Wine Innovation Sweden is currently just a vision. The vision is to start with a small, passionate, flexible team that can grow and evolve with the industry. The concept is largely inspired by the industry research and development agencies that exist all around the world, where the agency runs on a mix of industry and government funding and the output is produced by a mix of in-house employees and partners. Some familiar examples include Australian Wine Research Institute, Australian Wool Innovation, Dairy Australia, Meat and Livestock Australia, Horticulture Australia, Grains Research and Development Corporation, Rymdstyrelsen, Nordic Beet Research Foundation.
WHY WIS:
The Swedish wine industry is young, but is destined for grape things. The Guardian wrote about this (2022-12-18). Getting organised is primarily seen as the best way of increasing knowledge, credibility, and attracting funding to research.
WITHIN THE ENVISAGE MANDATE:
Initially, the mandate of WIS will be set by the Swedish National Wine Sector Organisation: Svenskt Vin. After this, WIS will operate independently. However, the WIS strategy and operating plan would be subject to approval of a board – a board that would have at least one Svenskt Vin board member on it.
Otherwise:
Research and development. Outreach and education. Promotion of national industry (but not consumer marketing). Support other public entities that have influence on the industry to make informed decisions.
OUTSIDE OF THE ENVISAGED MANDATE:
It is not a place that should ever look to control the industry in any way, to set standards, or to increase administrative burdens on producers. WIS could of course assist with such work should the industry decide it needs this. Individual firms within the industry should not be promoted beyond services that synthesizing public information (i.e. lists of: current producers, current service providers, current wine events, current retailers focusing on Swedish wine, etc) or in news articles. No firm should be given preferential treatment, nor be given an unfair level of news coverage.
HOW WIS:
This won’t be easy. There will be a lot of enthusiasm, but very few resources. The collective enthusiasm will be greatest if the voices of industry are sort and heard. It will only remain if promises are kept and progress is made. Similarly, progress is the best way to attract resources.
A possible path to success includes finding an initial sponsor to provide support and credibility. The LTV faculty at SLU Alnarp seems a likely candidate given the experience within this faculty and that Skåne is currently the epicenter of development. Two of the authors of The Nordic Light Terroir article are/ were from this faculty (and the other two are/ were close by). There are others in the faculty with an interest in wine production. Green Innovation Park at SLU Alnarp could also help with development. An alternative hosting organisation is Hushållningssällskapet Skåne. Funds are being sort from various grants.
R&D questions are expected, at the beginning, to come from the needs of the current and established producers. Preference should be given to projects with broad applicability, and high likelihood to get funded. This focus should with time diversify, but should at all times be lead by industry. Ideally, research is done in collaboration with as many producers as possible. Attempts should be made to encourage input from those previously less engaged, and to give weight to ideas from such sources. Decisions around choice of research focus and of funding should at all times be transparent.
Execution of WIS funded R&D projects is likely initially to be done always with a WIS employee, but also likely in partnership with both vineyards and researchers at other organisations. Eventually, WIS might take on a more funder-only role. Researchers with an interest in viticulture and wine making research are known to be employed at Hushållningssällskapen (HS Skåne, HS Halland), SLU (Alnarp, Ultuna and Hungary), and RISE (Lund). Plus every vineyard in the country.
Some funding should come from the producers themselves. A token per-bottle contribution might be a fair way of funding “Service to Industry”. Hopefully most funds for research will come from other sources (VR, FORMAS, Vinnova, etc).
WIS TODAY
As of today, WIS is a one-man-show. That one man is gainfully employed as a researcher in Sweden, holds a PhD in Agricultural science, has his own ‘vineyard’ (ca. 50 vines), and has previsouly worked in viticulture. WIS is in disucssions with potential collaborators.