The Wine Industry in Denmark

F A C U L T Y O F S C I E N C E U N I V E R S I T Y O F C O P E N H A G E N Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences Danish Vineyards Association The wine industry in Denmark Author: Jean R. Becker and Torben B. Toldam-Andersen 1President Danish Wine Vineyards Association, Contact: +45 40605755, [email protected] 2Associate Prof. in Fruit Science, Copenhagen University, Contact: + 45 35333411, [email protected] Commercial production of wine has by EU law been allowed in Denmark since 2000. A large number of hobby growers had already started wine growing in the early 1990’ies and established the Danish Vineyards Association (DVA) in 1993. 8 growers were fast to register as commercial producers and an industry has been emerging since then with about 90 commercial producers in 2012. By 1 April 2012 the DVA had 1430 members. Of these 41 are from the other Scandinavian countries and 1329 members are hobby growers. The 20 largest producers have about 60% of the total area with the biggest ones having about 5 ha each and the remaining growers have mostly between 500 and 2000 plants. The production receive no EU or Governmental support. Commercial vines grown in western parts of DK Danish vineyards are wide spread in the country but Commercial vines grown in eastern parts of DK Blue Cultivars Green Cultivars are predominantly close to the coastline and on the Blue cultivars Green cultivars Rondo 57% Solaris 40% islands. Location of major vineyards are indicated. Rondo 48 % Solaris 19% Regent 14% Ortega 15% Regent 14 % Orion 17% Leon Millot 13 % Ortega 11% Leon Millot 13% Orion 13% Cabernet Cortis 11 % Zalas Perle 12% Cabernet Cortis 6% Madeleine Angevine 8% Castel 3 % Phönix 7% Castel 4% Zalas Perle 7% Frühburgunder 3 % Chardonnay 5% Frühburgunder 3% Johanitter 4% Bolero 1 % Lucie Kühlman 5% Bolero 1% Bianca 3% Madeleine Angevine 4% Acc. % of total 95% Acc. % of total: 90% Acc. % of total: 93 % Acc. % of total: 80% Total m 2 planted 112.000 Total m2 planted 84.000 Total m 2 planted 219.500 Total m2 planted 106.000 Jutland Of these: Funen 31.000 Funen 39.000 570 hobby growers Bornholm 42 commercial 10 hobby growers, 2 commercial Jutland 81.000 Jutland 45.000 A high number of cultivars are tested (almost The development in registered 70) with the with the blue cultivar ‘Rondo’ as commercial growers in DK the dominant one. Among the green cultivars Zealand + Lolland/Falster 100 558 hobby growers ‘Solaris’ is the most important. Red wine Funen 40 commercial production has initially been very dominating, 90 189 hobby growers 80 5 commercial but a shift with more focus on white wine, rosé and sparkling wine has been seen in 70 the last years. However total production in 60 HL have been low to very low in the last 50 years (2010-2012), especially with the 40 increase in area in mind. Precipitation Temperature C After some optimistic years with relative 30 20 80 warm summers the last 3 years have been 20 18 70 problematic due to late spring frost (2011), 16 10 60 low summer temperatures (2010 and 2012) 14 0 and high levels of rain (2011 and 2012). 12 50 10 40 Very few fungicides are approved by the 8 30 Rain mm Danish authorities so growing is strongly Temperature °C Temperature 6 depended on disease tolerant cultivars. Commercial Wine Production 20 4 Hecto Liter 2 10 700 The wine industry has so far been favoured 0 0 by a positive interest by media’s and 600 123456789101112 consumers so wines are sold at high prices Month 500 (mostly 15-30 Euro). A significant share of 30 year mean for the period 1980-2010. Based on data the commercial area is still very young and 400 from climate station in Roskilde. Danish Meteorological prices are expected to decrease when full Institute. 300 established. 200 The climate is mild coastal, with relative warm The development in wine quality has been 100 winters and cool summers. Precipitation is very promising with several producers distributed quite evenly over the year. The getting rewards also in international wine 0 shows. However, many also need to improve 2005 2006 2007 2009 2010 2011 2012 accumulated temperature sum of the growing season is based on 30 year norm values the growing techniques to obtain higher Red White Sparkling approximate 1000 calculated with 8 °C as base productivity. temperature. Thanks for the support from the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Copenhagen University and The Danish Vineyards Association..

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