When you think of wine, you naturally think of France, Italy or Spain. But did you know that Denmark also has its own thriving wine industry? One of the pioneers in this field is Sven Moesgaard from Skærsøgaard Wine, who has managed to put Denmark on the international wine map and achieved Denmark’s first appellation “DONS”.
So if you’re close to Kolding, make sure to visit the winery and taste their sparkling wines. Yulia and Christopher from DanishWine give you an introduction to the winery that has put Denmark on the world map in wine growing. A winery that wins lots of international awards and today exports to countries such as China and Japan.
Skærsøgaard is not just any winery. Sven Moesgaard – the owner and founder of Skærsøgaard – had the idea to make wine in Denmark “already in the last millennium.” He was inspired by his vacations in France and thought, “it looks really nice when you pass a vineyard.” But instead of going with the flow, he decided to take on a “much bigger challenge” and start a winery in Denmark, which he found “much more exciting.”
Bordeaux, Champagne, La Rioja, Piedmont…and Kolding!
In 2018, the EU awarded Skærsøgaard’s sparkling “DONS” wine, which is Denmark’s first PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), similar to the French AOC or the Italian DOC.
One of the most unique aspects of Skærsøgaard Vin is their sparkling wine, called Dons. The name is a tribute to the region and the wine is a true representation of Danish quality. “We call it Dons after the region,” explains the owner. Making Dons is a “labor of love,” involving a long and painstaking process. From the first base wine to the final sparkling wine, there are six bars of pressure in the bottle, which is about three times as much as in a car tire”. It’s a wine that not only tastes great, but also tells a story about the land and the people who created it.
“We have achieved a quality that we can fly the Danish flag for,” Sven says proudly.
The winery specializes in several types of wine, including the aforementioned sparkling wines, white wines and even red wines. “It’s becoming clear now that what we’re probably best at is making the sparkling wines and white wines,” Sven says. But it doesn’t stop there. Skærsøgaard has also received international awards for their red wines, an achievement in a country traditionally known more for white and sparkling wines. We were excited about their Leon Millot 2020, which is an excellent red wine with hints of cherry and blackcurrant. And then (of course) it won gold at the PIWI Wine Awards in 2022.
Are you curious to taste these exquisite wines? Skærsøgaard offers wine tastings where you can experience their award-winning wines. Typically, there is one event per week from the start of spring all the way through the summer.
Skærsøgaard Winery is more than just a producer of quality wine; it is a symbol of Danish innovation and pride. “So the dream has come true,” as the owner of Skærsøgaard so beautifully puts it. So the next time you think of wine, why not think Danish and visit Skærsøgaard. Yulia and Christopher are heading over there soon to see what’s happening.
The quotes from Sven Moesgaard are from the Youtube series “From idea to reality” about Skærsøgaard Vin.
Read our guide to other wineries in Jutland here .
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