At a private cannabis-infused dinner party in San Francisco last month hosted by the Herb Somm (aka expert chef and sommelier Jamie Evans) and attended by the industry’s top insiders and socialites, legendary film director turned winemaker Francis Ford Coppola debuted his latest gift to society: a high-end cannabis brand.
The collaboration between Humboldt Brothers and Coppola’s Sana Company LLC is called The Grower’s Series. It offers three limited-edition cannabis flower pre-rolls sold in a steel wine bottle complete with a glass bowl and matches all for the holiday-ready price of $99. "Wine and cannabis are two ancient and bounteous gifts of Mother Nature, linked by great care, terroir, and temperateness," Coppola said in a press release. "Expertise making one applies to the other. As with growing grapes, location matters, and The Grower’s Series reflects California agricultural expertise creating a true blend of art and science.” Each one-gram joint contains a different strain: a Sativa-dominant, an Indica-dominant, and one hybrid. This was done in order to offer a taste of “the diverse Humboldt County microclimates.” The area, also known as the Emerald Triangle, has long been known for its vast marijuana farms, some of which have existed for decades. Coppola aims to use his brand to help educate and perhaps even re-introduce cannabis to folks who may have consumed before one of his earlier films but then gave it up as they forged ahead with careers and families. His collaboration with The Herb Somm will bring The Grower’s Series into several high-profile private events. The name Sana comes from a Sanskrit text which calls cannabis a sacred plant, a cheeky nod to those in the know. The company is wholly separate from Coppola’s other endeavors, including his wineries and hotels. The Grower’s Series is currently available for pre-order exclusively through Chill, an online cannabis delivery service that operates in the Bay Area. Certain NorCal dispensaries will carry the product in their brick and mortar stores, but quantities are limited are certain to sell out. Depending on the reaction from consumers, the brand could expand in 2019. "Having spent over ten years in the wine industry and now running a business in the cannabis industry, I think it's incredible to see such an iconic family get into the space," said Jamie Evans, in an interview with Forbes. "There are so many synergies that exist between the two industries, especially in Northern California. The more support we can get from leaders like Francis Ford Coppola, the closer we get to breaking the stigma of cannabis nationwide."