Konnässörerna och monopolet

En historia om svensk vinjournalistik

Abstract

Connoisseurs and the Swedish Alcohol Monopoly: A Cultural History of Swedish Wine Journalism

Wine reviews became a fixture in Swedish daily newspapers and lifestyle magazines in the early 1980s, marking the emergence of wine journalism as a distinct field. When Svenska Dagbladet launched its wine column on April 11, 1981, Expressen and Dagens Nyheter followed within months, triggering a rapid expansion of wine coverage in regional newspapers as well.

During this period, daily newspapers played a pivotal role in educating the public about wine, particularly in the wake of the 1979 ban on alcohol advertising. My analysis, Konnässörerna och monopolet (The Connoisseurs and the Monopoly), examines early Swedish wine journalism with a focus on its claims to authority and wine’s function as a social marker.

It explores how journalists engaged audiences, communicated complex sensory experiences, and established credibility within a newly formed field of expertise. The study highlights a significant yet previously overlooked dimension of modern Swedish consumer culture.