Piquette - The Next Trend?

Current trends are in the alcohol biz are hard seltzer and orange wine. Maybe Piquette is next, or not. Hard seltzer is popular because it supposed to be healthier, refreshing, and easy drinking. Orange wine because it's different. Rosé is hot because it's easy to sip, guzzle, or quaff. And for the color, I guess.

Piquette is a French word though this product goes back at least to Roman and Greek times. It's the blue collar wine or a not-quite-wine for beginners. It's made from the leftovers of producing "real" wine, the pomace. Grape pomace is the solid remains of the grapes after the juice has been squeezed out. You add water to these leftovers and the bit of sugar left in the pumice will ferment.

What you get is a much lower alcohol beverage, about 7%, a bit fizzy, and doesn't taste quite like wine. I haven't seen it let alone tried it so the taste description comes from others. They say it's sort of sour. So they are hoping to appeal to the sour beer and kimchi folks along with the younger drinkers in general who like to try new things. 

In the U.S. Piquette seems to be retailing for $15-20. So if you like being an Instagram trendsetter get a bottle now!