Norway is a Nordic country located on the western side of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Its eastern neighbor is Sweden, but it also borders Finland and Russia at its far-northern edges.
As a result of its cold climate and mountainous, rugged landscape, Norway is the second-least-densely populated country in Europe. As a land whose northern half is covered with snow for a good proportion of the year, and which sees little or no sunshine between November and January, it is hardly surprising that Norway does not rank among the world's notable wine-producing countries. Although the climate is slightly warmer in the south and west of this long, thin country, any temperature differential is due to the maritime influence of the North Sea and is thus accompanied by significantly increased rainfall.
But, in spite of Norway's northerly latitude and cold climate, grapes are grown here. The world's northernmost vineyard is in Norway, in the Eventyrvin's Lerkekasa vineyard. Its vines may not produce world-beating wines or prolific crops of sweet, super-ripe grapes bursting with phenolic complexity, but they are nonetheless wine-related vines. Located just north of Gvav, Telemark county, the vineyards at Eventyrvin are located at 59.4 degrees north, 33ft (100m) above sea level and on a gentle south-facing slope. Overlooking the idyllic Nordsjo Lake, the location is fantastic, in both senses of the word (Eventyrvin means 'Fairytale Wine'). Telemark is famous for its skiing, and as the origin of the free-heel Telemark skiing technique; few would ever have thought that it would one day be home to the world's most northerly wine-production site.
Norway's climate may not be well suited to viniculture, but the country remains among the key consumers of wine, beers and spirits in Europe. Beer and vodka are the only alcoholic beverages produced in Norway in any quantity. Norwegian vodka is of particular note and is produced by several distilleries and under several brands. Some akvavit, a traditional Scandinavian flavored spirit, is also made in Norway. It is flavored with caraway, dill or other similar botanicals and falls stylistically between Kummel and the Bison grass vodka made in Poland, across the Baltic Sea. It occupies a special place in Norway's culture and heritage.
