For those of us who prefer ingesting grapes in their liquid form but aren’t always sure wine is the best choice, there’s now First Blush. Billed as the “first all-natural premium variety grape juice,” First Blush (firstblushjuice.com) takes wine-quality grapes and makes a cabernet, merlot, chardonnay, and rose from zinfandel. The company, headquartered here in Santa Barbara, is partnering with Whole Foods to roll out its product and preach the word of polyphenol antioxidants that taste great and lead to less aging (at least that’s what some scientists claim).
What’s more, First Blush has pledged to donate a nickel of every bottle sold to the World Health Organization and its mission to promote health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.” It’s not every day you get to quench your thirst with a juice sold on the strength of its aroma and flavor profile, while also getting to do some good in the world.