Considering the conditions our military troops encounter in remote places in the world, it’s no wonder new products appear on the consumer market that have been tested on the battlefield. But who would have ever thought you could solve the difficulties of protecting the perishable qualities of wine with technology used in protective clothing by the U.S. Armed Forces? During the past month we’ve received a number of unique packaging samples to consider for our best packaging of 2004 review. Among the myriad packages, a Wine Wrapsody arrived. What is a Wine Wrapsody? RefrigiWear, a producer of industrial outerwear, accessories and equipment, has developed a Velcro-closure wine bottle wrapper with a nylon exterior and plastic-like interior that features an active ingredient similar to the paraffin used on apples. Designed to keep wine at optimal temperatures, the Wrapsody is available in two styles, one for red wine and one for white. When placed in either a refrigerator or freezer to be charged for a specified period of time, the Wrapsody will maintain white wine at approximately 50°F and red wine at 62°F for as long as two hours. The wrapper is not made of ice or gel, and builds on the philosophy that the serving temperature of wine affects the overall wine-drinking experience. The Wrapsody offers a unique cooling element for use at home or in restaurant or bar settings where a bottle might be opened and enjoyed by the glass for an extended period of time. Will this be the end of ice buckets? The company’s banking on it.

Scottish & Newcastle Importers Co., maker of Newcastle Brown Ale, has announced results of its “Players” survey about baseball and dating. The online poll of 1,000 consumers found that men (48.8 percent) said “the best way to impress their girlfriend at a baseball game would be to catch a foul ball without spilling their beer.” On the flip side, female respondents (48.8 percent) said “the best thing about going to a baseball game with their boyfriend was having an opportunity to chow down on nachos and hot dogs without anyone raising an eyebrow.”

Diageo recently delivered a corporate-sponsored humanitarian aid mission to victims of Hurricane Charley, and positioned two 200-kilowatt generators in Hurricane Frances’ strike zone to power water treatment and medical facilities as well as pumping stations. Diageo’s Spirit of America Humanitarian Aid Missions are facilitated by the Bridge Foundation, a nonprofit humanitarian aid and development organization that provides assistance worldwide.

Goose Island Beer is getting into the upcoming elections and hoping to spread alittle cheer with ales released in its two Chicago brewpubs. Bush Beer is a “conservatively” hopped English Midlands-style mild beer the color of Texas oil. Kerry Beer is a British-style dark ale brewed with a “liberal” amount of specialty malts. The brewer recommends that patrons drink the Kerry beer with burgers and Heinz ketchup – how appropriate.

At the first annual Heroes for Hope benefit sponsored by The Jorge Posada Foundation, fellow New York Yankees players donated money andpurchased big-ticket items to benefit research on Craniosynostosis, a condition Jorge Posada’s son suffers from. Posada as well as teammates Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Tanyon Sturtze, David Cone and Don Mattingly also signed bottles of Dewar’s 12 Scotch Whisky at the event that will be auctioned for charity later this year.

Remy Martin’s exclusive VIP lifestyle lounge, the “Remy Room,” has opened in Los Angeles. The room represents a celebration of growth and achievement in life, according to its creators. In addition to different furniture vignettes, two display cases on each side of the entrance are filled with Remy products and Remy Martin pillows adorn the furniture.