It's really happening: traditionalists and wine experts may look on through gritted teeth, but the producers of a 'blue wine' are set to expand to the US.
By Mike Pomranz for Food and Wine
Gik, the Spanish brand of blue wine that has become famous for being blue wine, is finally headed for the United States. Though an exact date of does not appear to be set, the brand has started letting American customers put in pre-orders on its BlueWine.us website.
For those who still think wine only comes in red and white or the occasional pink, a quick rehash: Despite originally only being available in Europe, Gik’s blue wine made international headlines last summer thanks to its striking, nearly turquoise hue. The name is not a play on words: This blue wine is truly blue. Adding to its allure, though the color may seem otherworldly, Gik maintains that the product is made entirely from natural organic ingredients: The wine itself comes from a mix of red and white Spanish grapes and the color comes from grape skin extract and a plant-based dye.
Though all that press helped Gik sell a lot of wine (100,000 bottles in 25 countries as of January), the company also ran afoul of European regulators who decided that since “blue wine” isn’t one of the wine categories defined by EU law, Gik couldn’t call their blue wine “wine.” The brand had to tweak its label, tweak its recipe and deal with a fine—but after a couple months it was back on the market.
But while all this madness was going on in the EU, Gik had its sights on another prize: the US market. Originally rumored to be coming to the US last fall, The Daily Meal reports that the product is finally available for pre-order in America. A single bottle is listed for $16; a case costs $124. (Shipping appears to be free.) But before you start planning your blue wine party, be warned that completing the pre-order form simply leads you to a page that states, ‘We are amazed to see the incredible American response to Gïk Live! We feel really honored to witness the blue revolution getting so far, and that’s something we have to thank you for.’ It then continues, ‘Thanks for your pre-order…! We will get in touch with you shortly.’ You don’t even put in payment information—and when a company won’t even take your money, you know you may have some waiting to do.
So for now, it seems drinking blue wine in the US is as elusive as… well, drinking blue wine. While you wait, maybe just grab yourself a brightly hued Four Loko.
Original on Food & Wine
