Guldbæk Vingård: A cool-climate companion to New Nordic cuisine

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Guldbæk Vingård

Breaking with tradition, produced organically and shaped by the climate of Northern Jutland, the cool-climate wines of Guldbæk Vingård are, in many ways, the perfect companion to New Nordic cuisine. Fresh, acidity-driven, and expressive, the style favours balance over richness and precision over excess.

Located in the gently undulating landscape of northern Denmark, Guldbæk Vingård is owned and run by three generations of the same family. From the beginning, the aim was not to replicate established European styles or create a large-scale production, but to explore the qualities of the Danish soil and climate. “These are acidity-driven wines – fresh, juicy and fruit-led,” explains co-owner Kim Thrysøe. “We have even been described by a wine writer as Denmark’s most New Zealand-style vineyard.”

Guldbæk Vingård welcomes visitors for guided tours, tastings and events.

The comparison reflects both climate and mindset. Early on, Jess Weaver, a New Zealand-trained winemaker, joined the vineyard and brought with her a willingness to experiment and push boundaries. “Jess hasn’t been afraid to take the wines right to the edge,” says Thrysøe. “It might be tempting to aim for something familiar, like white Burgundy, but our climate is better suited to more acidity-driven wines. Here, freshness matters more than butter, oak and exotic flavours.” It is a style, he adds, that works particularly well with the lightness of the New Nordic kitchen – vegetarian dishes and fish, rather than heavy sauces or big grilled cuts.

From the outset, Guldbæk Vingård chose to work organically and starting from scratch made it possible to tailor the production around sustainable goals, including selecting the Solaris grape, a variety resistant to fungal diseases and grown without pesticides. The cooler climate further contributes to the wines’ character, naturally resulting in lower alcohol levels, typically around 11–12 per cent.

Father-and-son Kim and Jan Thrysøe founded Guldbæk Vingård together with their families

Today, the wines are served at leading Danish restaurants, including Svinkløv Badehotel, Alimentum and Michelin-starred Domestic in Aarhus. International blind tastings have further strengthened the vineyard’s reputation, with several silver and gold medals awarded, particularly for its sparkling wines. For Thrysøe, who later trained as a sommelier, the success reflects a wider shift in attention towards Danish wine. “People are starting to realise that something interesting is happening in Danish wine,” he says.

For those interested in experiencing and tasting these exciting developments firsthand, Guldbæk Vingård welcomes visitors for guided tours, tastings with or without food, events, and more.