Blueberry wine, the next big Swedish export

At Idunn Norsjö Wine & Co in the tiny village of Norsjö in Västerbotten, Rålund and Bergskär wine are developing in three fermentation tanks. Rålund is made from blueberries and Bergskär from lingonberries. A sample of raspberry wine awaits bottling.
Yes, you read correctly. This wine is produced with Swedish berries. The wines are new products that may well put Norrland in Sweden’s north on the map for food and drink enthusiasts.
Many older Swedes can probably tell stories about how they used to made window or solar wine. It was fermented black currants or blueberries which were crushed and put in water. Every day, a little sugar was added, all the way into December. The wine would be ready in time for Lucia.
The window wine was fermented by sunlight to speed up the process whereby the berry's natural yeast helped turn sugar into alcohol. The process was difficult to control, however, and the finished sun wine received varied sweetness and acidity.
It was with solar wine in mind that Li Holberg and Lars Normark started to think about whether it wouldn’t be possible to make blueberry wine. In the fall of 2012, a year with record numbers of blueberries, Lars prepared the first batch of blueberry wine in the laundry room at his home in the village of Rålund outside Svansele, Västerbotten. The experiment turned out well; all their taste-testing friends and acquaintances were enthusiastic about the taste.
Starting out
In 2013, it was time to present the wine to sommeliers and wine connoisseurs. From them, Li and Lars received confirmation that they had produced a brand new wine with development potential. They invested in learning as much as they could about wine production, both in the Nordic countries and in Italy, and Lars worked on getting a degree in oenology.
In 2017 in Norsjö, northwest of Skellefteå, they found a location that suited the business, and Idunn Norsjö Wine & Co was founded. Li and Lars installed their filtration and bottling machines as well as the large steel tanks where 350 gallons of wine can ferment simultaneously.
The building once housed a jam factory, and it was easy to maintain a consistent temperature all year round in the basement. New for this year is also an air conditioner that ensures the wine has optimal conditions during fermentation.
Both bottling and labeling are done by hand on the company's premises. The bottles are purchased from Italy, as there is still no Swedish glassworks that can supply the quantity and quality that Idunn Norsjö Wine & Co is demanding. The label designs were created by Skellefteå artist Staffan Lidman.
Expert help from Canada
Lars and Li contacted a Canadian wine expert who had experience in producing wine with Canadian blueberries. Alexandra, a master of viticulture, a sommelier and pharmacologist, confirmed what Li and Lars thought: that the Nordic blueberries hold a particular quality suitable for wine production.
The Swedish berries are small and thus the amount of peel in each batch becomes large. And it is in the skin that the tannins sit; the tannins are what give the wine its characteristic vigor.
In December 2018, the first three wines were ready for sale, Rålund Classic, Rålund Exclusive and Rålund Norrsken. Classic has a youthful taste with berry tones. Exclusive has the taste of berries, plums and minerals—it was stored with oak wood chips. Norrsken “Northern Lights” is a spicy aperitif or dessert wine.
Resource wise production
Unlike grapes, lingonberries and blueberries grow naturally in the forest. Grapes must be grown, that is, watered, fertilized and sprayed. The berries that the winery in Norsjö uses grow on so-called organic land, where the forest has not been harvested in five years.
"The fact that the berry grows wild means the impact on the environment from the total production chain is clearly less compared to traditional wine production of grapes. And we are proud to refine the raw materials available at this location,” says Li.
Another great advantage of making blueberry wine is that it works well to use frozen berries. That way, they can keep production running in all seasons, unlike winemakers using grapes: “Their production is usually only up and running a few weeks a year. We can produce wine all year round, and we become less sensitive to when nature gives bad harvests,” says Lars.
Controlled process
During the fermentation process, acid, alcohol and sugar levels are continuously measured and analyzed in the certified laboratory. Through collaboration with Alexandra, Li and Lars have refined the process and learned about how the berries react in different temperatures. The taste is best developed in a natural fermentation process, not unlike that of the old solar wine.
Unlike traditional wine production from grapes, where the skins are removed before fermentation, the Nordic berry skins are included throughout the process when making blueberry wine. The wine is filtered only before bottling. Blueberry wines can definitely win on storage but are tasty right after fermentation and bottling, unlike most wines from grapes.
New exciting products
Li and Lars are in the process of creating new wines. In May 2019, just before the Swedish rosé drinking season, the company launched Bergskär, a dry lingonberry rosé.
"The lingonberry rosé wine received many favorable reviews. Systembolaget wanted to buy the whole production at once, but we chose to put the wine among the order items so that interested buyers across the country can get hold of it,” says Li.
This autumn, another blueberry wine is being launched—Rålund Superior, stored on oak barrels in order to get a really full and complex taste. Only 500 bottles are made of this particular wine, and you can only get one bottle via advance reservation.
The next exciting wine will be Rålund Drottningvin, a blend of blueberry wine and self-produced raspberry wine. The first batch of raspberry wine was completed in June 2019, so now it remains to get the right mix. Drottningvinet, “the Queen’s Wine,” is expected to be ready for sale in the fall of 2020.
Constant development
In addition to practical experience, Li and Lars are constantly gathering new knowledge. This spring, Li began working with a mentor through the Royal Forest and Agricultural Academy, KSLA. The academy has a mentoring program for people who work in various fields of forestry and farming, and Li’s mentor specializes in environment and quality.
The capacity of the winery has also increased. Three new tanks were recently installed, and together with the 2,650 gallons (10,000 liters) produced so far, another 5,300 gallons of wine will bring the annual production close to 8,000 gallons.
Bright future for world class wine
Sole Swedish distributor Systembolaget chose to sell Rålund Exclusive in its 15 premium stores around the country. Li and Lars take it as confirmation that the wine they produce is of really high quality.
At the Royal Academy of Forestry and Agricultural Academy's rally in January 2019, Rålund Exclusive was served during the dinner for 640 people in Stockholm City Hall. As of this summer, wines from Rålund are on the wine list at several restaurants in Skellefteå, at Stockholm City Hall and the classic restaurant Sturehof.
"The next goal is for our wine to be included on the Nobel Dinner. We are working toward making world class wine that will eventually become known outside Sweden's borders,” says Li.
Text by Gunilla Blixt
Photo by Bo Blixt
SIDEBARS:
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Facts about blueberry wine
Homemade blueberry wine is made by pouring boiling water over the purified berries to remove bacteria and yeast fungi. Then you add sugar syrup and wine yeast at regular intervals.
Not only is Idunn Norsjö Wine & Co producing blueberry wine in Sweden, but their products are also on Systembolaget's list.
There is farm production at several locations in the country and a few other companies are in the process of starting production. Since alcoholic beverages must be sold in Sweden through Systembolaget, you cannot buy blueberry wine on the farms. Most farms still have a relatively small production and therefore do not qualify for Systembolaget's list.
If, on the other hand, you want a low-alcohol blueberry meal drink, there are different varieties to buy in farm stores around the country and in more exclusive grocery stores. In the Systembolaget's assortment, for example, Saxhytttegubbens Blåbär is 100% from Saxhytte Gård three hours west of Stockholm, with 0.1% alcohol.
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Systembolaget
colloquially known as systemet ("the system") or bolaget ("the company"), is a government-owned chain of liquor stores in Sweden. It is the only retail store allowed to sell alcoholic beverages containing more than 3.5% alcohol by volume. The company’s Responsibility report states it “exists for one reason: To minimize alcohol-related problems by selling alcohol in a responsible way, without profit motive.” Thus, Systembolaget makes regular ads focused on the negative side effects of drinking, and the encouragement of drinking moderately. Serving a market of 10 million Swedes, Systembolaget is one of the world's largest buyers of wine and spirits from producers around the world. The company size allows it to offer many great wines at lower prices than elsewhere in the world. For more info, see www.systembolaget.se
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Idunn Norsjö Wine & Co will be in New York with 16 other companies from northern Sweden between November 18-23 under the umbrella Arctic Design of Sweden. Partnering with Gateway, The Swedish American Chamber of Commerce NY, a showroom will be set up at the Gateway offices in Midtown Manhattan. Other than wine you’ll find Sami art and design but also Sigr bicycle clothing, Vemödalen Boots, Akenberg sunglasses, Hikki wood fired outdoor spas and much more from the north.
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Trivia: The original writer of the Millennium series, Stieg Larsson was born on August 15, 1954, in Skelleftehamn, Sweden but until the age of nine he lived with his grandparents near the village of Bjursele near Norsjö, a village he includes in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
Lars Normark sampling during the fermentation process.
Blueberries with skin in the fermentation tank.
Oak barrels with the upcoming Rålund Superior.
Li Holmberg serving a raspberry wine, one of the ingredients for the Drottningvin, the "Queen's Blend."
The four wines now available through the Systembolaget: Rålund Classic, Rålund Exclusive, Bergskär Rosé and the Rålund Norrsken.