You won’t get drunk on this wine, but you will get high. The first marijuana-infused Sauvignon Blanc is now available for pre-order from Rebel Coast Winery.
The inspiration: ever since the legalization of marijuana in California, Rebel Coast Winery cofounder Chip Forsythe knew there had to be a way to combine weed with wine. There was only one problem: marijuana cannot legally be combined with wine (or any alcohol, for that matter).
So, the Rebel Coast team concocted a crafty new solution. They removed the alcohol from the wine before adding cannabis. The result? A cannabis-infused Sauvignon Blanc.
The taste: We had the opportunity to experience Rebel Coast’s inaugural Sauvignon Blanc at the 2017 Wine Bloggers’ Conference. Interestingly, the feedback we from tasters was across the board. Some loved the taste, and found it fresh, herbal, and citrusy — just like an actual Sauvignon Blanc. Others found it to be less wine-like and more weed-like, perhaps due to the lack of alcohol. In most European countries, we wouldn’t even be able to call a beverage wine if it was alcohol-free, so this one certainly pushes the boundaries.
The experience: Naturally, the next question is: what will you feel when you drink this wine? Legally, there must be less than 10 mg of THC per serving. For Rebel Coast, the goal is to get you “giggly” with someone, rather than have you seeing rainbows and unicorns after a glass. As Forsythe puts it, “if you want to get wasted- take some shots, if you want to get really stoned- take some dabs.” So, Rebel Coast’s wine is designed for sipping, with 4 mg of THC per serving.
Putting marijuana and wine together might sound simple, but it’s actually quite complex. The Rebel Coast team tinkered for months to develop a process that removes the alcohol from the wine, without removing its flavor. So, while $59.99 per bottle might sound steep, remember that you’re paying for some game-changing innovation and countless hours of trial and error.
The final thing to know about Rebel Coast’s 2017 Marijuana-Infused Sauvignon Blanc: sorry folks, it’s only available in California. Due to the passage of Prop 64, marijuana is legal in California — but it’s still illegal at the federal level. Even Californians will have to wait until January 1st, 2018, when the legislation is finally cleared, to get their hands on a bottle.
Coming soon: If the idea of a non-alcoholic wine just doesn’t cut it, you can look forward to the release of an alcoholic wine with CBD (cannabidoil) in the near future. CBD is a cannabis compound that is less psychoactive than other strains of THC. While we’re not sure what form the final wine will take, an early guess could be Chardonnay, per the team’s Instagram feed:
To learn more or pre-order a bottle, visit DefinitelyNotRebelCoastWinery.com.