Cannabis Infused Wine

Can it be true – cannabis infused wine? Hallelujah, yes! Rebel Coast Winery has amazed us all with the recent invention of what is quickly becoming their most popular product, cannabis infused wine. Just a few years ago, the only way to consume cannabis was by packing it into a glass pipe and lighting it on fire or rolling a good ol’ fashioned doobie. Cannabis extraction and infusion  technology is currently experiencing a rapid growth spurt and this cannabis infused sauvignon blanc is one of the first of many gifts we will see come from this new era of cannabis products.

You might think cannabis and wine to be an odd tasting combination, but Rebel Coast’s Sauvignon Blanc has been carefully crafted so it tastes crisp and refreshing like an actually white wine. Through a sophisticate distillation process, extraction experts are now able to remove cannabis flavors and aromas to isolate pure THC that is flavorless and odorless. This cannabis infused wine features grapes grown right here in sunny Sonoma, California. The taste is very reminiscent of a slightly acidic, crisp white wine.

More On Cannabis Wine

Does is have alcohol in it? No. New California marijuana regulations do not allow cannabis to be combined with alcohol or tobacco in any way. Rebel Coast Winery has removed the alcohol content through a proprietary process. After the alcohol is removed, then the THC is infused into the wine giving consumers a different kind of buzz. The cannabis wine is formulated to have 4 glasses of wine containing 5mg of THC each for a total of 20mg THC in the bottle. 5mg THC is a small dose of cannabis. The wine was designed to have 5mg THC which gives consumers a feeling similar to that of a single glass of wine. Have 2-3 glasses of cannabis infused wine and similar to regular alcohol infused wine, you will begin to experience stronger incremental effects.

Where can I buy the cannabis infused wine? Torrey Holistics is the very first dispensary to feature this cannabis infused wine. You can find it right on our online menu for purchase by pickup, delivery or in store. Torrey Holistics is a recreational marijuana dispensary and delivery service in San Diego. No medical card is required to purchase this item. The cannabis infused sauvignon blanc is available to anyone over 21 years of age with a valid ID or over 18 years of age with a valid medical card. You can also find this wine at a few select dispensaries in Los Angeles, but at this time it is a very limited release.

Weed wine has been around for centuries, but today’s growers and vinters are still experimenting with new methods for creating this infused concoction. But how do you make 420-friendly vino at home, and can you buy it at any legal dispensaries?

In this era of cannabis prosperity, cannabis-infused edibles and beverages are no longer relegated to space cakes, magic brownies, and murky tinctures. Rather, cannabis consumers today are blessed with an epicurean food-and-weed scene worthy of Zagat, as chefs across the country regularly whip up inspired dishes full of THC, CBD, and terpenes.

But what if we told you one of the weed world’s favorite new infused offerings wasn’t really new at all, and has actually been around since the second century A.D.? And what if we told you that you could make your own batch at home? Well get familiar with weed wine, an infused beverage that many are experimenting with across the cannabis landscape.

What Is Weed Wine?

When we think of wine, we’re almost always talking about boozy, fermented grape juice. Sure, you can make wine out of blueberries, watermelons, and other fruit, but when was the last time you actually bought some sweet berry vino? As such, most weed wines are made from grapes, though other types of fruit are used in some instances.

Each cannabis vintner has his or her own recipe and process. Be it cold in-barrell cannabis infusion to bring out CBD and other cannabinoids — like how California weed grower and winemaker Lisa Molyneux approaches the craft — or a more rudimentary fruit juice, sugar, and cannabis fermentation process in a hardware store jug, the main idea is to infuse the terpenes and cannabinoids from the cannabis plant into the winemaking process itself. Similarly, household herbs and spices like thyme, rosemary, and mint have been infused into wine for thousands of years using similar processes.

These days, expert cannabis winemakers choose specific cannabis strains to pair with their grapes. For lighter whites, think fruity sativas with citrus-heavy terpenes like Sour Tangie. For dark reds, think bold, pungent indicas like GMO cookies, or Blue Cheese.

How Long Have People Been Drinking Cannabis-Infused Wine?

Like most things related to marijuana, nailing down the exact date when certain experimentations with the plant first occurred can be difficult to determine. Cannabis has been consumed in a myriad of forms for centuries upon centuries, after all. But thanks to some insightful record keeping from pot lovers of yesteryear, we’ve been able to track a rough timeline of the advent of weed wine. 

According to some reports, in the 2nd century A.D., a Chinese surgeon named Hua T’o used cannabis wine as a medicinal anesthetic to help his patients manage pain. Likewise, there are records of marijuana-infused wine consumption in ancient Greece, as well as by early Christians — including Jesus Christ himself if you’re to believe some accounts.

Fast forward to the 21st century, and cannabis legalization laws across the West Coast inspired a new generation of winemakers — especially in the weed and wine mecca of Northern California — to revisit the centuries-old infusion process.

Is Weed Wine Sold at Dispensaries in Legal Weed States?

Yes, but not in the form that you would likely assume.

Since all active, legal marijuana markets currently ban the sale of products that combine alcohol and THC, dispensaries in states like California now offer virgin Merlots and Zinfandels infused with cannabis. Often, the weed wines are made with alcohol, which is later removed to comply with state regulations. For other cannabis vintners, like California’s Rebel Coast Winery, it is easier to use pre-decarboxylated cannabis distillates and infuse the weed extract directly into their alcohol-free wines.

But if you can’t find weed wine in your local dispensary, or are looking for a cannabis wine full of booze and THC, you’ll have to get in the garage and make it yourself.