WINE
Terra Andina, Chile’s innovative, premium wine producer, has announced the launch of its 2007 Chardonnay Reserva in the U.S. The wine, which is 100 percent Chardonnay, was made from grapes harvested exclusively in Chile’s renowned Limari Valley region. It will retail at the suggested price of $12.99 and will be available nationwide beginning August 2008. For more information, call (212) 527-9969.
BOTTLED WATER
New Primo Water is the only single-serve water bottle in the U.S. made from plants, not crude oil, a depleting natural resource. Primo single-serve bottles are made from natural Ingeo plastic made from plants grown in America. This new packaging technology offers consumers a more environmentally-conscious bottled water option without having to sacrifice convenience and portability. Primo single-serve bottles also offer consumers more options when they are done with their water. The bottles can be recycled through traditional methods, sent to degrade in a commercial composting facility or incinerated for energy recovery. Primo 3 and 5 gallon Zero Waste water bottles also provide a sustainable option because the consumer is incentivized to return the empty bottle to the store where Primo picks it up, refills and reuses the bottle. When the bottle has reached its end use, the bottle is recycled, forever avoiding the landfill. Primo single-serve bottled water is sold in a multi-pack of eighteen 16.9 oz. bottles at a suggested retail price of $4.99. Primo 3 and 5 gallon Zero Waste water bottles are available nationally for $4.99 and $6.99 respectively. For more information, call (212) 601-8450.
NOT-ENERGY DRINKS
From Funktional Beverages Inc. comes Purple Stuff, a which uses rose hips, Valerian root extract and l-theanine to create a “calming beverage.” A premium healthy soda that uses crystalline fructose, Purple Stuff comes in three flavors: Berry Calming, Classic Grape and Sippin Citrus. Purple Stuff is seeking national distribution with a SRP of between $2.39 and $2.79. For more information call (877) FBI-ROKS.
Houston-based Innovative Beverage Group has harnessed the calming effects of melatonin, valerian root and rose hips for drank, a new “anti-energy” drink that touts itself as the key to “slow your roll.” It is available at select markets and convenience stores including 60 SPEC’s Liquors in Houston,TX and is rolling out in Baton Rouge, LA; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; New Orleans; LA; and Shreveport, LA. A 16 oz. can retails for the estimated price of between $2.50 and $5, and an 8 oz. serving is 110 calories. For more information, call (201) 488-0049
SPIRITS
From Wingard Inc., the makers of V2 Vodka, come more energy spirits: R2 Energy Rum, T2 Energy Tequila and V2 Mint Energy Vodka. Pricing for the 750 ml bottles is as follows: R2 - $29.99, T2 - $34.99 and V2 Mint - $29.99. Their products are available in New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles (CA), Georgia, Miami (FL), Texas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, South Carolina, West Virginia, Illinois and they continue to expand. For more information, call (310) 854-8170.
Hiram Walker, the classic, diverse line of premium liqueurs made with all-natural flavors has two new schnapps flavors – Hiram Walker Blueberry Passion Schnapps and Hiram Walker White Peach Schnapps. Like all 14 schnapps flavors in the Hiram Walker family, Blueberry Passion and White Peach offer on-premise accounts and consumers alike a cost-effective way to add great flavor and color to both traditional and contemporary cocktails. The launch of White Peach and Blueberry Passion Schnapps is being supported with Hiram Walker’s new Simple-tini retail rack that features a recipe guide full of stylish, easy-to-mix Hiram Walker cocktails. Innovative counter unit displays, case talkers, neckers, case bins and bartender recipe cards will also be available to help promote the two new products. Blueberry Passion and White Peach Schnapps are available in 50ml, 750ml and 1L sizes and will be sold – along with other top Hiram Walker Liqueur flavors – at a suggested retail price of $9.99/750ml. For more information, call (203) 254-8225.
DeKuyper has announced a new product line that eliminates complicated mixing in order to make great tasting and unique drinks. DeKuyper Burst Bar Shots are pre-mixed shots containing all ingredients in one bottle so that all the consumer needs to do is “Open, Pour and Party!” Burst Bar Shots come in three great-tasting favors: Red Headed Burst, Kamikaze Burst and Washington Apple Burst and are based on very popular shots that you can find in just about any bar. The DeKuyper Burst Bar Shots line is a part of the DeKuyper Burst family, one of the five families introduced in February 2008 when the brand reorganized its portfolio in an effort to simplify the category and consumer shopping experience. The other families are DeKuyper Luscious, DeKuyper Pucker, DeKuyper Signature and DeKuyper Brandy. The new 40-proof product will be sold in 5 sizes: 50ml, 375ml, 750ml, 750ml plastic traveler and 1L bottles. A 750ml bottle of DeKuyper Burst Bar Shots has a suggested retail price of $10.99, but will vary by market. For more information, call (202)683-3123.
Altamar Brands, LLC has announced a partnership with Tequila Ocho, the first ultra-premium single estate tequila to be introduced into the United States Market in vintages. What differentiates Ocho from other tequilas and makes it unique in its category is its rarity. Because of the time it takes an agave to mature, each estate’s fields cannot be replenished for almost ten years after each harvest, thus, making each vintage of Ocho an extremely limited and collectable tequila. The brand will kick off its American debut in early August 2008 with private tasting events in Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Francisco as well as a red carpet official launch on August 8 (8/8/08) in Los Angeles. Ocho is available in Plata, Reposado, and Anejo and will be sold at $60, $70, and $80 respectively per 750mL bottle.