Author: Per Karlsson

Swedish. Per is co-founder together with his wife Britt of BKWine. Rumour has it that his interest in wine started already when he was 11. Just like Britt he visits some 200 wineries each year on wine tours and for journalistic research. He writes about wine primarily online on BKWine Magazine and in the BKWine Brief. Per is also a professional photographer, specialising in wine and travel photography. See BKWine Photography for more on this. Since a few years back he has also branched out into video production on the same subject. He has contributed all images, and some text, to BKWine’s wine books.

54% market share for the Swedish monopoly

Systembolaget, the Swedish retail monopoly, announced in its latest newsletter that their market share in Sweden is growing (of course, ‘monopoly’ does not quite mean monopoly). Systembolaget now provides 54% of all alcohol that Swedes

The Swedish monopoly grows sales too

The Systembolaget increased sales from January to October with 5.1% measured in ‘pure alcohol’. Wine sales grew with 5.4%. Anitra Steen, Chief Executive, commented: “growing household income and a decrease in travellers’ carrying alcohol with

The state vodka company grows its sales

V&S Vin & Sprit Group, the state owned company that primarily makes Absolut vodka, announced in its third quarter figures that sales volumes were up 9% to 7 million 9-litre cases, operating profits grew with

New economic perspective on gastronomy and wine

The Association of Wine Economists have joined together with the Society of Quantitative Gastronomy (yes, they both exist!) to publish the Journal of Wine Economics with a new profile. Once every year they will publish

Whisky from Öland

As opposed to many other internationally famous spirits (Calvados, Cognac,…) whisky does not have a regionally protected name. You can make whisky anywhere (e.g. in Japan, or on Ireland). Wannborga Distillery & Vineyard and Ölands

New edition of the most classic Bordeaux book

The first edition of “Bordeaux et ses Vin” (Bordeaux and its wines) was published in 1850. It is an extensive collection of (almost) all the properties in Bordeaux. It is often called ”Cocks & Feret”

Château La Pointe and Château Carignan sold

Château La Pointe, a Pomerol property with 25 ha, has been sold for an estimated 32-35 million euro to the insurance company Generali. They already own Ch La France in the region. Chateau Carignan has

New appellation: Coteaux du Languedoc-Pézenas

The new appellation Coteaux du Languedoc, with the suffix Pézenas (which is a town in the region) is a red wine and should be made from Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsaut. Try follow this

Anselme Selosse makes Italian sparkling wine

Anselme Selosse is one of the most respected independent wine makers in Champagne. Together with Azienda Feudi di San Gregorio near Naples he has just launched an Italian sparkling wine, from a region that otherwise

Warning for pregnant women

Well, its not the pregnant women who are dangerous of course, but drinking wine while you are pregnant. At least according to the warning texts (or alternatively a graphically illustrative symbol) that are now compulsory

German harvest: big volume, excellent quality

A sigh of relief can also be heard in Germany after this year’s harvest. they had an early flowering and good weather during the harvest (but what happened in between was perhaps not so great).

Champagne extends its AOC limits

The Champagne region has approved 40 new communes as (potential) producers of champagne. Today, the Champagne region (the appellation) covers some 32500 ha and virtually all of it is already planted with wine. A project

Seven new Masters of Wine

As we noted in the last Brief, Sweden now has it’s first MW, the highly respected British wine diploma. At the same time, six other candidates passed the tests and can now add the magic

Denmark gets its first ”AOC”

Perhaps a slight exaggeration – Denmark has had approved four regional denominations for its wines. According to European regulations a “new” wine district must first prove its capability of producing quality wines before getting the

Yquem for 4.5 million dollars

Nils Stormby, the Swedish wine collector, recently sold most of his world famous Chateau d’Yquem collection at Zachy’s auction house in New York. The sale netted a very decent 4.5 million dollars.

Good quality but small volume in Muscadet

In Muscadet this year’s harvest promises to yield very good quality but limited volumes. An early and warm spring kick-started the vegetation period. But a cold and humid summer caused problems with the flowering (limiting

Villa Spicy, Paris 8 | BKWine Pick

Just off Les Champs-Elysées, on the avenue F Roosevelt, you find this pleasant restaurant with excellent food with a certain Provençal touch. It used to be called (simply) Spicy but have now (why?) changed name

Domaine des Grécaux, Languedoc | BKWine Pick

Alain and Isabelle Caujolle-Gazet settled to make wine in Montpeyroux in Languedoc in 1998. Today they have 11 hectares, 7 of which are on very poor soil (and thus good for wine growing) on the

Welcome to the BKWine Brief nr 52, November 2007

One of the things we really enjoy is looking for and discovering new wines. Drinking a very good Bordeaux or Burgundy (just to mention those two as examples) can be very satisfying but it is

Sweden’s first Master of Wine

Ulf Sjödin became Sweden’s first Master of Wine. His normal day job (when not working on the MW exam) is marketing manager at V&S Wine, the wine division of the government owned wine importer and

New information source on Alsace

The Swedish wine enthusiast Per Warfvinge fell in love with Alsace wines and created a very interesting site on Alsatian wines, unfortunately only available in Swedish. After no doubt substantial work he has now translated

BBR Fine Wine Blog

Not content with launching a virtual wine course BBR continues with a Fine Wine Blog written by various BBR staff. Some headlines from the first posts: “Biodynamic Wine Production – hocus-pocus or genuine?” and “Champagne;

Virtual wine course

Berry Bro:s & Rudd is perhaps the world’s oldest wine merchant, founded in 1698. It is headquartered in London at the same address as where it was originally started: 3 St James’s Street. This venerable

Super premium tasting

In the US they categorise wines according to quality (price) level. The top category is Super Premium (or is it Super Super Premium?). The upcoming wine seminar at Sotheby’s could perhaps be labelled a super

54% market share for the Swedish monopoly

Systembolaget, the Swedish retail monopoly, announced in its latest newsletter that their market share in Sweden is growing (of course, ‘monopoly’ does not quite mean

The Swedish monopoly grows sales too

The Systembolaget increased sales from January to October with 5.1% measured in ‘pure alcohol’. Wine sales grew with 5.4%. Anitra Steen, Chief Executive, commented: “growing

Whisky from Öland

As opposed to many other internationally famous spirits (Calvados, Cognac,…) whisky does not have a regionally protected name. You can make whisky anywhere (e.g. in

Warning for pregnant women

Well, its not the pregnant women who are dangerous of course, but drinking wine while you are pregnant. At least according to the warning texts

Champagne extends its AOC limits

The Champagne region has approved 40 new communes as (potential) producers of champagne. Today, the Champagne region (the appellation) covers some 32500 ha and virtually

Seven new Masters of Wine

As we noted in the last Brief, Sweden now has it’s first MW, the highly respected British wine diploma. At the same time, six other

Denmark gets its first ”AOC”

Perhaps a slight exaggeration – Denmark has had approved four regional denominations for its wines. According to European regulations a “new” wine district must first

Yquem for 4.5 million dollars

Nils Stormby, the Swedish wine collector, recently sold most of his world famous Chateau d’Yquem collection at Zachy’s auction house in New York. The sale

Villa Spicy, Paris 8 | BKWine Pick

Just off Les Champs-Elysées, on the avenue F Roosevelt, you find this pleasant restaurant with excellent food with a certain Provençal touch. It used to

Sweden’s first Master of Wine

Ulf Sjödin became Sweden’s first Master of Wine. His normal day job (when not working on the MW exam) is marketing manager at V&S Wine,

New information source on Alsace

The Swedish wine enthusiast Per Warfvinge fell in love with Alsace wines and created a very interesting site on Alsatian wines, unfortunately only available in

BBR Fine Wine Blog

Not content with launching a virtual wine course BBR continues with a Fine Wine Blog written by various BBR staff. Some headlines from the first

Virtual wine course

Berry Bro:s & Rudd is perhaps the world’s oldest wine merchant, founded in 1698. It is headquartered in London at the same address as where

Super premium tasting

In the US they categorise wines according to quality (price) level. The top category is Super Premium (or is it Super Super Premium?). The upcoming

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