Fort Worth-based Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors launches wine label

by PegNews wire

Ben E. Keith, which usually distributes other people's booze, has itself entered the wine market.

"Solemar," from "solo" = alone + "mar" = blemish, which translates into "there's absolutely nothing wrong with drinking an entire bottle of wine yourself."

Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors has launched its first wine brand under the label "Solemar," with a new Italian pinot grigio. Solemar is available in 60 counties across Texas and is easy to find because of its eye-catching sapphire-colored bottle.

"U.S. wine sales have skyrocketed over the past 12 months - with sales up 8.7% - so this is absolutely the best time for us to enter the wine segment," said Kevin Bartholomew, president of Ben E. Keith Co's Beverage Distributors. "We are introducing Solemar as our first wine brand because we wanted to offer our Texas customers an authentic Northern Italian Pinot Grigio at a value-directed price of around $7.99 a bottle and $5 a glass. We see it as an exceptional buy for a wine of this origin and quality."

Solemar, which means "sun and sea," is produced at the 79-year-old Casa Vinicola Botter, a two million-case, third-generation, family-run winery located in the Delle Venezia region, in the heart of Italian wine country.

Established in 1906, Ben E. Keith Company began selling Anheuser-Busch products in 1933. Today, Ben E. Keith Company - Beverage Distributors is one of the largest independent Anheuser-Busch wholesalers in the country. The company also distributes import beers, craft beers, wine products, and nonalcoholic beverages. With eight regional branches in Texas including Abilene, Commerce, Dallas, Denton, Fort Worth, Llano, Palestine and Waco, the company operates in 60 counties across Texas. For more information, visit their Web site.

Source: Ben E. Keith