Spain bans blue wine

It's been a hit with the hipsters, but Spanish authorities have told the makers of Gik blue wine that they can no longer label it as wine.

Gik has sold close to 100,000 bottles in 25 countries, but a court has ruled that since there is no "blue wine" category among the 17 listed wine products mentioned in Annex VII part II of Regulation 1308/2013, Gik cannot be labelled as "wine".

Gik's troubles began last August when its headquarters were visited by two government inspectors who forced the company to stop production pending an investigation.

Gik will now have had to change the labelling on the product to  "99 percent wine and 1 percent grape must" to ensure the product meets the requirements of current legislation.

"It is absurd because its composition is 100 percent wine," Gik said in a statement.

Gik's blue hue is created with anthyocyacin, a natural pigment extracted from grape skin, and indigo, a natural dye derived from the woad plant.

"When we created Gik, our aim was to innovate in the most traditional sector of our country: wine industry," Gik notes in a petition on Change.org calling for support in their fight for recognition as a wine. "They considered us fools for trying. They called us blasphemous for 'playing' with Christ's blood. But nothing stopped us." 

Australia's Idyll Wine Co faced similar issues when it created a wine called The Blue Bird for Liquorland.

The Blue Bird is predominantly made from moscato grapes with a few other white varietals thrown into the mix and, like Gik, gets its hue from anthocyanins and indigo food colouring. The additives mean it must be labelled in Australia as a "wine product" rather than wine. 

Idyll Wine Co commercial manager Andrew Byers told the Herald Sun: “It’s something out of the box. People who don’t usually drink wine will find this easy to drink and surprisingly, it tastes better than you’d imagine. The colour breaks down any wine snobbery and it’s a bit innovative and fun."

Liquorland spokesman Blair Speedy added: “It’s unconventional and striking in hue and looks good in a photo.”