Tragically Hip selling wine

You can now sip — “the hip”.

Iconic Canadian rockers The Tragically Hip are collaborating outside the recording studio.

They’ve paired up with a local Niagara winery to launch their first wine. “Fully Completely”.

“Two fifty for a highball. And buck and a half for a beer” says the Tragically Hip song ‘Little Bones’.

And now $25 for a bottle of wine.

Canadian rockers The Tragically Hip are toasting their “happy hour” with their own bottle of wine.

Rob Baker, The Tragically Hip: “Everyone in the band has been a wine drinker for a long time.”

So it seemed only natural to launch one of their own. It’s a collaboration with Vineland’s Stoney Ridge Estate Winery

Rob Baker: “We did mostly tasting.”

Paul Langois, The Tragically Hip: “But we’ve been led through the process and Jeff has kindly educated us on the various blends. Our involvement, we are more like the listener I guess. You listen through a bunch of things and find something you like. The artist is the winemaker.”

But winemaker Jeff Hundertmark says they’re not as amateur when it comes to wine as they’re letting on: “The guys know a lot about wine a lot more than I thought. A lot more than I know about music.”

The 2012 Grand Reserve is a red blend and coincides with the re-release of the band’s 1992 album “Fully Completely”

And the label on the bottle has the same iconic artwork as the album cover. The band is hitting the road for a 24 city North America tour, in January.

(“Will this be something after your tour, after your show, you will open a bottle?”) “Oh yes, this will be in the dressing room. No question.”

They’re big supporters of Canadian wines and say Niagara was their first choice which is great news for the local wineries.

Winery President Barry Katzman: “The celebrity name allows a lot of people that maybe weren’t familiar with Canadian wines to try them.”

Canadian golfer Mike Weir launched his brand here in 2005 and opened up shop here in Beamsville this past summer. These celebrity endorsements have been a big boost to the local wine industry.

Barry Katzman: “I think its great for everybody in the wine industry because they don’t just visit us they go and visit other wineries.”

These customers — and fans — were the first to buy a bottle of the hip wine. And they spent the 25-bucks without even trying it first.

(“Does the fact that it’s The Tragically Hip wine entice you to buy it?”) “For sure. It sure does.”

You can’t get it at the LCBO yet. You can get it on the Hip’s website or at the winery and will soon be available in some restaurants. The Hip plan to eventually launch a white as well.