Cannabis Could Threaten California’s Wine Industry

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In Northern California, wine and weed reign supreme. For anyone that’s even remotely into wine, a trip to California’s wine country seems like an ideal getaway. There are over 400 wineries in the area north of San Francisco, including the area’s most well-known valleys like Napa and Sonoma. The grapevines that line the rolling hills and valleys now have competition: weed. Since the state’s legalization of recreational marijuana in 2016, there has been a huge transformation of the pot industry, and vineyard operators might have to make some serious changes to stay relevant.

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Companies like Sea Of Green, in the San Francisco Bay Area, offer weed tours where you can explore cannabis with all of your senses at dispensaries and farms. You can go on 420 tours that last anywhere from 4 to 8 hours. You travel around and explore California’s greenery and its best producers among like-minded adventurers.

Even though legalization is still fairly recent, investors have been scooping up property and developing expertise in cannabis cultivation. There are concerns that companies like Sea Of Green will eventually lead to competition on the tourism side.

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The two worlds collide in many ways. Marijuana growers are using some of the same terms as the wine industry, like local, sustainably-grown and high-end. Fortune reports that lower-priced wines could see a decrease in sales because of the cannabis industry, but fine wines will less likely be hurt. Some wine producers worry that customers may allocate more of their income to weed than wine. On the opposite end of the spectrum, some wine producers believe that the two industries are more intertwined than they are competitors.

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Phil Coturri, an American viticulturist, has been recognized as a pioneer in organic and biodynamic farming in California. As one of Napa and Sonoma Valley’s most respected winemakers, Coturri also happens to be an enthusiast of weed. According to Seven Point Delivery, Coturri expects the weed industry to eventually resemble the wine industry, with everything from cheaper varieties (like a Walmart brand) to high-priced luxury versions. He doesn’t see the cannabis industry directly competing with the wine world.

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The New York Times reports that the two industries are appealing to totally different consumers. Tina Caputo, a freelance writer that specializes in wine, said, “We haven’t actually seen anybody who’s laying down their glass of wine to pick up a bong” and “there’s room in people’s lives for both.” Of course, this quote is a generalization and you might be that person who alternates between a glass of cabernet and a joint.

Bottom line: The legalization of marijuana is still so new that it’s hard to tell how California’s wine industry will be affected. The two industries can be competitors when it comes to land and tourism, but they might also work in harmony. Only time will tell.