Dopey Wine

Posted by Tom Wark on Apr 6, 2006

A wine that alludes to marijuana? Hell that’s nothing.

When I was getting a B.A. at Humboldt State University I crossed paths (only saw, of course, never indulged) with Pot Tea, Pot-infused hard candy, Pot-Cakes and Brownies, Pot-laced wine, Pot-infused meatloaf and, in what was really a tribute to the quality of Humboldt horticulture, a large bud of Humboldt grown pot that would stick to the ceiling when tossed upward with force.

Still, it’s nice to see some vintners have an appreciation of a region’s culture and a sense of humor.

The Zig Zag Zin portrayed in today’s Santa Rosa Press Democrat Story tells
the tale of Mendocino Wine Company’s (owner of Parducci brand) ode to the Mendocino County’s soft baked counter culture.

If the tag line on the bottle ("Growing the Good Stuff") isn’t enough, the label is a knock off of the famed "Zig Zag" papers used by some to roll joints.

I knew people in Humboldt so dedicated to the cult of the weed that they would be undistinguishable from many of the devoted wine lovers we all know who can blindly tell you the varietal in their glass. These pot afficianados could just smell the stuff and tell you the weed’s origin. Pretty impressive actually.

The Mendocino Police and Sheriff don’t like the idea of the wine since it is seen as a glorification of "gateway drug". I wonder if they’ve ever tasted Navarro Winery’s Methode a L’Ancienne Pinot Noir. Talk about a "Gateway Drug". One sip of that beauty and you are bound to go looking for more, maybe even venture into the territory of red Burgundy. Dangerous stuff!