It’s Girly; But I Like It!

Sometimes you come across a wine which almost certainly is gender specific. Fortunately wine – unlike say clothes, shoes or beach wear – is not gender specific and even if you think the taste of the product is more suited to the female palate, you won’t look like a right prat while drinking it (unlike wearing a g-string bikini if you are a guy on a beach).

At the Wine and Dine festival last year I was fortunate enough to be located next to “The Crush”, a fairly new wine company who deal primarily in New Zealand wines but have since expanded into wines from other countries around the world. Their flagship wine at Wine and Dine, and one that I must say was exceedingly popular, was a sparkling wine from New Zealand called Joiy (pronounced joy).

 

So, yesterday I caught up with Daphnie Tsui to taste the wine again, see what made it such a sensation at Wine and Dine and figure out if it really is a “girly drink” or one that can be drunk by anyone (which it can by the way). The wine itself is described by winemaker Chris Archer as one that is a “working woman’s beer”, so I guess that kind of answers my first question!

Chris is a freelance winemaker whose first release of this wine was in 2010. The wine is a 100 per cent Riesling from Waipara, New Zealand and is a rebellious wine that does not conform to the norm. It is off dry (a little bit sweet) but is really refreshing and certainly very easy to drink. This is what makes it a “girly wine”, that coupled with the fact that it’s only 9.5 per cent alcohol, so, if you are a girl drinking with your mates through the afternoon, this is the perfect wine for you!

The wine appeals mainly to beginner drinkers but can be appreciated by those who enjoy a good off dry wine too. It’s really a wine for the younger generations and that’s something I that I think is fantastic. Anyone who is making wine that encourages people to try the wine and learn more about the product in general is doing everyone a good service to the industry as a whole as today’s Joiy drinkers could be the Lafite drinkers of the next decade.

The packaging is unique in itself and the product is sold in a box that contains four bottles of 250ml each – thus you are getting a litre each time but as they are in four bottles, you are restricting the possible wastage and have a product you can share (much like a four-pack of beer). The design of the label and the box is striking and is said to take you away to a fantasy world, whilst to product, according to Daphnie is “unique and tells the story of entering the exotic world of Joiy”.

Joiy is described as bottled happiness and to be quite honest I like that description! It’s certainly one that all girls will enjoy and a great product to share with friends. It’s ergonomically designed and is something that should be on every beach, boat and BBQ trip if you are going on one. There is a Valentine’s day special on the wine ($280 for the box of 4 bottles), but if you want to get it at home for Valentine’s day you’d better contact The Crush today (with Chinese New Year holidays there is very little time for deliveries in the next 5 days).

Contact Daphnie at The Crush on daphnie@thecrushhk.com or call her on 6100 0852 and if you are not in a rush you can check out their website www.thecrushhk.com or visit the Joiy Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JoiyBottledHappiness