The Nobel Banquet honours a Swedish white wine

Immelen 2022 illustrates the premiumisation of Nordic wines

For the first time in its history, the prestigious Nobel Banquet will showcase a Swedish wine served with the main course. In 2025, guests will have the opportunity to discover Immelen 2022, the flagship cuvée of Kullabergs Vingård, located in Skåne in southern Sweden. This marks a symbolic and historic recognition for a vineyard that remains relatively young, yet is already firmly committed to excellence.

Until now, Sweden’s presence at the Nobel Banquet table had been limited to an ice cider served with dessert. The choice of a still wine, and moreover a white wine, represents a double break with tradition, as the main course is usually paired with a red. For Victor Dahl, CEO of Kullabergs Vingård, this selection represents “far more than a ceremonial honour. It recognises nearly twenty years of foundational work.” The estate’s first vines were planted in 2006, while its current structure truly took shape over the past decade, driven by “a clear ambition to place Sweden on the global map of quality wine.
From the outset, Kullabergs Vingård chose to work with winemakers and oenological consultants with solid international experience. The estate has also recently invested in an ultra-modern wooden winery, which was nominated for the Swedish Wood Award 2024, highlighting its commitment to sustainable architecture and landscape integration. Immelen, the estate’s flagship wine, has already gained international recognition. The 2021 vintage notably achieved the highest score at The Swedish Wine Tasting 2024, a comparative tasting bringing together Swedish and international wines of similar style and price range, assessed by a jury of sommeliers and industry professionals.

The 2022 vintage, which will be served at the Nobel Banquet, is described by winemaker Nicola D’agostini as “one of the most homogeneous produced to date. Climatic conditions allowed for an optimal balance between sunshine and rainfall, without major hazards, encouraging full ripeness of the grapes, particularly Solaris.”
Today, the wine shows “harmonious fruit, with well-integrated oak and an ample, rounded mouthfeel. Immelen 2022 is a blend dominated by Solaris at 87 percent, complemented by Souvignier Gris and Muscaris. These PIWI varieties, resistant to fungal diseases, are particularly well suited to Nordic conditions and fully align with the estate’s sustainable viticulture approach. Situated at the foothills of the rocky Kullaberg peninsula, in close proximity to the sea, the vineyard benefits from a climate moderated by maritime influences and long summer days conducive to ripening.

The future of Kullabergs Vingård looks ambitious. This year, Helena Lindberg joined the team as co-winemaker alongside Nicola D’agostini, bringing more than twenty years of international experience, most recently gained at Biserno in Tuscany. A further four hectares will be planted next year, while the new winery, designed to the latest oenological standards, offers a production capacity of 100,000 bottles. Together, these developments underline the determination of Swedish wine to secure a lasting place on the international wine scene.