Beer and wine concoction in the making

A New Zealand winemaker hoping to tap into the craft beer craze has created a wine using hops in the blending process.

The wine is even poured from a beer tap (Photo: Twitter)

The unique pour is the work of Marlborough-based Allan Scott Family Winemakers, and has been made using the region’s flagship Sauvignon Blanc variety.

Insisting that it’s “definitely a wine” rather than a beer, Josh Scott, the company’s winemaking director, told local website Stuff.com, “The idea was to turn traditional winemaking on its head and have a bit of a play using some craft beer techniques.

“It came about last year, we were just talking in the winery doing new things building profile in the brand … everyone talks about new product development, engaging with customers and keeping it fresh and I just wanted to do something a bit different,” he said.

Dubbed the Green Hopped Gooseberry Bomb Sauvignon Blanc in a nod to the locally-grown green sauvin hops used in its making, the 2014 vintage wine has a light alcohol content of 9% abv.

The wine was released last week and the winery is looking to supply craft beer bars throughout the country.

“We’ve had a lot of support out of the trade sector and I think that’s because it’s something a little bit different,” said Scott.

Allan Scott Family Winemakers is planning to release several more unique wine creations throughout the year, including Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer blended with a Belgium beer yeast, as well as a full berry ferment Sauvignon Blanc, according to the website.