Published by Jeremy.
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Systembolaget is the Swedish, state-run liquor company. Effectively meaning “the System Company,” Systembolaget controls virtually all alcohol sales greater than 3.5% in Sweden- so, everything apart from limited low-ABV content beer and other similar products.
Naturally, we had to head into a Systembolaget when in Stockholm to see what the stores are all about and find out what the wine selections are like!
What is Available at a Systembolaget?
As previously mentioned, Systembolaget is managed at the state level to limit alcohol consumption and dependency in the country. Not only do they control the sale of alcohol above that 3.5% ABV amount, they also have a higher age limit for purchase- 20 years in the store vs 18 years at bars and restaurants.
In being a monopolistic company, our first thoughts go to what is available, as no competition tends to mean that options are quite limited.
The best way to describe the selection at most Systembolaget stores we visited is that they had a wide breadth of wines (i.e. most wine categories represented) but very limited depth in any given category (i.e. only one or two kinds of Barolo, Amarone, Chianti, etc.). So while most of our favorite grapes, wine regions, and categories were represented, the variety within any such category was significantly limited. Champagne and sparkling wines were clear outliers categorically and had a pretty impressive selection, relatively speaking at least.
That said, we recognized many producers we have enjoyed over the years, and despite the lack of variety in any one category, we thought that, on average, the selection of producers was quite well picked- a little perk of the monopoly system, we will admit. They do buy good products!
Likewise, as the state controls the distribution of wine and spirits, prices are controlled as well. Much like other Scandinavian state systems, prices at the Systembolaget are inflated considerably over what you'd find in most countries in Europe; however, by US standards you still are looking at a decent break in prices.
We always like to compare a price to a bottle we buy at home, and Chateau Musar's 2016 was a good example. During our 2023 visit to Sweden, we found the bottle available on the shelves of a Systembolaget for 421 krona- or about $42 (roughly on par with what you can find it for elsewhere in Europe, too, and cheaper than what we saw at Vinmonopolet's in Norway). In the USA, this bottle generally is priced at around $70.
This is interesting to us coming as Americans as the reputation of Scandinavia having expensive alcohol is all a matter of perspective. Wines are definitely significantly more expensive than in the countries to the south, but for those who are coming in from another continent, European and other regional wines still look quite respectable compared to what we pay at home. (Now California wines on the other hand, you'll see a significant markup.)
Although we did not end up buying any wine at the Systembolagets in Sweden, we did make several purchases of locally made gin and ciders, and found their prices to be comparable to what we'd pay for similar qualities in the USA. But, as with all things state-run, what you see is what you get. You will find more or less the same prices at every store, and the availability is the only thing that fluctuates. So if you are going shopping for wine, beer, or even spirits, you really only have one choice- whether you're buying it or not.
When it comes to trying to discourage excessive drinking, this only makes too much sense.
So while we still personally like the variety of competitive markets, it was interesting to take a look at the state run stores in Sweden at the Systembolaget, and we gladly walked out with some lovely gins to take home as a souvenir because, well, we weren't going to find them anywhere else anyway!
