That Ridiculously Beautiful Blue Wine is Finally Coming to America
If you feel like switching back and forth between a casual glass of cabernet or a chilled sauvignon blanc has become blasé, then you should take solace in the fact that legitimate wine doesn't have to be red, white or even pink. In fact, it can take on an electric shade of blue, as evidenced by the bold experiments of the Spanish company, Gik. The winemakers first hit the scene with the dazzling beverage last year, announcing plans to distribute its off-kilter product within Europe. But after regulatory issues hampered the company's penetration of United States markets, Eater reports that Gik is finally bringing its blue wine to America. Get ready to imbibe.
The wine is made using red and white grapes from vineyards in La Rioja, Zaragoza, León, and Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. It's the product of two years of tinkering, using the fruit juice from both red and white grapes, which is mixed with organic pigments of indigo and anthocyanin, the latter of which comes from grape skins. The result is an innovate beverage that more closely mirrors a magic potion than something you'd find in your local supermarket.
Despite 30,000 bottle orders placed in the United States, Gik initially struggled to bring the product across the pond. The company faced backlash in Spain for labeling the product as wine: regulators fined the company for violating a Spanish law stipulating only white and red wine can be sold in markets. But after weathering those regulatory hurdles, the company has been working with American importers to finally bring the product to market stateside. After convincing the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau that its product is legit, Gik is now bound for retailers in Miami, Boston, and Texas. Going forward, it's also eyeing markets in New York, Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, California and Washington, according to cofounder Artíz Lopez.
“Luckily, in the U.S., legislation embraces new and innovative products and is not as restrictive and anchored in the past as in Spain,” the entrepreneur said. “So we are confident [we can expand] quite fast.”
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