News Briefs for August 15, 2012

•Plymouth, California-based Renwood Winery—acquired by Argentine investment group Ren Acquisition Inc. last year for $6.95 million—is updating its portfolio with new wines and new packaging, while also renovating its tasting room. The tasting room will be ready by September, while the new packaging is rolling out with Renwood’s 2010 vintage, which began shipping earlier this month. Details on the new wines have yet to be announced. Established in 1993, Renwood specializes primarily in Zinfandel and has annual production of around 100,000 cases.

•Los Angeles-based OM Spirits has debuted a new line of organic premixed cocktails. The vodka-based cocktails (15% abv) initially will be available in Los Angeles, priced at $29.99 a 750-ml. Created by entrepreneur Jason Monkarsh and mixologist Natalie Bovis, the OM cocktails range debuted Wild Cranberry & Blood Orange but will release Coconut Water & Lychee, Meyer Lemon & Spicy Ginger, Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt and Mango & Kaffir Lime flavors in the coming months. American Wine & Spirits will distribute the brand in California.

•Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI) is set to add a 22-ounce format to its Bud Light Platinum brand, according to convenience store news site CSP. Previously available in six-packs and 12-packs of 12-ounce bottles, Bud Light Platinum is a higher-alcohol, higher-priced line extension of Bud Light. It has gotten off to a fast start since its launch earlier this year, selling more than 1 million barrels in its first five months. Bud Light Lime-a-Rita, which debuted in April, has also made good headway, selling 2 million (2.25-gallon) cases since its launch, according to ABI CEO Carlos Brito.

•Chicago’s first operating winery, City Winery, is officially open to the public today. The move marks the second location of City Winery—a winery, wine bar, restaurant and music venue hybrid that debuted in New York City in 2006. The Chicago outpost has a main room decorated with wine bottles and featuring various seating areas including cocktail tables and a lounge area. The restaurant has both open space seating and private rooms and offers a menu focused on seasonal ingredients. The performance area seats 300 people and will host musicians and comedians. In the restaurant, 14 wines are available on tap while the performance room offers five. Currently, wines offered at the Chicago City Winery are being shipped from the New York location—the first batch of the Chicago unit’s wine (a Sauvignon Blanc and a Rosé) will be ready in the spring. Beer and cider are also available on tap.

•Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong, the husband-and-wife team behind EatGoodFood Group, which operates various restaurant and bar venues in the Washington, D.C. area, are opening a second location of their Eamonn’s a Dublin Chipper concept. The new eatery soft opened this week in Arlington, Virginia’s Penrose Square development. The space is complete with a 30-seat cocktail bar developed by renowned mixologist and co-proprietor of EatGoodFood Group Todd Thrasher called TNT Bar. Eamonn’s a Dublin Chipper’s food menu consists of classic Irish pub fare, while TNT Bar’s cocktail menu is divided in two separate lists: one that has a rock-n-roll theme and another featuring drinks created by Thrasher’s friends and fellow bartenders.

Tagged : ABI, Bud Light, premixed cocktails, restaurants

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