Northern exposure: The emerging world of Scandinavian wine

Twenty years ago, suggesting Scandinavia as Europe’s next wine destination would have sounded wildly optimistic, laughable even.

Today, after walking through vineyards overlooking the Kattegat – the sea that separates Denmark and Sweden – tasting Solaris on one of Sweden’s endless summer evenings and standing among vines set against a backdrop of Norway’s dramatic fjords, the idea no longer feels improbable.

There’s an infectious and tangible energy surrounding Nordic wine. Unlike Europe’s historic regions, these vineyards carry little weight of tradition, with no centuries of inherited rules dictating which grapes should be planted or how wines should taste.

Instead, growers are writing the rulebook as they go, combining scientific innovation with remarkable determination.

Climate change has undoubtedly played a role. Longer growing seasons and milder autumns have made viticulture increasingly viable across southern Scandinavia, while more sophisticated Piwi grape varieties (disease-resistant hybrids developed for cooler climates) have expanded the possibilities for quality wine production.

Yet climate alone doesn’t explain the progress. Most Nordic wine-growers are first generation pioneers – former engineers, doctors, architects or entrepreneurs who simply refused to believe that great wine couldn’t be produced this far north.

Their enthusiasm is matched by a willingness to experiment.

A new wine culture

And now is the ideal time for curious wine lovers to explore these pioneering wines. Both Sweden and Denmark recently introduced legislation that allows producers to sell their own wines directly to visitors – a historic shift in countries where alcohol sales have traditionally been very tightly regulated.

In Sweden, where the Systembolaget retail monopoly remains intact, small wineries can now offer limited direct sales as part of guided educational experiences, bringing wine tourism into a new era.

Denmark has also embraced cellar door sales, creating stronger links between producers, local gastronomy and rural tourism.

Perhaps most exciting is the fact that Nordic wines are no longer trying to imitate Germany, Champagne or the Loire and beginning to express something entirely their own.

Consistently high quality remains a work in progress, but Scandinavia offers something increasingly rare: the excitement of watching a new wine culture take shape.

Denmark: The Nordic pioneer

Two decades ago, Denmark was widely considered too cold for serious wine production.

Today, it’s the Nordic country that has gone furthest in proving that quality wine can be made at high northern latitudes, boasting around 100 commercial wineries and more than 300ha under vine.

Vineyards are spread across Jutland, Funen, Zealand and Lolland-Falster, as well as the island of Bornholm, with some 1,500 hobby growers working alongside commercial producers.

‘The ambition has changed more than the climate,’ explains veteran Danish producer Jean Becker. ‘The average temperature from 15 March to 15 October has not changed dramatically in the last 30 years. We have more rain than before, but we understand much more about viticulture today.’

Piwis remain the foundation of the nation’s wine industry. Very few fungicides and no copper-based treatments are approved by the Danish authorities – as is also the case in Sweden and Finland – so wine-growing is strongly dependent on disease-tolerant cultivars.

In western Denmark, varieties such as Solaris (white) and Rondo (red) dominate plantings.

Solaris, in particular, has become almost synonymous with Danish wine, valued for its ability to ripen reliably while retaining freshness. But producers are already looking beyond the first generation of Nordic varieties.

‘Twenty years ago, we worked mainly with the black Rondo and Bolero,’ says Becker. ‘Today, the white Solaris is becoming much more important, and we are testing more sophisticated varieties.’

Several wineries are experimenting with newer mildew-resistant grapes and French-inspired crossings that combine the quality potential of Vitis vinifera with greater levels of resilience.

‘The old varieties are not necessarily the future,’ Becker adds. ‘After 20 years, some are no longer as resistant as they were. We will not be able to rely on copper treatments, so we need new solutions.’

Sparkling potential

Denmark’s cool climate, long summer days and naturally high acidity provide ideal conditions for sparkling wines.

‘Ten years ago, there were only four producers making traditional-method sparkling wine. Today, there are around 25,’ says Becker.

The comparison with England is inevitable: both countries have discovered that marginal climates can become an advantage when producing wines defined by freshness and precision.

Yet Denmark remains right at the climatic limit, and production isn’t always stable, Becker explains. Many wineries are still small, and investment remains more limited than in neighbouring Sweden.

High taxes and production costs also mean that Danish wines often compete at premium prices. Nevertheless, a younger generation is entering the sector with bigger ambitions.

‘Twenty years ago, people started with 200 vines. Today, young producers start with 2,000 and want to make a living from wine,’ says Becker. Helped by new opportunities for direct sales from wineries, more visitors can get to know Danish wine right where it’s made.

The question is no longer whether Denmark can make quality wine, but what its identity will become. Solaris and sparkling wine may be the foundation, but the search for a distinctive Danish style has only just begun.

Sweden: Finding its own voice

Until recently, visiting a Swedish winery always ended with the same frustration: you couldn’t buy the wines.

That changed in June 2025, when Sweden introduced a six-year trial of limited direct sales, allowing small producers to sell wine to visitors participating in guided tours and tastings. The Systembolaget monopoly remains, yet it marks a turning point.

By far the most important of Sweden’s roughly 50-strong commercially planted grape varieties is the Piwi Solaris, which accounts for about 77% of the country’s vines.

However, a growing number of producers are looking towards varieties of Vitis vinifera, including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

About 50 commercial vineyards now span 230ha, with almost half (44%) planning to expand over the next two years. Most are located in the southern region of Skåne, where long summer days, cool nights and Baltic sea influences favour cool-climate viticulture.

Among them is Kullabergs Vingård, founded by medical researcher and entrepreneur Björn Odlander and now one of northern Europe’s most ambitious wineries.

‘People used to tell us you can’t grow grapes among polar bears,’ says Odlander, pointing to his award-winning Solaris Immelen, which was served at the 2025 Nobel Prize banquet in Stockholm.

A maritime advantage

Winemaker Helena Lindberg returned to Sweden after more than 20 years at Antinori’s Tenuta di Biserno estate in Bolgheri, central Italy.

Although the growing season is much shorter than in Tuscany, ‘everything happens almost twice as fast’, she says. ‘We know we can produce outstanding white wines, but I believe the future for reds is exciting, too, especially the red Piwi Pinot Nova.’

At nearby Thora Vingård, Montpelliertrained French winemaker Emma Berto believes Sweden’s maritime climate is an unexpected advantage.

‘Our vineyards are only 500m from the sea. The wind carries sea salt, dries the canopy and reduces fungal pressure,’ she explains. Thora has planted Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gamay and Pinot Noir alongside Solaris.

‘We have to keep experimenting.’ At Halldora Vineyard, the von Koenigsegg family – famous for building super-fast hypercars – has planted 20ha of vines.

Working with South African winemaker Mia Fischer, they see wine as another way of investing in their region. What should Swedish wine taste like?

Judging by its producers’ confidence, the answer is only just beginning to emerge.

Norway & Finland: The final frontier

If Denmark represents the pioneer and Sweden the rising star, Norway and Finland are yet to establish themselves as recognised wine-producing nations on the international stage, and production remains tiny.

Better known for fjords, glaciers and mountains, Norway seems an unlikely home for grape growing. Yet in sheltered coastal locations and warmer inland valleys, a new generation of growers is pushing the boundaries.

‘Ten years from now, I think we will see a much more mature industry. It’s no longer only about sparkling wine,’ says oenologist Albert Schamaun, who has worked with Pinot Noir in Germany’s Ahr valley and now advises Norwegian producers.

With around 200 members in the Norwegian Grape Growers Association and just over 20 commercial producers, the industry remains small. Producers can’t currently sell directly from the cellar door due to strict alcohol legislation and the Vinmonopolet government monopoly, but are actively lobbying for change.

While the climate is becoming increasingly suitable for viticulture, cool temperatures and short growing seasons – though partially offset by long summer days – still demand careful vineyard decisions.

However, right now, Schamaun believes knowledge is the biggest limiting factor; courses and cooperation are helping local producers learn from their peers in France and Germany.

Again, Piwi varieties such as Solaris and Rondo dominate. However, Schamaun believes that classic varieties will eventually play a role, particularly for sparkling wine.

‘I recommend that producers put about 75% of their vineyards into safer varieties such as Solaris and Rondo, but keep experimenting with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay,’ he says.

The country’s cool climate naturally provides high acidity and freshness, while the dramatic landscapes, seafood and Viking heritage help boost wine tourism, Schamaun adds.

Finland, meanwhile, is following a similar path, although on an even smaller scale – here, growers are experimenting with cold-hardy varieties adapted to extreme conditions.

‘The most important thing is the willingness to go on the journey towards quality,’ says Schamaun. ‘We are no longer in the hobby phase. This is becoming serious.’

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