Dr Pepper/Seven Up has introduced Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper. Regular and diet versions of the new soft drink will be available in Texas and nearby states, with national rollout scheduled for January. Advertising support for the launch includes a television spot, two radio spots and billboards. Additionally, 26 markets will feature hundreds of roller-skating carhops passing out samples of the new drinks. Available in 12-packs of 12-ounce cans and 20-ounce bottles, Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper also will be sold in select markets in 21-ounce football-shaped bottles with asurface resembling the texture of a football.  
Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper
Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Plano, Texas
Telephone: 800/696-5891
Internet: dpsu.com
Distribution: Nationwide

Skyy Spirits, San Francisco, has introduced The Glenrothes Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky in Vintage 1992, Vintage 1984 and Vintage 1972. The new releases are available in 750-ml. bottles that are sold for $54.99, $82.99 and $159.99, respectively.  

Hip-hop artist 50 cent has teamed with Glacéau Vitaminwater, Whitestone, N.Y., to launch a new grape-flavored water that delivers 50 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamins. One of 13 varieties of functional water, Formula 50 is available in retail outlets nationwide.

Neige, an apple ice wine from the apple orchards of La Face Cachée de la Pomme in Quebec, is now available in the United States. Neige is made from apples harvested at the end of autumn and stored until pressing-time, just before Christmas. The freshly pressed juice is then left outside in the cold, allowing the water to separate from the sugars as it turns to ice, which allows the nectar that is left to slowly ferment for six to seven months. It has a candied-fruit aroma and a crisp, yet mellow flavor, according to the company. The wine is recommended as an apéritif, or served with foie gras, goat cheese or an apple tart. Neige has a suggested retail price of $24.95 in New York and $29.95 nationwide per 375-ml. bottle.
Neige
La Face Cachée de la Pomme, Hemmingford, Quebec
Telephone: 450/247-2899
Internet: appleicewine.com
Distribution: Nationwide

Ito En has debuted Mugi Cha tea, the company’s first non-green tea. Infused with roasted barley, which gives the tea a nutty taste, according to the company, Mugi Cha is caffeine free and has no calories or carbohydrates. It is available in 16.9-ounce PET bottles. The tea retails for $1.99 per bottle.
Mugi Cha
Ito En Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Telephone: 718/250-4000
Internet: teastea.com
Distribution: Nationwide
Ingredients: Purified water, barley, vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

Anheuser-Busch has introduced BE (B-to-the-E), a “new product for contemporary adults who are looking for the latest beverage to keep up with their highly social and fast-paced lifestyles.” Infused with caffeine, guarana and ginseng, the beer features aromas of blackberry, raspberry and cherry. Brewed at Anheuser-Busch’s Houston brewery, BE will be packaged in a 10-ounce can. It will be launched in multiple phases throughout the year in markets across the country. BE will be priced slightly higher than Budweiser and marketed through local print advertising, point-of-sale materials, bar and club promotions and online programs.  BE contains 6.6 percent alcohol by volume.
BE (B-to-the-E)
Anheuser-Busch Co., St. Louis, Mo.
Telephone: 314/577-2000
Internet: anheuser-busch.com
Distribution: Nationwide

The Coca-Cola Co. has launched Full Throttle, an energy drink targeted toward 20- to 30-year-old men. Full Throttle features a citrus flavor and ingredients such as ginseng extract, caffeine, taurine, guarana extract and B-vitamins. Sold in 16-ounce cans, Full Throttle will be available in convenience stores beginning in January at a retail price consistent with other 16-ounce energy drinks. The launch is being supported by outdoor, radio and print advertising, sampling programs and in-store displays.
Full Throttle
The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta
Telephone: 800/438-2653
Internet: coca-cola.com
Distribution: Nationwide
Ingredients: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup and/or sucrose, citric acid, taurine, natural and artificial flavors, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate, ginseng extract, caffeine, carnitine fumarate, maltodextrin, niacinamide (vitamin B3), Yellow 5, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), guarana extract, cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12)
Full Throttle
The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta
Telephone: 800/438-2653
Internet: coca-cola.com
Distribution: Nationwide
Ingredients: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup and/or sucrose, citric acid, taurine, natural and artificial flavors, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate, ginseng extract, caffeine, carnitine fumarate, maltodextrin, niacinamide (vitamin B3), Yellow 5, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), guarana extract, cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12)

Imported by Shaw-Ross International, Miramar, Fla., Long Neck Wines have been introduced in the United States. The South African wines feature a giraffe on the bottle and are available in four varietals. The Cabernet Sauvignon has an intense fruity aroma, the Merlot is soft and easy to drink, the Shiraz offers a ripe berry flavor and the Chardonnay has clean, tropical tones, according to the company. Long Neck Wines originally launched in select markets in the United States, and are now available nationwide.

Grand Marnier’s Navan has been released in the United States by Schieffelin & Co. The 80-proof blend of French Cognac and natural Black Vanilla from Madagascar is sold for $36.99 to $39.99 per bottle. Named after Navana, a town on the eastern coast of Madagascar, Navan was initially launched in five markets with plans for a national rollout next year. The $10-million launch includes a national advertising campaign, which began with an event in Miami, coinciding with MTV’s Video Music Awards.
Grand Marnier’s Navan
Schieffelin & Co., New York City
Telephone: 212/251-8200
Internet: schieffelin.com
Distribution: Select markets  

Santa Teresa Gran Reserva is now available in four markets in the United States with plans to launch the rum in other states in the near future. The suggested retail price of Santa Teresa Gran Reserva is $25.99 for 1.75 liters, $18.00 for 1 liter and $13.99 for 0.75 liter. Santa Teresa Gran Reserva is a blend of premium rums aged in barrels and casks for two years. The golden-hued añejo has an aromatic and woodsy aroma, and tastes fruity and woody, according to the company. Santa Teresa Gran Reserva is part of the portfolio of beverages produced by Hacienda Santa Teresa located in Aragua, Venezuela. Santa Teresa USA also has future plans to release Araku, a coffee infused liqueur, nationwide.
Santa Teresa Gran Reserva
Santa Teresa USA, Miami, Fla.
Telephone: 305/789-6686/6622
Internet: santateresausa.com
Distribution: New York, Florida, Illinois, Texas

Weygandt-Metzler Importing has released Côtes du Luberon Domaine de Fontenille, a Grenache and Syrah mix with grapes from Luberon on the Durance plain on the Mediterranean. The grapes used to create the wine are hand pruned and hand harvested, and the wine is bottled unfiltered. The garnet color and cherry, raspberry and black currant aromas can be matched with stews or wild game, according to the company. Each bottle retails for $12.99.
Côtes du Luberon Domaine de Fontenille
Weygandt-Metzler Importing Ltd., Unionville, Pa.
Telephone: 610/486-0800
Distribution: Nationwide

Pernod Ricard USA, White Plains, N.Y., has introduced Palacio de La Vega wines in New York, Chicago, Florida, Texas, Washington, and Oregon, with national rollout planned for 2005. Produced in the Navarra wine region of Spain, Palacio de La Vega wines are available in four varietals. The Tempranillo Reserva 1999 is made from 100 percent Tempranillo grapes, featuring a black cherry color, with hints of licorice, clove, roasted coffee, and chocolate on the bouquet. The Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2000 is a deep ruby-red color, and the bouquet displays notes of summer fruits, wood and smoky tobacco. The Cabernet Sauvignon Tempranillo Crianza 2000 is a deep, bright red color. The aroma offers notes of dried fruit, vanilla and toasted grains. The Conde de La Vega Selección Privada 2000 is a crimson color similar to a plum, and the complex bouquet is dominated by ripe fruits and wood. The wines' suggested retail prices range from $8.99 to $19.99.

Chinaco Anniversary Añejo Tequila has been introduced by Jim Beam Brands Co., Deerfield, Ill., as part of the ultra-premium Chinaco tequila collection. The Chinaco Anniversary Añejo was specially crafted to celebrate three generations of family distilling tradition and to recognize master distiller German Gonzalez's grandfather, a famous Chinaco warrior for whom the Distillery was named.

Aged more than twice as long the family’s traditional Añejo, the tequila boasts fruit, floral, oak and butterscotch flavors, and an agave and caramel finish. Each limited-edition bottle is hand numbered and signed by Gonzalez, and is packaged in a one-of-a-kind, handmade box featuring Mexican Emperor Maximillian in full Chinaco battle dress. Only 900 bottles of Chinaco Anniversary Añejo Tequila will be available in the United States. With a suggested retail price of $325, the Chinaco 30th Anniversary Añejo Tequila is available nationwide at fine retail stores and on-premise locations.

Bravo! Foods International and Masterfoods USA, Hackettstown, N.J., the confectionary and snack food division of Mars Inc., have created Milky Way, 3 Musketeers and Starburst single-serve, fortified-milk products under the Slammers brand. The new fortified milk products are sold in 14-ounce single-serve super-extended shelf life bottles.

The Slammers Milky Way product is made with reduced-fat fortified milk and the flavor of a Milky Way bar. Slammers Starburst is a blend of low-fat milk and juice. The first flavors of the Starburst drinks are Strawberry, Peach and Orange. Slammers 3 Musketeers is made with low-fat milk, and features the candy bar’s flavor. The products are available at convenience stores nationwide, with grocery availability in 2005. The suggested retail price per bottle is $1.49 each. More flavors from the partnership are planned for spring or summer 2005.

Zaca Mesa Winery, Los Olivos, Calif., recently introduced Black Bear Block Syrah, The Mesa O N Syrah and its Estate Bottled Syrah. The 2001 Syrahs were each made from grapes grown and hand harvested on Zaca Mesa's 242-acre estate vineyard. The 2001 Black Bear Block Syrah was made from grapes grown in the oldest block of Syrah on the Central Coast, planted by Zaca Mesa in 1978, and was aged 22 months in French oak barrels and 13 months in the bottles. The barrel-aged Mesa O  N Syrah is a blend of fruit from the Black Bear Block and the first harvest from a Syrah block Zaca Mesa planted in 1997, and is available at the winery and online. The Estate Bottled Syrah combines several clones of Syrah from blocks throughout the estate, and features concentrated blackberry fruit flavors.

W.J. Deutsch & Sons has introduced Côtes du Ventoux J. Vidal-Fleury, a Grenache and Syrah blend aged in French oak barrels. The wine features a deep ruby color and aromas of violet and spices, and is recommended served with red meat or chicken. The retail price per bottle is $7.95.
Côtes du Ventoux J. Vidal-Fleury
W.J. Deutsch & Sons Ltd., White Plains, N.Y.
Telephone: 914/251-9463
Distribution: Nationwide

Allied Domecq Spirits North America, Westport, Conn., and Courvoisier have announced the debut of Courvoisier Succession J.S. to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the coronation of Napoleon I. Courvoisier Succession J.S. is a blend of several vintages produced and aged within the farm of one of Courvoisier’s family of suppliers, located in the Grand Champagne region of Cognac. The oldest cognac found in Courvoisier Succession J.S. dates back to 1910. Tasting notes for this superior cognac include a mix of rich and complex flavors, hinting at hot honey, leaf of Havana cigar, crème brulèe, licorice and freshly roasted coffee. The blend of cognacs is available in major U.S. metropolitan markets for a suggested retail price of $3,000.

Stonyfield Farm, Londonderry, N.H., has introduced Juice Smoothies made with non-fat milk and juice. Available in Surfin’ Strawberry and Orange Wave flavors, the smoothies contain 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. The organic-certified drinks were designed for kids, and are sold in four packs of 6-ounce bottles for $3.99.