Here's one for the Scandi travel files. Ästad Vingård. An ecological vineyard and spa in Halland county, Southern Sweden. Per and I were invited on an overnight press trip a while back and we're still feeling relaxed! If you love rolling hills, wine tasting, good in-season food and a whole load of pampering, this is your place! Read on to find out more about our stay - I hope it will inspire you to visit one day when we're all free to roam once again.
We pulled up to find Ästad Vingård nestled between the gently undulating slopes of the Åkulla nature reserve, surrounded by lakes and beech forests, The rural farm is surprisingly extensive and made up of a cluster of smaller timber cottages, as well as larger dwellings that house the winery, restaurants and accommodation - against a backdrop of over 22,000 vines.
Once checked in, we ambled through the vines, sampling the organic Solaris - a green grape that flourishes in a Northern climate - as we went. Ästad Vingård also offers daily wine tours which take you on a tour of the cellars and winery as through through the vineyard - something for next time!
Our walk was followed by an organised wine-tasting with a knowledgeable Ästad Vingård sommelier, who talked us through their very own ecological crisp white wine. A relatively young winery, Ästad Vingård only harvests a limited number of bottles each year, which they then use in their restaurants. Even if they had bottles to sell, Sweden's strict alcohol laws mean we'd have needed to go to the state-owned monopoly to buy it. I'm super curious to know if this will change since Southern Sweden is becoming something of a wine hotspot and hailed as an up and coming wine region in the sommelier world! Who would have thought it?
Ästad Vingård mainly produces sparkling wine but in a good year, they also produce wonderful crisp dry white wine - and we were fortunate enough to tuck into a bottle of Solaris 2018!
Having relaxed over a glass or two (ahem), Per and I changed into our designated robes and slippers and headed off to sample the Sinnenas Spa.
Meaning 'spa of the senses', Sinnenas Spa' is made up of a series of indoor and outdoor areas, inviting you to relax in a myriad of saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs, heated pools and hammocks. If you're brave enough, there's even a fresh-water lake for cooling off. Word of warning: fellow spa-goers can see you from the underwater sauna, so make sure you've tightened your trunks before you dive in!
You could spend several days floating in the wonderful indoor and outdoor pool - or even just sitting on a hammock or lounger looking out over the nature reserve!
Ästad Vingård offer day trips for the tours and spa, however, if you really want to go all in, there are a large number of lodgings available - from luxury suites with a private spa, to cosy timber cottages with a turf roof.
As someone who has a bit of a thing for interiors, I was excited to find our room had been decorated with natural materials throughout - from raw wood and leather to stone and iron.
Another lovely touch: the mini bar had been kitted out with locally produced items such as gin from the Swedish island of Ven, Gårdschips (farm crisps) from Halland and Malmö chocolate! Yum!
The room was super smart too: at the flick of a switch, we could open and close the curtains, play music, control all the lights and probably a load of other things which are far beyond my (limited) technical skill.
I've been wondering how to install electric curtains in my bedroom ever since - preferably with a timer set for lengthy lie-ins! Wouldn't that be wonderful?
Perhaps best of all - our bathroom had an incredible stone bath and a little private sauna - just to ensure we felt truly relaxed. Pure bliss!
In the evening, we headed to the in-house Restaurant Logen for a four course Swedish farmer's menu. Visitors also have the option to reserve a table at Restaurant Äng where the head chef Filip Gemzell prides himself on serving incredible dishes inspired by the local Halland nature and traditional Scandinavian fare - made with ingredients from the nearby forest, meadows and fields.
Next time!
All in all - a wonderful stay - and one for the travel files if you'd like too pamper yourself and sample some local organic Swedish wine the next time you're in Sweden!
I'd suggest going mid-week so you can enjoy the tranquil surrounding and spa a little more to yourself (it's a fairly big centre and can get pretty busy at the weekend). Oh, and pack your hiking boots if you'd like to wander through the nature reserve!
More info about booking a stay can be found here.
Skål to the upcoming Swedish wine industry and a huge thank you to Ästad Vingård for the press trip. We'll be back!
Niki
Photography: 1,2 3, 5, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15 Kristian Sahlberg. The rest: Niki Brantmark.
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