An Arctic wine without the vine
Thursday, April 15 2004
Published on AllBusiness.com
Seven years ago, Iceland native and culinary chef Omar Gunnarsson set out on a mission to create an Icelandic wine. Problem is, Iceland, while perfect for whale watching with its arctic temperatures and Scandinavian fishing villages, is not exactly an ideal climate for growing grapes. However, with wine consumption in Iceland increasing in recent years, Gunnarsson was determined and he eventually dodged the grape problem by producing a wine with organic berries found in Iceland—80 percent crowberries, 19 percent rhubarb and the rest wild blueberries. While Gunnarsson has the distinction of being the only winemaker in Iceland, he's also the only one in the world to produce an organic wine using these three antioxidant-rich berries.
Gunnarsson, who lives in the fishing village Husavik on the north coast of Iceland, says his wine is a kind of "elixir of eternal youth." Called Kvoldsol, which means "Midnight Sun" in Icelandic, the wine tastes like those made from grapes, but is healthier because ingredients in the berries have been proven to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
A study by the University of Helsinki on the biological activity of plants with phenolic compounds found that crowberries have high flavonoid activity. Flavonoids are antioxidants that prevent free radical damage, which is linked to cancer, heart disease and aging. Both crowberries and blueberries also contain ellagic acid, another healthy compound.
Gunnarsson launched his label in 2001 with 6,000 bottles and produces the wine in a converted dairy factory. This spring, Kvoldsol will be available in 180-ml size bottles and a white wine is planned for 2005-2006.
Consumers in the United States who want to take a sip of this fountain of youth currently only can find it on the Internet at www.nordicstore.net for $22 a bottle. However, Gunnarsson is looking for US distributors and retailers to carry the wine in order to expand distribution outside of Iceland. —Heather Todd
E-mail: haraldur@husavik.is
Gunnarsson, who lives in the fishing village Husavik on the north coast of Iceland, says his wine is a kind of "elixir of eternal youth." Called Kvoldsol, which means "Midnight Sun" in Icelandic, the wine tastes like those made from grapes, but is healthier because ingredients in the berries have been proven to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
A study by the University of Helsinki on the biological activity of plants with phenolic compounds found that crowberries have high flavonoid activity. Flavonoids are antioxidants that prevent free radical damage, which is linked to cancer, heart disease and aging. Both crowberries and blueberries also contain ellagic acid, another healthy compound.
Gunnarsson launched his label in 2001 with 6,000 bottles and produces the wine in a converted dairy factory. This spring, Kvoldsol will be available in 180-ml size bottles and a white wine is planned for 2005-2006.
Consumers in the United States who want to take a sip of this fountain of youth currently only can find it on the Internet at www.nordicstore.net for $22 a bottle. However, Gunnarsson is looking for US distributors and retailers to carry the wine in order to expand distribution outside of Iceland. —Heather Todd
E-mail: haraldur@husavik.is
