StaffJuly 20, 2021
Cannabis beverages are a hot ticket item these days. In the last year alone, cannabis beverage sales have shot up by 40%, totaling $95.2 million. Over the next four years, sales are projected to grow at a CAGR of 17.8%, topping out at $2.8 billion in sales by 2025.
Hoping to stake out a slice of this rapidly growing market, brands have been searching for ways to provide consumers with a unique cannabis beverage experience. favorite Jamie Evans, author and founder of the leading cannabis blog The Herb Somm, thinks she has found it.
Evans is a cannabis beverage expert and Certified Specialist of Wine. Studying viticulture in Champagne and Alsace, Evans has an extensive background in winemaking, having most recently earned the Wine Scholar Guild’s French Wine Scholar (FWS) certification with highest honors. She has also authored several bestselling cannabis books, including Cannabis Drinks: Secrets to Crafting CBD and THC Beverages at Home and The Ultimate Guide to CBD: Explore the World of Cannabidiol.
Earlier this week, Evans announced the impending launch of Herbacée, the nation’s first nonalcoholic cannabis-infused sparkling wine honoring French-inspired wine blends
“Herbacée was created to inspire the senses,” says Evans. “As a nonalcoholic cannabis-infused wine, each product will showcase the divine connection between cannabis and the grapevine.”
Herbacée, which means “Herbaceous” in French, is aimed at honoring and showcasing French-inspired wine blends and draws inspiration from the legendary French winemaking regions of Bordeaux, Rhône, Provence, Champagne, and Loire.
“Herbacée is also a term we use in the wine industry to describe the herbal characteristics in a glass of wine,” adds Evans. “While you won’t be able to smell or taste any familiar cannabis notes, your nose and palate will be greeted with a curated melody of aromas and flavors, very similar to a traditional glass of wine.”
Though inspired by French wines, the initial batch of wine sourced for Herbacée will come from premier Central Coast wine regions in California and not France. According to Evans, this is not necessarily by done design but rather necessity. Because of COVID-19, import regulations are still incredibly strict. As those restrictions are repealed, however, Evans says that Herbacée will include French wines as the base for their boutique cannabis-infused products moving forward.
Set to launch in the California market later this Fall, Herbacée will first feature a sparkling rosé inspired blend made primarily from Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. Herbacée will be made available in single-serve cans and four-packs, and Evans says she plans to release a line sparkling blanc next year, and as well as a line of still cannabis-infused wines.
Noemi Gonzales
