Dear Valued Customer,

Wirtz Beverage Group is committed to providing our customers with industry leading technology. In an effort to better serve you, Wirtz on the Web (ordering.wirtzbev.com) will be unavailable effective January 27th, 2012. 6 pm Pacific/ 9 pm Eastern. Our e-commerce website will be going through a series of updates to enhance all aspects of its performance and features, all designed to provide our customers with an improved overall experience.

If you need to place an order, please speak to your sales consultant or customer service associate. Please visit our contact us page if you need help getting in touch with your customer service department.

Your feedback is very important to us. Please feel free to contact us with any comments, questions and concerns.

http://www.wirtzbeveragegroup.com/index.php/contact-us/

Thank you,

Wirtz Beverage Group

LYNCHBURG, Tenn. (November 21, 2011) – The Jack Daniel Distillery announced today it has launched the “Operation Ride Home” campaign, an effort to assist soldiers and their families in traveling home for the holidays.

The famed distillery has joined forces with the Armed Services YMCA of Fort Campbell that will work with military officials at the installation to identify soldiers and families with particular needs and financial assistance for travel from the base to their homes throughout the U.S. this holiday season.

In honor of the decorated 101^st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Jack Daniel’s has donated $101,000 to launch the campaign and is encouraging its friends to visit www.JDOperationRideHome.com and contribute what they can to assist in the effort.  The Armed Services YMCA will be purchasing plane tickets and providing pre-paid debit cards for gas, lodging and food for soldiers and their families to travel to their family homes.  The 101^st Airborne Division has members serving from all 50 states and has been on multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

“There are so many enlisted soldiers with families who would love to go to their homes for the holidays, but just don’t have the means to do it,” said Jeff Arnett, Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller.  “These heroes have been serving our country on multiple deployments overseas and we just want to do what we can to help reunite them with their families during this special season.”

Armed Services YMCA Executive Director Shirley West said the Operation Ride Home campaign could potentially help hundreds of soldiers and their families travel to their respective homes from Christmas through the new year.  “The military does an outstanding job getting our soldiers back to base from deployments, but unfortunately so many of them just don’t have the money to leave the base – whether that’s money for a plane ticket if they live far away from the base or even gas money if they’re closer to Fort Campbell.  This campaign will be a huge help in reuniting these families,” West said.

Armed Services YMCA of Fort Campbell is one of 16 dedicated branches of the ASCY national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  It provides support services to military service members and their families all over the world, with a particular focus on junior-enlisted men and women — the individuals on the front lines of defending our nation.

The Operation Ride Home effort continues Jack Daniel’s longstanding support of our nation’s military.  In recent years, Jack Daniel’s has been collecting personal messages of support in the form of “toasts” to include in USO care packages, and has hosted 14 “stuffing parties” at military installations across the country.  More than 150,000 care packages have been sent to troops serving overseas through the “Toast to the Troops” program.

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About Jack Daniel’s

Officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tenn., the Jack Daniel Distillery, Lem Motlow, proprietor, is the oldest registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Jack Daniel’s is the maker of the world-famous Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey-Based Ready-to-Drink Beverages and Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails.

Jack Daniel’s encourages its friends to drink responsibly.

Two Louisiana Icons Come Together for Chili-Pepper-Flavored Line Extension

October 4, 2011,
LOUISVILLE, KY – Southern Comfort announces the launch of Southern Comfort Fiery Pepper, a fierce fusion of Southern Comfort and Tabasco® brand pepper sauce. The new product is set to hit shelves nationally in October 2011.

The new spicy concoction delivers a perfectly balanced mixture of genuine whiskey, and the premium flavors of Southern Comfort, infused with original Tabasco brand pepper sauce. Served as a cold shot or incorporated into a cocktail, Southern Comfort Fiery Pepper finishes off any drink with the perfect amount of heat.

“This partnership between Southern Comfort and Tabasco brand strikes the perfect balance between sweet and heat and brings together two iconic brands for a one-of-a-kind product,” said Mark Bacon, VP, Managing Director, Southern Comfort. “Fiery Pepper gives our consumers another unique way to enjoy Southern Comfort that will challenge their senses and fire up the night.”

“We’re proud to partner with another iconic brand born in Louisiana to create a spicy addition to the classic Southern Comfort line,” said Paul McIlhenny, president and CEO of McIlhenny Company, maker of Tabasco brand pepper sauce. “We look forward to a future of fiery cocktails.”

Southern Comfort will launch a large-scale advertising campaign in support of the product release consisting of a 10-week national television buy in the fall which includes commercials, integrations and custom features on ESPN, TBS, TNT, Comedy Central and Discovery among others. The headline “Sometimes a Burning Sensation is Good News” highlights a national trade and online media campaign also “spreading” this fall.

“We’re making a considerable investment both above the line and below the line during and after the initial launch of the brand,” added Bacon. “Fiery Pepper is a significant initiative for us and will be a key component of the Southern Comfort growth plan for years to come.”

Southern Comfort Fiery Pepper will be available only in the United States initially with global expansion to follow.

Hangar One Maine Wild Blueberry reaches shelves this Fall

The latest release from the handcrafted vodka taps into the sweet flavors of Maine

September 2011 – California’s handcrafted Hangar One Vodka is proud to announce its newest flavor, Maine Wild Blueberry. Using fresh wild blueberries from small farms of eastern Maine, the vodka is distilled in small batches and blended with the fresh juices to create an irresistible, smooth flavor.

This will be Hangar One’s fifth flavor, adding to their Straight Vodka, Mandarin Blossom, Kaffir Lime and Buddha’s Hand Citron. Evoking the beauty of Maine and its lazy summer days, Hangar One Maine Wild Blueberry has the ability to transcend the seasons and offer drinkers the opportunity for a fresh, delicious cocktail any time of year. The liquid has a slight purple shade to it, a natural result of the blueberry skins. “We’re excited to offer such an exciting new flavor from Hangar One” says Brand Manager Kensey Davis, “…Blueberry offers a nice balance to our portfolio with its all-natural sweetness and floral essence.”

Over 50% of all wild blueberries come from Maine, where the Northeast climate provides ideal conditions for harvesting. Wild blueberries are smaller in size than regular blueberries, and have a sweeter, more powerful taste. Adding to this unique appeal, wild blueberries are harvested using traditional hand-held berry rakes, employed for several decades past.

For more information about the fruit, visit:

The newest flavor pairs especially well with simple ingredients, easy to find in one’s own backyard. One of the flavor’s signature cocktails, called the “Garden Sipper” incorporates mint and basil leaves, along with a touch of simple syrup and soda. “Hangar One Maine Wild Blueberry is a flavor that can easily stand on its own due to its refreshing, robust taste, but is also complemented with fresh fruits such as lemons, mint or cucumbers,” says Davis.

Hangar One Vodka is an American-made brand using fresh fruit from farms throughout the United States. The unique, small-batch distillation process and all-natural infusions result in a high-quality product unlike anything else on the shelves. Each batch is tasted to ensure there is the perfect balance of fruit, without the harsh taste of alcohol or syrupy sweetness of additives.

Hangar One has become a brand that is respected for their mastery of hand distillation and for their dedication to the use of all-natural, farm-grown ingredients.

Jeff Roth appointed Heartland Division VP of Sales

In a move mirroring investments made in the Chicago-metro market, Wirtz Beverage Illinois announced today the formation of the Heartland Division. The division will align outstate sales and operations from Rockford, Peoria and Bellville. As part of the effort, the company also announced the appointment of Jeff Roth as VP of Sales for the division.
“We see great opportunity in central and southern Illinois to really elevate our market reach and customer execution,” noted Julian Burzynski WBI Senior Vice President. “Jeff is an industry veteran who has worked on both the supplier and distributor side achieving great success.”
Roth joined Wirtz Beverage Illinois in March with more than a decade of diverse sales and management experience and assumes the new executive team role, reporting directly to Burzynski. Previously he worked for both Gallo and as Director of Sales for Empire Merchants’ On-premise Wine Division. His market experience includes New York City, Washington DC, Baltimore and Connecticut.
We see great opportunity to invest and elevate our downstate efforts,” explained Burzynski. “Under Jeff’s leadership we will be investing in quality people, systems and operations and really putting the focus on execution and accountability.”
The Heartland Division will include more than 120 employees and currently accounts for 1/3 of the company’s sales revenues.
“This was an opportunity to really be a part of something bigger and to join a family and a company whose values are in line with my own,” said Roth. “We’ve got a great team in place and we’re ready to enhance our efforts in the market.”
Wirtz Beverage Illinois is the state’s leading distributor of premium wine and spirits and an affiliate of Wirtz Beverage Group. Headquartered in Chicago, Wirtz Beverage Group is one of the nation’s leading alcohol beverage distributors with operations in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nevada and Wisconsin. With more than $1.7 billion in annual sales and 3,000 employees, Wirtz Beverage Group counts the world’s elite suppliers as its partners.

Woodford Reserve® and Early Times featured in signature drinks of Kentucky Derby®, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes

Presenting: The Triple Crown series of cocktails from Brown Forman

Brown-Forman Corporation has unveiled the Triple Crown of cocktails for the 2011 racing season. Woodford Reserve® bourbon and Early Times Kentucky Whisky are both featured as main ingredients of the signature cocktails of all three Triple Crown races.

The Early Times Mint Julep

Official Cocktail of the Kentucky Derby

The mint julep is the Official Drink of the Kentucky Derby and the Early Times Mint Julep has been the Official Drink of the Kentucky Derby for the past 24 years. Over 120,000 Early Times Mint Juleps are served at Churchill Downs® during Derby week.

2 ounces Early Times Kentucky Whisky

1 Tablespoon Simple Syrup

Mint Sprigs

Crushed Ice

Muddle a few mint leaves in the bottom of your mint julep cup, then fill with crushed ice.  Add one tablespoon of simple syrup and two ounces Early Times Kentucky Whisky.  Stir gently until glass frosts.  Garnish with a fresh mint sprig, sip and enjoy.

The Black-Eyed Susan

Official Cocktail of the Preakness

The Preakness Stakes is held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland and marks the second leg of the Triple Crown. The Black-Eyed Susan serves as the Official Drink of the Preakness and Early Times Kentucky Whisky is a key ingredient to this signature cocktail.

1 ¼ ounces Early Times Kentucky Whisky

¾ ounces vodka

3 ounces sweet and sour mix

2 ounces orange juice

Garnish with an orange slice and cherry.

Woodford Reserve Belmont Jewel

Official Cocktail of the Belmont Stakes

The third and final leg of the Triple Crown is the Belmont Stakes, held every June at Belmont Park® in Elmont, NY. Woodford Reserve is the Official Bourbon of the Belmont Stakes and is the main ingredient for the Official Cocktail, the Belmont Jewel.

1 ½ oz. Woodford Reserve

2 oz.  Lemonade

1 oz.  Pomegranate juice

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge or cherry.

(Chicago, IL) – Wirtz Beverage Group President Rocky Wirtz announced today the appointment of Kevin Roberts to Senior Vice President of Wirtz Beverage Nevada, effective September 1, 2011.  He will replace Ray Norvell who will assume the Vice Chairman role of the company.

“Kevin is a results-oriented leader, embodying our innovative culture and consistently helping Wirtz Beverage exceed expectations among our elite supplier partners,” explained Wirtz.  “His diverse background on both the supplier and wholesaler sides have encompassed wine, spirits and beer and make him an ideal candidate for the Nevada leadership role. “

Roberts currently serves as Vice President of Wirtz Beverage Illinois Regal Division.  He was recognized this year with the company’s Arthur M. Wirtz Leadership award and has consistently led his team to achieving and exceeding revenue projections.  Kevin will continue to drive the Illinois Regal Division through the close of the company’s fiscal year and be actively involved in the replacement search and transition.

Norvell joined Wirtz Beverage in 1977 with the purchase of DeLuca Wine and Spirits after several successful years with Seagram’s where he held various positions including Nevada State Manager.  During his tenure with Deluca and Wirtz Beverage, the company grew significantly and has become a statewide leader.  He will remain an officer of the company.

“Ray has been instrumental in both fostering growth and opportunity for the company and also guiding and developing a team recognized throughout the market and industry,” Wirtz explained.  “His dedication and business acumen are significant and can only be matched by the excitement and energetic approach exhibited by Kevin Roberts.”

In his new role, Roberts will report directly to Wirtz Beverage Group President Rocky Wirtz.  Prior to joining Wirtz Beverage Illinois in 2008, Roberts held numerous industry positions including Vice President of Sales for California and Sales Director for the New York Metro market for Diageo. This large-market experience combined with on-premise and trade development expertise will be critical to his new role in Nevada.

Wirtz Beverage has made continual investments in infrastructure, technology and training, fostering a team positioned to meet the company’s vision of being the leading total beverage wholesaler by December 31, 2012.

The Wirtz family purchased DeLuca Wine and Spirits in 1977.  In 1980, the company established additional partnerships that would expand the company into a statewide operation.  Today, Wirtz Beverage Nevada employs more than 600 people and its revenues exceed $330 million.

Wirtz Beverage Nevada is a member of Wirtz Beverage Group, one of the country’s leading wholesalers of wine, spirits and beer brands.  Statewide affiliates also include operations in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. Wirtz Beverage Group is a division of Wirtz Corporation whose diversified holdings also include banking, real estate, insurance and the Chicago Blackhawk Hockey Team.

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This article was re-posted with permission from Liquor(dot)com you can find this, and other great articles here.

Just like sunscreen and a jumbo umbrella, a good book is a must if you’re headed to the beach this summer. Here are some of our favorite new reads, which will keep you entertained no matter where your travels take you.

Annual Manual for Bartenders 2011 ($28) by Gary Regan:

If you are a professional bartender or would like to become one, pick up a copy of Liquor.com advisor Gary Regan’s latest. It’s full of advice and bios of prominent mixologists, plus it includes recipes for his 101 Best New Cocktails.

America Walks into a Bar ($25) by Christine Sismondo:

Author Christine Sismondo explores the important role that bars have played in this country’s culture, from colonial times to the modern day. The scholarly but engaging tome will be released at the beginning of July.

Bourbon Whiskey Our Native Spirit ($17) by Bernie Lubbers:

There’s one thing Bernie Lubbers definitely knows about: bourbon. He deftly covers the history, production and consumption of the quintessential American spirit, with a jigger of humor thrown in for good measure.

The Long Run ($26) by Matt Long with Charles Butler:

Bar owner, firefighter and marathoner Matt Long was run over by a bus during the New York transit strike in December 2005 and nearly killed. Read this gripping and inspirational account of his battle for survival and his ultimate recovery.

Lush Life: Portraits from the Bar Series II ($25) by Jill DeGroff:

The second volume of lively portraits of bartenders, musicians and bon vivants by talented artist Jill DeGroff comes out next month. It’s packed with colorful illustrations and tasty cocktail recipes. (Save $5 and get an autographed copy if you order it from Kingcocktail.com.)

In Episode 3 of Alchemy Room, David Cid, Brand Master of Bacardi rums, and Drew Levinson of Wirtz Beverage NV, concoct a new cocktail using Bacardi rum! When the Tropics and Mexico combine beautiful things happen. This easy drinking cocktail will take you on vacation. Want to make this refreshing drink for yourself.

The BACARDI Chata

•2 oz. Bacardi Rock Coconut
Rum
•.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
•.75 oz Monin Coconut
•1.5 oz Horchata
•8 — 10 Mint Leaves
* 2 Mint Sprigs

Preparation

Blend ingredients with ice
and pour into Hurricane glass.

Boxed wine is back! Wirtz Beverage Nevada Sommelier Thomas Burke talks with fellow Master Sommelier Layer O’Brien on box wines. The two explain why the box wine category is now better than ever. Thomas and Larry also discuss the Eco Friendly and economical nature of boxed wine packaging. Although only one brand is discussed in the video, Wirtz Beverage has a wide selection of boxed wine brands in each state.  This is a great video to share with your customers,  just in time for Earth Day! To get a full picture of our Boxed Wine catalog, contact your sales representative. They can help you find a product to meet your needs. You can also view our entire catalog (boxes included) via Wirtz on the Web.