After a fantastic day on the BjĂ€re Peninsula with visits to Vejby and Ljungbyholm vineyards which you can read about here we took a day to visit cosy Ăngelholm and continental Helsingborg before it was time to test two new wineries. This was also the weekend when the farm sales for alcohol would start in Sweden, which is why the weekend was characterised by a certain excitement and premiere spirit. Great to be part of it!
After arriving at Arild's vineyard where we would park the motorhome for the night, we jumped on the bikes and pedalled off to Kullaberg for lunch and a vineyard walk. The distance between Kullaberg and Arild is only a few kilometres so it is easy to cycle. Between the two farms you will also find the barbeque restaurant Holy Smoke if you are hungry for barbecue for lunch or dinner. We looked in as quickly as possible and then saw that there was a Kamado course going on, that is, a course in how to grill with a kamado grill. So not just food on the agenda.
Kullaberg vineyard
As I said, we pedalled on because we had booked lunch at Kullaberg's vineyard. We had an excellent meal and were each served a good glass of white wine. Sitting and munching on a tarte flambée in the early summer warm greenhouse made me a little extra hungry for our upcoming trip to Alsace.
Full and satisfied, it was time for the first vineyard tour of the day. We started with a glass of bubbly out by the vines and a knowledgeable guide led us through the wine's path from grape to finished wine. Throughout the tour we got to taste several of their wines, and the tour ended in the distillery where we got to taste their various distillates. I may not be a big fan of spirits, but it's still fun to use what is left over after the winemaking. We saw that almost all wineries have a small distillery adjacent to the farm. The tasting then ended with a peek into the upcoming farm shop. However, this was the day before the day. The next day, at 08:00 sharp, the owner of the farm would write the knowledge test, which was the final part of the processing for the sales licence.
Arild's vineyard
Back at Arild, we had time to land at the motorhome and enjoy the sun a little before it was time for the next vineyard tour. We had booked their motorhome package with tour, dinner, wines and breakfast. Accommodation was available at their nice caravan park. By the way, it is something we have seen more of lately, that restaurants that are a bit remote also offer parking. Smart and nice, we think, as we like to find the little gems in the countryside.
The tour was led by one of the farm's owners, Jonas Ivarsson, who told the story of how he and his wife found the old farm with its SkÄne barns and fell in love with the place. The houses were in a state of disrepair and it took many years of renovation and refurbishment before the farm could be used properly. In 2007, the first vines were planted and soon a restaurant was opened. The business was then complemented by a hotel.
"It was just as well, because we needed somewhere to use the surplus heat from the wine-making process. Then we could take the opportunity to heat some hotel rooms too," says Jonas, laughing.
The winery is imbued with smart solutions like this to run a smart and sustainable business. In Sweden, only so-called PIWI grapes are used for winemaking, grapes that are specially bred for colder climates and to be resistant to pests and fungal attacks that would otherwise require heavy spraying. For the remaining problems, good solutions need to be found. One example is to control ladybirds with chickens, or to let small sheep graze weeds and fertilise the vines. Why mini-sheep, you may ask? So that they don't reach up and munch on the grapes, of course.
The tour continued down to the winery and wine cellar. Here we got to taste a wine that was well on its way to becoming a fresh bubble. Exciting to taste a wine in the middle of the process!
Dinner was served in the rustic and cosy restaurant, where we really got to see that the farm is a family business. Jonas himself had jumped out of his wellies and laced up his serving apron to serve the evening's guests. Even some of the children stepped in and especially the youngest served the dinner with a seriousness and seriousness that only a child can perform. đ
The food had a local touch and, for example, the starter consisted of tomatoes from the area and the main course was chicken from the BjÀre Peninsula. Of course, the farm's own wine was served, for the starter we got a fresh and fruity Solaris Muscaris which became my favourite. The main course was washed down with a Pinot Noir, Mary's hill and for dessert we got a botrytised Solaris, Sweet sun. All these wines went home with us at the farm sale the next day.
Premiere of yard sales
Now it was finally time for the day that all Swedish winegrowers had been waiting for, the premiere of the farm sale. Kullaberg had gone all out, the county governor was cutting the ribbon and wine guru Mikael Mölstad was invited. Here in HöganÀs municipality, they had long been prepared for the administrative process that was required and all the papers were ready in advance. All that remained was the written knowledge test, and early on Sunday morning the municipal building opened to a number of excited examinees ready to be put to the test. So how did they do? Well, of course, these skilful winemakers passed the tests and at ten o'clock both Arild and Kullaberg were able to open their shops, congratulations to you both!
Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to go back to Kullaberg on Sunday, but above are a couple of pictures from when we got to peek into their nice store the day before opening.
Below you can see Arild's shop on the opening day. Here there was a countdown to ten as on New Year's Eve and then it was full speed towards the cash register. The pressure on Kulla Peninsula's farm shops must have been hard because the card machines collapsed right away, but soon the roll was in full swing again. We got our ration bought and could then head home after a real super weekend filled with exciting wine experiences and good food. It was also amazing to meet all these people, so passionate about their craft. When we planned our tour, we first thought that it might be a bit monotonous with four wineries, but nothing could be more wrong. The four farms we visited were all so different and unique that each visit was a completely different experience, all equally exciting and interesting.
Here you can see a picture of how happy we were after our purchases. đ The link is to Mikael Mölstad's newsletter Good News.
Before I finish, I just want to recommend that you don't forget to take a walk in the neighbourhood of the vineyards. The Kulla Peninsula is an incredibly beautiful area and we took a lovely evening walk before it was time to return to the motorhome for a good night's sleep.
