Jeffrey Stambor, of Beaulieu Vineyard puts the final signature on this year’s Emmy Big Bottle

Beaulieu Vineyard poured it on at this year’s 2012 Emmy Awards but never opened the bottle.
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For the second year in a row BV wowed the nominees and guests by creating one of the most magnificent wines, in one the most magnificent bottles and then had  bottle signed by 68 Hollywood TV-stars, Emmy Winners, Nominees and other industry luminaries.

The bottle alone is a valuable, custom-etched and painted, 27-liter bottle of the winery’s flagship Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. It is the equivalent of 3 cases of wine or 36 bottles of wine and, by the way…is  the largest bottle produced for the wine industry.  The full bottle stands 3.5 feet high and weighs over 110 pounds.

The autographs make this exceptional collector’s item into something truly one of a kind with signatures that include Emmy winners Kevin Costner (Actor in a Miniseries or Movie, Hatfields & McCoys); Damian Lewis (Actor in a Drama Series, Homeland); Jon Cryer (Actor in a Comedy Series, Two and a Half Men); Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Actress in a Comedy Series, Veep); Julie Bowen (Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Modern Family); Eric Stonestreet (Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Modern Family).

In addition to other winners, the bottle also bears the autographs of Emmy Host Jimmy Kimmel, Charlie Sheen, Amy Poehler, William H. Macy, Rob Lowe, Clare Danes, Hugh Laurie, Don Cheadle, David Spade, Emmy Producer Mark Burnett,  and the cast of Entourage: Jeremy Piven, Adrien Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, and Scott Caan.

This list goes on to include; Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Anna Gunn, Zooey Deschanel, Loretta Devine,  Jason Ritter, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brenda Strong, Connie Britton, Dot-Marie Jones, Martha Plimpton, Joanne Froggatt, Elisabeth Moss, Giancarlo Esposito, Mayim Bialik, Jared Harris, Cat Deeley, Jeremy Davies, Sarah Paulson, Julia Ormond, Mare Winningham, Martin Freeman, and even more

Millennial’s Discovering Fun Wines and taking the TXT Cellars Pledge

As the wine labels of the past struggle to reach new demographics with too little a little too late,  there is a movement that reminds the big box wine companies that you might be peddling your grandfather’s wine with the wrong message.

When we saw TXT Cellars it immediately made sense, and after we tasted the array of wines named with the most popular abbreviated texting acronyms of the social media and ‘smart’ phone communications,  we knew that it would make new dollars and a whole lot of  ‘cents’ with every pour.

    So when you see OMG Chardonnay, LMAO Pinot Grigio, LOL Reisling, WTF Pinot Noir, CYA     Shiraz, and GR8 Cabernet Sauvignon you’ll know it’s not for ‘wine geeks’ or ‘cork dorks’ but for a new and interested wine drinker who wants to…and is having fun discovering wine as a beverage that has more versatility in today’s  wine market.

Their website is fun, and each wine has a page that is not only informative, giving the typical pairings and ABV measures but also comes with smiles that are both clever and endearing.

For example reading the tasting notes, food pairings and especially the the ‘Total Acidity’ of  TXT Cellars  LMAO Pinot Grigio…may just might make you LYAO.

The brand can be call a novelty or perhaps a gimmick but the wine delivers quality at that price point and may be just perfect for younger clientele to explore wine and varietals that they never thought would accompany their burgers, wings and other foods found at sports bars and restaurants.

But it also comes with a message to the entry level wine drinkers and recently TXT Cellars has launched a new online responsibility campaign petitioning consumers to sign a pledge on its website that they will not drink and drive or text and drive.

All consumers of legal drinking age are invited to visit www.txtcellars.com and follow the link on the home page to “Take The TXT Cellars Pledge,” or they can simply scan the QR code found on the wines’ back labels to sign up for the pledge on a smart phone. Additionally, the campaign will be promoted through Facebook ads and on point-of-sale materials.

“It is our hope that encouraging our consumers to sign the TXT Cellars Pledge will make them think twice and lead to good decisions,” stated Vision Wine & Spirits Managing Director Dan Lasner.

TXT Cellars makes it fun…even when you click on ‘under 21′ on their age verification page

TXT Cellar varietals are fruit-forward, approachable wines that are easy to drink and understand. and that’s what consumers are looking for. The wines are delicious and priced right and all are available for under $10 ($7.99-$9.99) in most major markets.

TXT Cellars was launched first in New Jersey and is imported by Vision Wine & Spirits. In Florida they are distributed by Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC)

Cupcakes In Concert! Cupcake Wines Featured at Firepit City Grill

They’re hot. Delicious and Priced right.

Cupcake Vineyards and their line of varietal wines are growing both in selection and popularity and recently The Firepit City Grill in Fort Myers introduced a different kind of food pairing and wine tasting when they featured 10 different Cupcake wines and four different flavors of mini-cupcakes.

The event was co-sponsored by BeverageUnderground.com and held on April 28, 2012 at Gulf Coast Town Center on the lawn at the Market Square Stage.

Long-time Southwest Florida Radio Personality Gina Birch of WINK 96.9 was the special guest who along with Jeff Nichols of  Republic National Distributing Company was pouring samplings from the line of Cupcake Wines. The staff served guests while friends and fans clinked glasses and enjoyed  the Wildfire Blues Band appetizers…and cupcakes, on the Patio at The Firepit.

Guests to both dinner at The Firepit and the free outdoor Blues Concert were treated to great prices on glasses and bottles of both white and red Cupcake Wines and as a bonus got to taste another Cupcake Wine…and a homemade mini-cupcake from the Firepit’s ‘scratch kitchen’.

“I loved the white blend, The Cupcake Angel Food with the great Lettuce Wraps here at the Firepit. I enjoy being able to help the local businesses while I support the wine industry”, smiled Birch who writes a popular blog on wine, food and to a lesser degree, music.

Jeff Nichols who is RNDC’s District Manager in the Fort Myers area, was representing Cupcake Vineyards and answered questions while guests of all legal drinking ages found just the right ‘Cupcake’ to sample and sip.

“This has been a great brand to offer to our clients, great quality and priced to be both affordable to the public and still profitable for the retailer”, said Nichols.  The wines are from the greatest regions in the world the Italian Varietals including the Pinot Grigio, Moscato and Prosecco are DOC and DOCG quality assured,the Sauvignon Blanc is from New Zealand’s Marlbourogh Region and the Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina”, added Nichols. 

Nichols is right. The California’s are true to the Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir expressions and the Riesling are from Germany…and delicious.

Guests agreed that the wine drinks a lot bigger than it’s price and for the entire month of May including Mother’s Day the Firepit City Grill will proudly feature Cupcake Wines every Saturday & Sunday when guests will receive $5 off the already reasonable pricing on all bottles of Cupcake Vineyards White and Red Wines.

The Eastside Firepit City Grill is a independently owned and family operated restaurant in Fort Myers, Florida.

Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle Agrees to Deal with Terlato Wines

Terlato Wines will be adding to their world-class international luxury wine portfolio with the announcement that they have reached an exclusive, long-term agreement with Marnier-Lapostolle Inc.. Terlato will import and market the renowned Lapostolle wines from Chile and Chateau de Sancerre from the Loire Valley France. 

“I have visited Chile several times to explore the right Chilean brand to add to our portfolio. After visiting Lapostolle and tasting their exceptional wines, I knew immediately that it was the brand for our family to represent,” said William A. Terlato President and CEO of Terlato Wines.

 Lapostolle was founded in 1994,  by Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and Cyril de Bournet whose goal was to create world-class wines by combining superb terroirs of Chile with French experience and expertise.

Lapostolle was a pioneer in developing the Apalta region, a small part of the Colchagua Valley that is now considered Chile’s first grand cru. Lapostolle’s Clos Apalta flagship red wine, introduced in 1999 and awarded the #1 wine of the year by Wine Spectator in 2008, has consistently received critical praise and is widely considered to be among the world’s finest red wines.

The U.S. is the company’s No. 1 market, and  Lapostolle owns more than 900 acres in three different vineyards, producing over 200,000 cases annually.

(L to R) Cyril de Bournet, Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, Bill Terlato, John Terlato

“I know personally that the Terlato family and their team are well suited to develop Lapostolle at its best in the U.S.,” Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle said. “Our long-term investment and quality approach needs the right partner for our most important market and I believe that the Terlato family and the entire Terlato Wines organization have the experience, expertise and luxury wine knowledge to continue to grow our brand,” she added.

Terlato Wines will import and market the full range of Lapostolle wines—the current Casa, Cuvee Alexandre and Collection tiers. Terlato will also launch the newest Lapostolle wine, Canto de Apalta, which is inspired by the red wine blend of the flagship Clos Apalta. 

In 1919, Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle, the creator of Grand Marnier, bought Chateau de Sancerre and its vineyards as a tribute to the city where he was born. Chateau de Sancerre wines from the Loire Valley are owned by the Marnier Lapostolle family, and  are produced and bottled directly at the chateau.   It is the only Sancerre wine which can be sold or advertised under the exclusive name of “Chateau de Sancerre.”

The wines include: Chateau de Sancerre Blanc, Chateau de Sancerre Rouge and Chateau de Sancerre Cuvee du Connetable.

Terlato Wines International (TWI) has a global portfolio of more than 50 brands from an array of world class wine producers and presently markets more than one out of ten bottles of wine over $14 sold in America.

Banfi Vitners Moves to RNDC

There has been a lot  going on at Banfi Vintners over the past few months, and BeverageUnderground.com has confirmed that Banfi Vintners will move their entire portfolio to RNDC in Florida effective June 1, 2012.  

The announcement of the move to Republic National Distributing  comes after the naming of the M Booth as Banfi’s Public Relations Agency of Record in March. Banfi also made recent headlines when they purchased Kenwood Vineyards, the long standing and respected Sonoma County Winery.

Banfi Vitners, who is  still a private company with no plans to go public, imports a large and popular portfolio of wines that includes iconic brands at either end of the spectrum.

Perhaps best known for its higher-end Brunello wines, Castello Banfi of Montalcino, the Mariani family’s wine estates in Italy. But Castello Banfi also imports brands like Bolla and Cella from Italy and Concha y Toro and Walnut Crest from Chile.

In 2010, Banfi Vitners purchased their first winery in North America with the purchase of Pacific Rim Winemakers, a Washington State winery best known for their award-winning Rieslings.

The move to Republic National Distributing Company comes in time for the relaunch of  of Riunite Lambrusco in the United States. First Introduced in 1967, “Riunite on ice, That’s nice”, was the advertising slogan and the  catchphrase that made the brand the top-selling imported wine in the country at its peak in 1985 with 11.5 million cases sold. That record made them the all-time single year import sales leader  and has yet to be broken.

Banfi will launch Sweet Red and Sweet White varieties of Riunite in the United States, aimed at twenty-something year olds in a campaign with a large online, social media component to take advantage of the love affair young people are having with sweeter varietals.

Republic National Distributing currently lists 19 states including Florida, Texas, Colorado, Ohio, Kentucky, The Carolina’s, Louisiana and much of the middle Atlantic and Gulf coast States. 

Brands Like Simply Naked Focus on New Wine Drinkers

Forecast earnings for Constellation Brands fiscal year sent shares down as much as 13.9% making the stock the top loser on the New York Stock Exchange according to Reuters News Service. The company expects a rebound in the economy and that their sales will grow but warn that the stock growth may be hidden in the marketing and investment it will take to make Simply Naked, Primal Roots and The Dreaming Tree recognizable names to the people who are buying wine these days.

For decades, the marketing at Constellation Brands amounted to little more than in-store pitches, reprinting of ratings and corresponding ads in magazines. But there is a new ideology at Constellation and the world’s second largest wine seller is targeting Millennials, the 21- to 34-year-olds who are now the fastest-growing segment of wine drinkers.

Constellation, the suppliers of such iconic brands as Mondavi,  Blackstone, Clos du Bois,  and Ravenswood trails the E & J Gallo Winery in annual  sales but also trails in the quest for the new wine drinkers.

Constellation’s U.S. chief of marketing, Chris Fehrnstrom, started that  “many consumers deny they like sweet wines” when they actually do. “There is a very strong segment in sweet wines,” says Fehrnstrom.

Primal Roots is a prime example of that kind of wine that calls itself ‘jammy and silky’ when in fact the most seasoned wine drinker may think its more  fruity and sweet.

The Dreaming Tree label is more of an effort to bridge the gap between the over $20 but over $10 and also to hit the millennial target group but focuses a bit more on the over 30 age group.  The Dreaming Tree portfolio is harvested in California’s wine country, and is  named after the Dave Matthews Bandtrack, “The Dreaming Tree,” from his 1998

Dave Matthews and Simi Winemaker Steve Reeder Create Dreaming Tree

“Before These Crowded Streets ” album. The collection includes a 2010 Central Coast Chardonnay, 2009 North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon and 2009 North Coast Crush red blend all priced at about $15. Simi Winemaker Steve Reeder collaborated with Matthews on Dreaming Tree Wines

Until two years ago, Chief Executive Officer Robert Sands and Constellation operated differently.  It was the North American President of Constellation, Jay Wright who saw sluggish sales at price points over $20 and aggressively sought younger customers by turning to the Web.

In June 2011,  Constellation head hunters recruited E & J Gallo’s digital marketing star Karena Breslin who immediately began changing the culture by setting up classes for employees that stressed the importance of social media and creating on-line conversations. “It’s not always 100 percent focused on the product and the brand,”  says Breslin. She called the class ‘Digital 101′.

It’s those Millennials, the 21- to 34-year-olds who are the future and now the fastest-growing segment of wine drinkers. In early 2010, Constellation staged their first  “tweet up” for its Robert Mondavi brand, and it worked.  Bloggers  toured the Napa Valley  winery and sent Twitter posts as they strolled and sipped.

The results showed up last year and were encouraging. The changes helped boost sales of its 15 most profitable brands by 10 percent last year. “We’re supercharging our investments in brand building,” says Jay Wright, a former successful brand manager at Proctor & Gamble for the ‘old school’ but iconic Duncan Hines cake mix brand.

CEO Robert Sands doubled his digital marketing budget last year to $10 million and is raising it 50 percent this year. Sands is convinced online marketing is ideally suited to selling wine because drinkers have long discovered new tastes through real-life social networks. “If anything lends itself to social media, it’s wine,” he says.

Barbara Widmer and Brancaia Wines Go Gallo

E. & J. Gallo Winery will now be the exclusive distributor for the entire line of Brancaia Wines from Italy after a last minute announcement that is effective immediately. The brand has won numerous awards and Gallo has acquired the rights from Barbara Widmer, daughter of the founders of Brancaia  Brigitte and Bruno Widmer who established the brand in 1981.

The Brancaia portfolio includes Brancaia Tre, a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon; Brancaia Chianti Classico; Brancaia Ilatraia, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Petite Verdot as well as their ‘Super Tuscan’  Brancaia Il Blu.

Brancaia gained notoriety with  Brancaia Il Blu, a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and was  first distributed by William Grant & Sons. Most recently the brand had been part of the prestigious Hess Collection and the move to Gallo was surprising to many industry professionals.

Roger Nabedian, Senior Vice President of Gallo’s Premium Wine Division said, “The Brancaia portfolio consists of several noteworthy wines from diverse vineyards within Tuscany which we are excited to share with American consumers. This is a great addition to our Luxury portfolio of fine wines “

Martin Kronenberg, Brancaia’s chief executive officer added “We are very happy to partner with the Gallo Winery to sell Brancaia. We are excited to tap into their marketing expertise and best-in-class network of distributors to expand our sales in the U.S.” added Kronenberg.

Peter Lehmann marks three decades since its founding  and the winery is introducing a series of packaging changes, simplifying some product tiers while featuring Founder Peter Lehmann in a new series of icon labels featuring his silhouette.

Since 1982, both Peter Lehmann the man…and Peter Lehmann the wine has been legendary in the Barossa for working with growers when he launched a new winery that would shape the future of Australian Wines globally.  The winery now offers the finest array of wines available from Australia.

Peter Lehmann is among the top-selling Australian brands in the United States, particularly for Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling and for Clancy’s, a Shiraz-based blend. 

Clancy’s, now in its 21st vintage, receives a package refresh with a bolder label beginning with the 2009 vintage. Peter Lehmann’s innovative Layers series of wines featuring varietals and key vineyards from throughout the winery’s Barossa homeland move to dramatic new packaging with vintage changes in 2009 for Layers Red and 2010 for Layers White

Paul Turale, the Global Marketing Manager for Peter Lehmann, said “the one common thread to all the unique stories behind the Lehmann brand is Peter Lehmann himself,” adding, “it was logical to link our new brand iconography back to our founder.”Peter Lehmann’s silhouette will now be featured on labels across the entire family of wines. Each tier offers a distinct personality, from accessible to iconic, said Turale.

Among the new brand tiers in the United States are the Art Series, Portrait, Masters and Stonewell. The Portrait  tier includes such notable Peter Lehmann wines as the Barossa Valley Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Eden Valley Riesling; Stonewell is simply the finest Shiraz possible in the vintage; and, Masters showcases wines of distinction which have been refined over the years to include 8 Songs Shiraz, Mentor Cabernet and Botrytis Semillon.

Different treatments of the Lehmann silhouette reflect the style and spirit of most of the various ranges, from the colorful pop-art feel of the Art Series, to the more handcrafted nature of the Portrait tier, and an even more refined look in the Masters series. New packaging will be rolled out over new vintages in the next year. First to display the new look is the 2009 Portrait Shiraz.

According to the Nielsen surveys, the future of wine sales rests with  the ladies of Generation Y, and there is little doubt that the new line of ‘Be.” Wines by the Treasury Wine Estates  is staking their claim to the curious and influential  ‘eighties babies’.

The “Be” Collection is expected to debut in April with four popular varietals using an innovative marketing plan that is intended to grab the attention of the demographic that is emerging as one that has buying power and increasing impact on the consumer wine industry.

Treasury Wine Estates is a worldwide company with several  internationally known brands including Penfold’s and Lindeman’s from Australia, Gabbiano from Italy and Chateau St. Jean, Greg Norman Estates, Stag’s Leap Winery, and others from California.

The brand behind the “Be.”  is Beringer  who is Treasury’s top selling wine in the United States and along with The “Be.” experience is intended to make it easy for women to choose a easy drinking and  affordable wines that match their moods.

“Be.“ Fresh Chardonnay bursts with apple and citrus tones and is a light un-oaked Chardonnay from the 2010 vintage, while  “Be.“ Radiant Riesling is a fuller bodied, fruit forward  expression.   The popularity of Pinot Grigio is addressed by the “Be.“ Bright version of  their crisp citrus Pinot Grigio and the suggestive “Be.“ Flirty Pink Moscato  is a rich berry and floral invitation to the world of wine.

“Be. is about inspiring Millennial women to open up to the exciting world of wine without taking it too seriously,” said Stephen Brauer, Managing Director for Beringer BBU. “This launch of this brand is particularly important to us because the women behind its inception are among the most curious and influential in the industry right now. We want to make sure they feel inspired to explore and are rewarded with a small but exciting indulgence.”

The wine has begun shipping and will be available nationwide by mid-April 2012 and will retail between $9.99 and $12.99

But also this spring, Train will also release the third varietal from their Save Me, San Francisco Wine Company.  Like the new album, this  Cabernet Sauvignon will be called ‘California 37′.

Train’s  Jimmy Stafford started a subscription wine club called the  The Train Wine Club in 2010 and followed that effort with the formation of their own wine company and soon after released  ‘Drops of Jupiter Petite Syrah’ and ‘Calling All Angels Chardonnay.’

California 37 will be the third wine released and the first Cabernet Sauvignon. A portion of the proceeds goes to the San Francisco charity Family House, which provides temporary housing to families of seriously ill children.