How to Make Cannabis-Infused Wine

Cannabis and wine both boast incredible diversity in their flavours and aromas, and impact the mind in (mostly) pleasant and desirable ways. That said, users need to exercise caution when pairing the two in the same drink. However, when consumed with care, canna-wine can serve up a rewarding experience. Below, find out more about this mix and how to make a batch at home.

Why Make Cannabis-Infused Wine?

Connoisseurship exists across a wide range of hobbies and interests, from cigars and coffee to cuisine and cars. Among these interests, both weed and wine are appreciated, scrutinised, and paired according to their unique attributes and the diversity of their respective categories. This likely comes as no surprise, as each bottle of wine and cannabis strain serves up a distinct experience, especially in terms of flavour and aroma.

While mixing weed and wine might seem bizarre at face value, the duo can open up an entire world of complementary pairings and diverse experiences. In what follows, check out the two main reasons for consuming marijuana-infused wine, before we delve into what to expect from the experience.

Weed and Wine: The Recipe for a Unique Buzz

If you’ve ever smoked a joint while leisurely sipping away at a glass of red or white, you’ll already have an idea of what weed and wine can offer when consumed in unison. Enjoyed separately, both substances elevate the mind, relax the body, and make for some fantastic conversation during social events. Together, the effects of both are amplified; the mellow, warming quality of wine and the stoning yet stimulating effects of cannabis go hand in hand. However, moderation—or a lack thereof—will make or break the experience. Those looking to imbibe weed and wine together should employ the utmost care. Doing so will ensure an enjoyable experience, whereas failing to do so can result in a highly unpleasant one.

Experiment With Different Pairings

The combined psychoactive effects of wine and weed aren’t the only benefit of pairing these two substances; it also serves up a flavour experience like no other.

In the world of viticulture (the study and cultivation of grape vines), winemaking, and wine tasting, terroir plays an important role. A French term, terroir encompasses all of the environmental factors that contribute to the final flavour, character, and overall “feel” of the wine. These factors include sunlight exposure and climate, the mineral and microbial composition of the soil, and the ripening speed of the grapes. The type of grapes used also has a large impact on the character of a bottle of wine, alongside post-harvest processes such as fermentation, yeast types, and ageing in toasted oak barrels. All of these variables influence the concentrations of aromatic and flavour compounds found in a bottle of wine, including tannins, esters, terpenes, aldehydes, and ketones.

With this in mind, terroir also plays a critical role in the final outcome of a given cannabis strain. Factors such as nutrient content of the soil, access to sunlight, as well as harvesting and processing techniques can dramatically impact the production and concentration of secondary metabolites like terpenes, esters, volatile sulphur compounds, and cannabinoids, which hold the key to the flavour, aroma, and potency of the cannabis experience. And just as the taste and aroma of a particular grape variety can vary depending on terroir and processing techniques, the same is true of cannabis plants.

So, why should you consider these factors when looking to whip up a batch of cannabis wine? Well, for the same reason that you carefully choose what strains to grow or what bottle of wine to pull from the shelf. There are literally endless possibilities when it comes to mixing and matching cannabis and wine. We’re talking much deeper than simply pairing an indica-dominant hybrid with a pinot noir. Take a deeper dive into the terroir and processing of certain buds and wines, and you’ll unlock the capacity to refine your experience right down to the last detail.

What to Expect From Cannabis-Infused Wine

Before we dive into a couple of cannabis wine recipes, it’s important to know what to expect when sipping on this flavourful drink. When consumed sensibly and in moderation, cannabis wine will exert a pleasant cerebral buzz paired with bodily relaxation. You may feel more creative, social, and thoughtful. The rich blend of terpenes and other tasty molecules will hit the taste buds with unbelievably rich and complex flavours. But be very careful not to get carried away.

The consumption of cannabis wine leaves very little room for error; you should always aim to drink too little as opposed to too much. For starters, orally administered cannabis produces a much more potent effect than inhaled weed. When smoked, THC and other compounds immediately enter the bloodstream through the alveoli of the lungs, where they are taken swiftly to the brain and trigger the cannabis high. The rapid onset and relatively short-lived nature of the effects allows users a larger degree of control over the cannabis experience and comes with a lower risk of greening out.

Conversely, edible cannabis takes much longer to take effect. Instead of immediately entering the bloodstream through the lungs, orally consumed THC first passes through the stomach and then the liver. In the liver, THC transforms into a metabolite called 11-hydroxy-THC, a potent molecule that produces a more intense and longer-lasting experience. For this reason, edibles have gained a notorious status for often plunging new users into a state of mind they’re not prepared for—adding alcohol to the mix further intensifies matters.

Mixing alcohol with cannabis, an act known as crossfading, amplifies the potency of the latter. Research shows that consuming cannabis while drinking significantly increases the presence of THC and 11-hydroxy-THC in the bloodstream. Therefore, users need to exercise extreme care when drinking cannabis wine. Go low and slow; take only a sip or two at a time and wait at least 30 minutes before proceeding to drink more. Eventually, you’ll figure out your sweet spot and work out how much you can drink to experience a desirable effect without tipping yourself over the edge.

How to Make Cannabis-Infused Wine

Now that you’re aware of why weed and wine pair well together, and how to consume it responsibly, it’s time to craft your own batch at home. Discover two easy methods of waking canna-wine below.

Method 1: Infusing Your Wine With a Weed Tea Bag

This method of making alcoholic weed wine is super simple. Gather the ingredients and equipment listed below before following the straightforward instructions.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle (750ml) dry red or white wine (sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, pinot noir, etc.)
• 20–25g cannabis plant material (buds or trim)

Equipment

• Baking tray
• Baking paper
• Cheesecloth and string
• 1l mason jar

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 110°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Grind up your cannabis into a coarse powder and spread it evenly across the baking paper. Decarboxylate your plant material for 30 minutes to activate the THC.
2. Remove your cannabis from the oven and let it cool. Decant your wine into the mason jar.
3. Place your cannabis onto a piece of cheesecloth. Wrap it up and use a piece of string to secure it.
4. Submerge your weed tea bag in the mason jar and attach the lid.
5. Store the container in the fridge for at least 24 hours before enjoying. During this time, the alcohol in the wine will extract the THC from your plant material. Once you’re ready to take a sip, you can remove the tea bag.
6. Store red cannabis wine in a cool, dark place, and keep white cannabis wine in the refrigerator.
7. Pour a glass, take things slow, and enjoy!

Method 2: Cannabis Mulled Wine

If you’re after something rich and belly-warming, check out this easy cannabis mulled wine recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle red wine
• 28g decarbed ground trim
• 4 cloves
• 1 orange (sliced)
• ¼ tsp. cardamom
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon

Equipment

• Large pot
• Cheesecloth

Directions

1. Place your pot on the stove and pour in your wine.
2. Add your weed, spices, and sliced orange to the pot.
3. Bring the mix to a light simmer and heat for 2 hours with the lid closed.
4. Check the mix frequently and add more wine if the amount of liquid gets too low.
5. Strain the mixture using the cheesecloth.
6. Serve up warm, and enjoy!

How Do You Infuse Wine With CBD?

If you’d rather forgo THC and enjoy the effects of CBD weed wine instead, simply swap out the high-THC plant material for CBD-rich material. Alternatively, given the popularity and availability of CBD oil, you can even just add some drops to a glass or bottle and drink away! Just keep in mind that consuming CBD and alcohol at the same time can amplify the effects of alcohol and cause drowsiness. Take things slowly, just like you would with THC-infused weed wine.

Weed Wine: Your Ticket to a Sophisticated High

Canna-wine offers a whole new world of flavour, with novel effects to match. However, things can quickly take a turn for the worse if you over-imbibe. Treat this medley of terpenes, esters, cannabinoids, and flavonoids with respect, though, and you’ll have a memorable and unique experience.