News Briefs for April 3, 2015
April 3, 2015•Beam Suntory, one of Canadian whisky’s biggest players via its Canadian Club and Windsor Supreme brands, has introduced a new upscale offering to the category in the U.S. market—Alberta Rye Dark Batch Whisky. Produced by Beam Suntory-owned Alberta Distillers, Alberta Rye Dark Batch is a 90-proof product featuring a blend of 91% rye whisky, 8% Bourbon and 1% Sherry. The brand has previously been available in Canada, where it’s often consumed in a variety of whisky cocktails. Alberta Rye Dark Batch retails for around $30 a 750-ml.
•Total Wine & More is entering a new market—Missouri—with two new stores in the St. Louis area, according to the St. Louis Business Journal. The Delaware-based retailer reportedly intends to open stores in the St. Louis suburbs of Brentwood and Town and Country this fall, with plans to open more stores in Missouri in the future. Meanwhile, the retail behemoth has opened its second store in Connecticut (in Manchester), a state in which it’s currently lobbying the legislature to raise the cap on drinks retail chains from three stores to six, with the support of the governor. Total Wine & More currently operates more than 100 stores in 16 states across the U.S.
•Ste. Michelle Wine Estates has adorned its Red Diamond brand with new packaging that’s designed to be modern and edgy, representing an updated twist to Red Diamond’s red and black color scheme and diamond logo. The Red Diamond portfolio includes wines from a range of locations including Washington (Merlot, Shiraz and Chardonnay), California (Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir), Argentina (Malbec) and Spain (red blend). All retail for around $10 a bottle. Red Diamond sells around 550,000 cases in the U.S. annually, according to Impact Databank.
•Heaven Hill’s Evan Williams Bourbon has extended its flavored lineup with the launch of Evan Williams Peach. A 70-proof entry, Evan Williams Peach is intended to be served as a shot, on the rocks or in a cocktail. The new offering will initially be available across Texas, South Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, New York, Ohio, Arkansas and California starting May 1. Peach marks the fourth flavor in Evan Williams’ flavor range, joining Honey, Cherry and Cinnamon. An Impact “Hot Brand,” Evan Williams was up 13% to more than 1.8 million cases in the U.S. last year, according to Impact Databank.
•Deep Eddy has secured a three-year sponsorship agreement with the San Diego Padres that will make it the team’s official craft vodka and give it a promotional platform within the Padres’ Petco Park. Beginning this year, the Texas-based vodka brand will open the Deep Eddy Vodka Hideaway, a branded seating area and bar in the left field corner terrace that will be open to all fans at the stadium. Meanwhile, Deep Eddy will enjoy field-facing signage and be poured in cocktails at all bars and suites across the venue. The brand will also be featured in TV and radio commercial spots during Padres broadcasts.
•Rhône Valley wine brand Les Dauphins has entered the U.S. market. Available at Cost Plus World Market since January, the core Les Dauphins lineup includes its 2013 Les Dauphins Réserve Red, 2013 Les Dauphins Réserve White and 2013 Les Dauphins Réserve Rosé, each of which retail for $12.99 a 750-ml. Additional expressions—including Grande Réserve Red Côtes du Rhône Villages, Côtes du Rhône Villages Puyméras, Côtes du Rhône Villages Saint Maurice and Côtes du Rhône Village Visan—are set to join the range in the U.S. shortly. Les Dauphins, which launched in 2011 and sells 200,000 cases globally, is handled throughout the West Coast, Midwest and Gulf regions by Plume Ridge Wine Import & Wholesale and on the East Coast by Monsieur Touton Selections Ltd.
•Healdsburg, California-based GrapeSeed Wine Fund has launched a new wine crowd-funding collective in the U.S., which links subscribers to special wines from leading winemakers Jessica Boone, Nick Goldschmidt, Jean Hoefliger, Douglas Stewart and Ed Sbragia. For a subscription fee, GrapeSeed allows members to become financial “partners” in a winemaking project and, in turn, receive various benefits, including access to wine steward services, wine country experiences and pre-release wine selections. The collective offers three different membership levels, with partners at all levels making a monthly wine fund contribution of $100, which may be used for wine purchases. Most of the collective’s wines range between $25-$150 a bottle.
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Tagged : Beam Suntory, Deep Eddy, Evan Williams, Heaven Hill Distilleries, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Total Wine & More
