinctive savoury undertones that are a distraction. 83/100
Langham Culver Classic Cuvée Extra Brut NV England
Smoky, toasty, spicy nose with some burnt sugar and citrus fruit. The palate has some richness with spicy depth to the pear and citrus fruit. Nice concentration and depth here with a savoury, toasty, spicy edge to the fruit. Satisfying if not completely pure. 87/100
Ästad Vingård Mousserande NV 2020 Sweden
Fruity and bright on the nose with lime and pear as well as a touch of grapiness. The palate is pure, fruity and direct with some pear and lemon notes and nice bright acidity. Fruit-driven and lively with a hint of aniseed and some taut lemony fruit on the finish. 88/100
Recaredo Terrers Corpinnat Brut Nature 2019 Spain
Light in body this has appealing lemon and melon fruit with nice texture. The palate has nice fruit with a slightly resiny finish and some sour cherry notes, but the main theme is pear, almond, green apple and lemon. Some savoury toasty notes in the background. Nice balance here. 88/100
Flight 2
Santa Lucia Franciacorta Brut NV Italy
Bright lime and toast on the nose with nice fruity focus, but also some toast and spice. The palate is pure and linear with lovely depth and some fine spicy detail to the pear, citrus and peach fruit, with some toastiness too. Finishes with a little sweetness. 90/100
Kullabergs Vingård Josefinelust ZD 2019 Sweden
Highly aromatic: very fruity and grapey with some lychee notes. It smells sweet. In the mouth this is bright, pure and fruity with grapey richness, a touch of sweetness, and then some bitter notes on the finish providing a foil. Very terpenic, quite unusual, but with some appeal to it. 88/100
Ästad Vingård Mousserande Vintage 2020 Sweden
Smoky, spicy nose is quite savoury with some taut citrus fruit. The palate is quite tight and reductive with a mineral, spicy undertone to the bright lemony fruit with some melon richness but then a short, acidic finish. This is a little disjointed. 83/100
Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Collection Organic Extra Brut NV France
Smoky, toasty nose is quite mineral with some savoury, woody notes in the mix. The palate has nice density with a twist of sour cherry, some lemon, nice spicy detail and a reasonable degree of harmony. The sweet and savoury notes mesh well here, and it has a nice finely spiced finish with some nuts and honey joining in. 89/100
Flight 3
Flädie Vingård Midnattssol NV Sweden
Good concentration here with bright, slightly pithy, rich pear and peach fruit with some lemony notes on the finish. Lots of flavour here, ranging from richer fruitier notes to keen lemony acidity. Nice density and complexity. 90/100
Veyder-Malberg Liebedich Grüner Veltliner 2022 Wachau, Austria
There’s a stony, mineral edge here to the bright lemon and pear fruit. Midweight and supple with nice acidity, pure fruit and then a wet stone/mineral character that’s quite pronounced. Has good energy. 88/100
Kullabergs Vingård Askesäng 2021 Sweden
Pronounced aromatics of table grapes, lychee and smoky bacon, with a sweetness to them. The palate is broad, terpenic and full flavoured with lychee, Turkish delight, table grapes and then some nice bitter phenolic characters giving balance. Softly textured with moderate acidity and a slight savouriness on the finish. 89/100
Bott-Geyl Les Elements Pinot Gris 2018 Alsace, France
This has a savoury, mineral edge to the nose with some smoky, toasty detail and bright fruit. The palate is quite rich and has sweet fruit with ripe melon and pear notes as well as a soft, sweet finish, and some subtle notes of cabbage and pastry. Finishes sweet and melony. 87/100
Flight 4
Flädie Vingård Four Barrels Barrique 2023 Sweden
Nice fruit presence here: pure with some pretty pear and peach notes, as well as good acidity. Quite floral with nice depth of flavour, showing some spiciness on the finish. Easy and approachable, with sweet fruit the main theme. 88/100
Lottenlund Estate Lotima Selense 2021 Sweden
Zesty and bright with a vibrant pithy edge to the sweet pear fruit, with some aniseed and warm spiciness. Has a tart lemony edge. Lovely fruit-driven mid-palate with intense zesty fruit covering a wide dynamic range, from melon to sweet plum, to pear, to lime, to grapefruit pith. Pretty and expressive. 88/100
Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé 2022 France
Spicy, mineral edge to the nose which shows bold, sweet fruit. The palate is dense with a nice savoury twist to the rich lemon, melon and peach fruit, with a touch of apricot, too. A rich but balanced white wine of real appeal. Finishes with some fine spicy detail. 91/100
Flädie Vingård Aniara Barrique 2019 Sweden
Sweetly aromatic with some spice, marmalade and melon, combining sweet and savoury. The palate is fresh and expressive with nice acidity and some complex toast and wood notes, with keen acidity on the finish. Nicely complex with a savoury twist to the well balanced fruit, finishing with some vanilla sweetness. 90/100
Flight 5
Kullabergs Vingård Immelen 2021 Sweden
This is highly aromatic with sweet grape and Turkish delight notes as well as some apricot and spice. The palate is dry and fruity, with some exotic apricot notes as well as a nice spicy overlay. Tastes like a dry Sauternes. Really delicious and rich. 92/100
António Maçanita Arinto dos Açores Sur Lie 2020 Pico, Açores, Portugal
Highly aromatic, spicy nose with a savoury twist and bright citrus fruit. The palate shows high acidity with nice complexity. Has keen lemon and lime notes but also some marmalade/orange peel and mineral spicy notes. Finishes firm. 89/100
Barco del Corneta Verdejo 2019 Rueda, Spain
Nice fruit here: pear, citrus, some white peach. Has a broad palate with some melony richness, but also some more compact pear and citrus fruit. Nice weight and balance, with some spicy detail on the finish. 88/100
J M Brocard Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre 2021 France
Has some honey, toast and sweet pear and table grape character on the nose. The palate is sweetly fruited with a touch of apricot and spice, but also lots of fleshy fruit with a hint of jellyish character. Very appealing in this richly fruity style – it reminds me of some hybrids I’ve tried from New York State. 86/100
Flight 6
Flädie Vingård Aniara Renässans 2023 Sweden
This is lively, bright, pure and quite mineral with nice intensity of citrus fruit. Lovely acidity keeps things fresh. Nice energy to the crisp fruit here, with good purity. Really lovely fruit presence. 91/100
Terlan Winkl Sauvignon Blanc 2023 Alto Adige, Italy
Nice fleshy fruit here to this pure, well-balanced white wine. Has bright pear, cherry and peach fruit with good acidity and nice fruit purity. Pithy and bright with good intensity of fruit, finishing lemony and a bit exotic. 90/100
Klagshamns Vingård Inkognito 2022 Sweden
Fruity and melony with nice depth to it. Rich and quite exotic, with some pear and pineapple, as well as a slight jellyish edge to the fruit, and then it finishes with a touch of aspirin and some lemony brightness. There’s some rich fruit here, with real appeal. 88/100
Weingut Tement Gelber Muskateller Sand & Schiefer 2021 Austria
Bright, transparent aromatics of lemon, melon, fine herbs and some juicy mandarin. The palate is fruity but has a hint of cleaning products about it: overtly fruity, floral notes but with a sweet chemical edge to them. Tart but also sweet and grapey. Slightly disjointed. 83/100
THE OFFICIAL RESULTS
Place, origin, Wine, Vineyard, Scoring point out of 100
1. Sweden, Immelen 2021, Kullabergs Vingård, 81,81
2. France, Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé 2022, Louis Jadot, 81,00
3. England, Classic Cuvée Extra Brut, Langham Culver, 80,81
4. France, NV Collection Organic Extra Brut, Nicolas Feuillatte, 80,69
5. Italy, Franciacorta Brut, Santa Lucia, 80,63
6. Sweden, Midnattssol, Flädie Vingård, 80,63
7. Sweden, Aniara Renässans 2023, Flädie Vingård, 77,44
8. Sweden, Askesäng 2021, Kullabergs Vingård, 77,31
9. France, Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre J M Brocard 2021, Chablis, 75,81
10. Portugal, Arinto dos Acores Sur Lie, Antonio Macanita, 75,50
11. Spain, 2019 Barco del Corneta (Verdejo), Barco del Corneta, 75,25
12. Sverige, Lotima Selense 2021, Lottenlund Estate, 74,44
13. Österrike, Wachauer Liebedich Grüner Veltliner 2022, Veyder-Malberg, 73,38
14. Sverige, Four Barrels Barrique 2023, Flädie Vingård, 72,63
15. Sverige, Aniara Barrique 2019, Flädie Vingård, 71,75
16. Sverige, Mousserande NV 2020, Ästad Vingård, 70,69
17. Sverige, Inkognito, Klagshamns Vingård, 70,69
18. Italien, Winkl Sauvignon blanc 2023, Winkl, 69,75
19. Spanien, Terrers Corpinnat Brut Nature 2019, Recaredo, 69,63
20. Frankrike, Bott-Geyl Les Elements Pinot Gris 2018, Bott-Geyl , 69,63
21. Österrike, Weingut Tement Gelber Muskateller Sand & Schiefer 2021, Weingut Tement, 69,50
22. Sverige, Josefinelust ZD 2019, Kullabergs Vingård, 68,94
23. Sverige, Mousserande Vintage 2020, Ästad Vingård, 67,50
24. Sverige, Ebba Renässans Brut 2019, Flädie Vingård, 65,44
The wine experts in The Swedish Wine Tasting 2024
- Raimonds Tomsons, World’s Best Sommelier 2023 (LT)
- Pascaline Lepeltier MS, sommelier/author (US)
- Marc Almert, World’s Best Sommelier 2019 (DE)
- Heidi Mäkinen, MW, wine buyer (FI)
- Jamie Goode, Wine Writer, Wineanorak.com (UK)
- Robert Joseph, Wine Writer, Meininger’s Int (UK)
- Julia Harding, MW, Wine Writer at Jancis Robinson (UK)
- Piotr Kamecki, President Association de la Sommellerie Europe (PL)
- Darrel Joseph, Wine Writer (SE/DE)
- Merete Bø, Wine Writer, Dagens Næringsliv, Sommelier Champion (NO)
- Andreas Larsson, World’s Best Sommelier 2007 (SE)
- Rubén Sanz Ramiro MS, Wine Director (SE)
- Maya Samuelsson, Sommelier Educator, Swesomm (SE)
- Janni Berndt Dahl, Chairman of the Swedish Sommelier Organization (SE)
- Mats Lindelöw, Chairman of the Wine tasting organization Munskänkarna (SE)
- Per Styregård, Journalist, Chairman of SVF, the Swedish Wine Writer’s Guild (SE)
- Johan Magnusson, Owner av Magnusson Fine Wine (SE)
- Helena Lindberg, winemaker (SE)
SWEDISH WINE
- The Swedish Wine Tasting 2024
- Thora Vingård
- Ljungbyholms Vingård
- Arilds Vingård
- Kullabergs Vingård
- Lottenlund Estate
- Skepparps Vingård
- Flyinge Vingård
- Jesper Friberg
- Flädie Mat & Vingård
