The wine preferences of the Danes are very different from those of their neighbours the Swedes. It no doubt has to do with a different history and culture but is certainly also due to the fact that in Denmark there is no monopoly, but a free market, unlike in monopoly-controlled Sweden.
The monopoly in Sweden means that the Swedish wine selection is dominated by large-scale suppliers but in Denmark small independent producers have an easier time to sell. And these can be found mainly in the traditional wine-producing countries in Europe, topping the list in Denmark, unlike in Sweden. Vinavisen recently published figures from VSOD (Vin og Spiritus Organization in Denmark) which show Denmark’s biggest wine suppliers:
- Italy 19%
- France 16%
- Spain 14%
- Chile 12%
- South Africa 9%
- Australia 9%
- Germany 6%
- United States 5%
- Other 11%
Total imports reached 173 million litres in 2012, down 7% from the previous year, to a value of 3.4 billion Danish kroner (down 5%). The decline is believed to be due in large part to the increased taxes that have made Danes more and more cross the border to Germany where you can buy much cheaper.
France has dropped dramatically: down 40% since 2006, while South Africa has increased by 30% over the same period. Two-thirds of the wine is red. Thank you to Vinavisen for the interesting statistics.
