July 26 – Only two hours on Swedish soil, and what do I find in a magazine on tourist attractions in Swedens southernmost province Skåne, lying around in our B&B? An article on winegrowers in a place called Mjölkalånga, near Hovdala Castle and Lake Finjasjön. I am on holiday in Sweden, expecting nothing on the wine experience scale, but the first thing I read about is a vineyard. Or vingård, as the Swedish say. Well, expecting nothing is not completely true. I have an appointment on August 1 at Blaxta Vineyard, near Flen, owned by Göran Amnegård. But about that fantastic experience I will tell you later.
Here’s the article on the winegrowers in Mjölkalånga, complete, just to give you an impression on how things are changing in the world. Skåne is roughly on the 55th latitude, and since vine growing is supposed only to take place between 30° N and 50° N, you can draw the conclusions yourselves (our climate IS changing!).
The sun is shining on the southwestern slope, the cool breeze blows through the metre-high vines, and the extensive views in the background take in Hovdala Castle and Lake Finjasjön. “Almost more beautiful than Tuscany, isn’t it?” smiles Pär Fredholm, new winegrower together with his sister Katarina, two brothers Micke and Pether, and their families.
It is two years since the siblings had the idea of starting Fredholms Vinträdgård. They have planted 400 vines with black and with grapes. The well-known grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are not viable on the 55th latitude, but Rondo, Solaris, and Siramé are. They have a shorter growing season and bud later. They also survive extreme cold, down to 25-30 degrees below zero. An important factor in this context is that Mjölkalånga has four hours more sun per day in summer than locations in Italy.
This year will be the first time the siblings harvest their grapes and, if everything, goes well, they will produce between 40 and 50 litres of red and white wine in bottles labelled ‘Fredholms vin’.
Fredholms is one of five (! mb) vineyards in Green Skåne. The other are Gabriels Vingård in Åhuskärr south of Åhus, Nordanvik Domaine in Näsum, Vingården in Åhus and Åsum Crest in Norra Åsum, south of Kristianstad.
As of today, Wijnkronieken will publish more internationally oriented articles in English. Reactions welcome!