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Red, white, rosé, orange – this is the well-known palette of wine colors, to which a rather strange blue color has been “added” for a relatively long time (in 2018, the beverage appeared on the French market). Why “added” I write in quotation marks? Because this color, unnatural for almost all food products, cannot be obtained as a result of a strictly regulated wine production process, and, accordingly, such a product cannot be called “wine”. In addition, the experiment with the production and release of a blue beverage on the wine market remained in the category of experiments, and did not turn into one of categories of wine. Alcoholic beverages of such an attractive pool-colored color are quite affordable in Europe, and, I finally tasted one of them by curiosity. Here’s the result.
First, a little historical background.
In fact, “blue wine” is not such a recent phenomenon. This was the name for inexpensive, low-quality wine that was served in Parisian bistros, cabarets, bars, and other establishments of this kind. This drink was made from grapes grown near Paris (I think it goes without saying that the quality of the harvest in the local climate left much to be desired) and had a pale purple color with a bluish tint. But the recent phenomenon that I will talk about in this article dates back to the 21st century. In 2018, an unusual azure-blue wine appeared on the market in France – Vindigo, produced in Spanish Andalusia and supplied to the French market by a distributor in the small town of Sète. Obviously, the new invention of a color unusual for almost all edible products caused a mixed reaction in the wine world, despite the possible desire of producers to “turn over” the idea of wine and attract the fading interest of consumers to this drink. Nevertheless, the blue wine caused more bewilderment and questions than enthusiasm from consumers, especially considering its price of 10-18 euros (depending on the distributor).
According to the manufacturer, this process is completely natural and does not involve any artificial colors. Namely, the blue color of wine made from the white Chardonnay variety is acquired as a result of maceration on the skins of black grapes, obtaining anthocyanins from it – substances that give red wine its color. Why do they suddenly acquire an azure hue? It’s all about the pH level. In the acidic environment of red wine, it is 3-4, which is why anthocyanins are red. They become azure in an alkaline environment, where the pH is above 7. But the lower the acidity of the wine, the more unstable it is and the more susceptible it is to the influence of microorganisms, since high acidity is an unfavorable environment for bacteria. That is, supplying consumers with potentially dangerous wine (or, at least, which can quickly become unfit for consumption) is not the most commercially reasonable decision. Answer: blue dye E133. But, naturally, the manufacturer denies the presence of artificial colors. In this case, if we assume that anthocyanins, which are capable of turning blue in an acidic environment, were somehow isolated from red grapes, then they can be obtained from the pulp (the solid part of the grape that remains after fermentation and pressing), and in very small quantities. Here another problem arises: adding red grape pulp to white wine and calling the resulting product wine is prohibited by European laws regulating winemaking. Isolated in a laboratory, “blue” anthocyanins, even if they are also a derivative of grapes, like wine itself. But the term “wine” is still on the label. Thus, there are two options:
The first option is fraught with several problems at once:
therefore, it can be discarded. In the second case, either a response from the manufacturer or a laboratory analysis of the wine is required. Not surprisingly, both the manufacturer and the distributor did not respond to all attempts by journalists to get an answer to this question. Laboratory tests were, of course, conducted, and the dye was found in blue wines from some manufacturers. Conclusion: blue wine cannot be legally called “wine”, regardless of whether it received its color with the help of the dye E133 (bright blue color), or with the help of anthocyanins isolated from the pulp and capable of preserving the blue color in an acidic environment. So “blue wine” is white wine, which should already be called a “drink based on wine”.
Tasting of “blue wine”: Bodega Santa Margarita Vino Azul Pasion Blue Chardonnay Are its organoleptic qualities worth the price? It’s worth satisfying curiosity once, but considering that technically it’s a tinted white Chardonnay wine… for that kind of money you can find real wine, and much better.
Color: light blue, azure Aroma: restrained, but opens up after aeration in a pleasant sweetish bouquet of stone fruits (apricot, white peach), tropical fruits (pineapple, passion fruit, lychee), with a barely noticeable shade of rose. Taste: round, soft texture, with the same shades – pineapple, white peach, nectarine, passion fruit, a note of melon, fresh orange, a slight shade of rose and orange blossom in the aftertaste of medium length. Acidity is soft, but quite balanced with the profile of the wine. General impression and quality rating: light, simple and drinkable wine, predominantly fruity. Acidity is average, even slightly below average, which makes the wine somewhat flat, but nevertheless pleasant. It’s interesting to try once.
Sources: https://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/fondamental/vin-naturellement-bleu-venu-d-espagne-un-probleme-de-chimie-et-d-oenologie_126467 https://www.afis.org/Du-vin-bleu https://www.lecoindesepicuriens.com/blogs/infos/le-vin-bleu-est-il-un-vrai-vin https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2018/07/31/2844398-cet-etrange-vin-bleu-qui-debarque-en-france.html
