“Mostly family-owned vineyards that care for the environment and for craftsmanship”, is how Johan Lidby presents his wine buisness. He started in 1999 and today it is one of the most reputable wine importers (in Sweden), with a large and extensive selection (400 references). Once a year, Johan presents most of his wines in a large tasting, where several producers are also present. BKWine Magazine went on a journey of discovery in the guise of our reporter Göran van den Brink (and he found not only good Riesling but also a lot more).
Johan Lidby Vinhandel invited 40 of its producers to showcase the range on site in Stockholm. On the Saturday, 1,200 wine lovers gathered at the Photography Museum and on the Monday a few hundred journalists and restaurant people gathered at Lidby’s office. Impressive quality overall and many different styles but all with the origin in focus.
Johan Lidby Vinhandel (Wine Merchant) has for many years focussed on quality wines for both Systembolaget and the restaurant world. They have deliberately chosen not to focus on bag-in-box blockbusters or jump on daily trends. Interesting that they still manage to fill the Photographic Museum to the breaking point in double sessions.
Johan Lidby on his philosophy, and on quality and trends
I ask Johan about his business philosophy: “We want to stand for long-term quality and wines that bear witness to where they were grown. Wines must be personal and full of character. We mostly work with family-owned vineyards that care for the environment and for craftsmanship.”
But why don’t they go for blockbuster bag-in-box wines or popular celebrity wines? “It saddens me to see how big it has become, these anonymous ‘made to design specs’ wines and celebrity wines where some famous person sells their name to a wine that no one has a clue where it was grown or who made it,” says Johan. “How anyone can buy these wines in times when we buy our eggs organically produced, the meat locally sourced with the name of the farm on the menu and when small-scale production is celebrated, is a mystery to me.” (Then he also said some unprintable things.)
But I still manage to get Johan to predict some trends, “The pendulum swings back and forth from full-bodied fruit-driven wines to elegant wines grown at high altitude. I think we will see lighter wines with more origin and elegance than before. Furthermore, I think white wines will rise even more in popularity; they are often very good with the food we eat in Sweden. Spain is making strong progress, and with more personal expressions than before, when it was usually large producers who dominated. For example, try the elegant Godello from Bodegas Valdesil. Spain and white, two trends in one, haha.”
That white wines have been on the rise is also clear in the assortment at Johan Lidby vinhandel. The two largest producers make almost exclusively white wines, Jean-Marc Brocard from Chablis and Johannes Leitz from Rheingau. Chardonnay and Riesling with clear origins.
J-M Brocard
Brocard displayed an impressive breadth from simple bourgogne blanc to the new product line with Jean-Marc’s son Julien’s name on of biodynamically grown prestige wines. Export manager Guillaume Hoog explains, “by 2030, we are betting that our entire production will be not only organic as it is today, but also biodynamically certified. It reflects our philosophy to emphasize the character of the grape and the growing place. As little impact as possible.”
Guillaume goes on to tell us that the Swedes seem to love chablis and that Sweden is a very important market for them. The wines are mineral and elegant from the simplest bourgogne blanc to the more exclusive wines under the new label (with Julien’s name on it).
That they age well was also evident when Guillame poured samples of the 1997 Chablis Vieilles Vignes Sainte Claire. Now significantly rounder and fuller than in its youth and it is probably a matter of taste which one prefers. The undersigned’s personal favourite was probably the new oak-barrel-aged series that Julien Brocard has launched. If that’s the future, it looks bright.
Johannes Leitz
The charismatic Johannes Leitz was there together with his export manager Jan Schmidt. The fact that they both come to Sweden shows how important this market is to them. Leitz showcased everything from alcohol-free Riesling to his top-of-the-range Rüdesheimer Berg. The non-alcoholic segment is growing enormously globally and their Eins Zwei Zero riesling has received a very positive reception worldwide, something that has even been noticed by Forbes (ed.: in Lauren Mowery’s article here. Read BKWine’s articles on Forbes here, but not about Leitz – yet). Jan Schmidt draws the parallel to alcohol-free beer that has shown the way when he talks about the potential.
When I ask why Leitz wines have become so popular in Sweden, with the bestseller Einz Zwei Dry and the award-winning Magic Mountain, Johannes answers, “Our wines are for drinking not for thinking. That is to say, they are made with balance and food friendliness in focus. They should be so good that you come back and buy a new bottle. They suit the modern Swedish cuisine very well, which often has both freshness and sometimes heat.” He compares it to BMW’s slogan about driving pleasure and says that “our wines should have drinking pleasure (Trinkvergnügen)”. He continues, “Wines that are a pleasure to drink are liked by everyone from beginners to sommeliers, which is why our wines have become popular in Sweden, where personal recommendations are more important than in many other countries. If you have been invited to a glass of Leitz, you will be happy to buy a bottle yourself next time. It’s not like many other wines today that can be interesting but once is enough.”
The undersigned has drunk his fair share of riesling over the years and can only agree, Leitz wines are always fun to drink. They may not always be the most intellectual and challenging wines, but you know that whoever you offer them to will like it and they are full of Trinkvergnügen!
Bodegas Valdesil
So, what happened to that godello that Johan Lidby recommended? Hundred-year-old vines at five hundred meters altitude from Bodegas Valdesil in Valdeorras, Galicia, located in Northwest Spain. Slate soils produce mineral and elegant wines with medium to high acidity. The female winemaker Cristina Mantilla says, “We make wines with as little intervention as possible, you should drink the grape and the vineyard.” The wines perhaps do not have the same acidity as Rheingau riesling or Chablis chardonnay, but still a freshness matched with a creamy mouthfeel.
My favourite was probably the simplest wine for a change. Montenevo de Godello, straight-forward, clean and fresh with good balance. Did someone mention seafood? Trinkvergnügen in Spanish. (Ed: placer de beber, then.)
Casanova di Neri
Of course, Lidby also has a large number of red wines in its portfolio, with several top producers in Tuscany at the forefront. Brunello di Montalcino is becoming trendy again and one of the district’s top producers, Casanova di Neri, was present with his wines in Stockholm. Their top wine Tenuta Nuova is one of the district’s icon wines, which is released in small volumes with a secret article reference (SKU) number at Systembolaget to the benefit of the members of Lidby’s wine club. The same applies to several other wines found in small allocations. Perhaps the “Vinhandel” is preparing for the day the monopoly falls by betting on special offers for its club members?
Poliziano
Another popular producer from Tuscany is Poliziano from the neighbouring district of Montepulciano. Their Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Asinone usually sells out immediately when it arrives, but even the simpler wines are worth keeping an eye out for. Vino Nobile is usually a bit lighter than its more bombastic neighbours from Montalcino. Sangiovese in its most elegant form.
Wine from Mallorca?
The “Vinhandel” seems to be full of life and exuberant activity, even though Johan himself, together with his son Simon, is now taking up the competition with his producers at his own vineyard Son Antem in Mallorca. But more on that another time!
Wines to try
A selection of wines available at Systembolaget. But there are many more from Lidby and from these producers.
- JM Brocard Chablis Vielles Vignes Sante Claire 2021, 5595, 221 SEK
- Julien Brocard Chablis Boissoneuse 2021, 74651, 389 SEK (BS)
- Leitz Magic Mountain Rüdesheimer Riesling trocken 2021, 770626, 161 SEK
- Leitz Berg Kaisersteinfels Terrassen Grosses Gewächs (Grand Cru) 2020, 94869, 349 SEK
- Bodegas Valdesil Montenovo Godello 2021, 52458, 161 SEK (BS)
- Bodegas Valdesil Pezas de Portela 2018, 92436, 319 SEK
