Blending grapes with hops to make 'craft wine'

A Marlborough wine company blended grapes and hops to put a brewer's twist on the region's flagship wine variety.

Green Hopped Gooseberry Bomb Sauvignon Blanc, made from Marlborough sauvignon blanc grapes and green sauvin hops from Nelson, is one of the first "craft wines" to come out of Allan Scott Family Winemakers, near Blenheim, Stuff.co.nz reported.

Winemaking director Josh Scott said craft wines were a twist on conventional winemaking, but with a blend of grapes and hops it is "definitely a wine," adding that the idea was to turn traditional winemaking on its head and have a bit of a play using some craft beer techniques.

The fruit and hops used for the sauvignon blanc craft wine were harvested this year. It is 9 per cent alcohol.

On top of the grape and hop blend, Allan Scott Family Winemakers also released Phat Jam Pinot Noir, 15 per cent alcohol, made from Marlborough pinot noir grapes and strawberries. Grapes for the pinot noir craft wine were harvested last year.

The craft wines were released last week and were available on tap at Allan Scott's restaurant Twelve Trees. The wine would not be bottled.