Use your nose to find the perfect wine and cannabis pairing
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Northern California is home to Wine Country. But take a drive farther north into Mendocino and Humboldt counties and you will find cannabis country. That is where a lot of marijuana is grown in California.
And just like wine, cannabis growers are taking advantage of the special growing conditions in those areas to cultivate marijuana with aromas that are very familiar to wine aficionados.
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Phrases like "complex fruity aromas" and "earthy undertones" are being used to describe different types of cannabis flowers.
If you are looking to consume cannabis with wine, it is best to match up the aromas for a better pairing.
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Jamie Evans, founder of The Herb Somm, recommends using your sense of smell to match the aromas in wine to the terpenes (fragrant oils) in cannabis.
Begin by smelling the wine to identify the most prominent aromas that are in the glass. Then smell the terpene profiles in the cannabis. Look for characteristics that are similar to the wine.
"Once you identify a match, use a water pipe or vaporizer to smoke the cannabis first, then drink the wine," recommends Jamie Evans, founder of The Herb Somm.
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Be aware that alcohol enhances the effects of THC in cannabis. To avoid ill effects, it is recommended to begin the pairing with cannabis and wait to feel its effects before consuming alcohol.
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