13 minute read
THE COLOR OF WINE BY URBANVINO
By Jena Domingue Creator and CEO of UrbanVino House of Brands
May all your childhood fantasies come true this month.
I had so much fun with the founder and winemaker of this wine brand. I recently spent time splashing around with the founder and winemaker of Mermosa Wines, Desiree Noisette. The combination of wine, mermaids, mimosas, and a bad-ass attorney turned bikini shop owner, turned winemaker is as good as it gets for me.
When I met Desiree at a wine event earlier this year, I was drawn to her gorgeous white bottles with rose gold and pink dancing around, backed up by her flowing locks and a huge smile. I knew right away there was magic in these bottles and had to try her “Mermosa.”
Mermosa is her ready-to-drink wine cocktail. It’s a light sparkling white wine with a touch of pure orange and pineapple juice added. At 8 percent alcohol, it serves as the perfect light poolside sip. There are three additional varietals, Celestine Rosé, Noisette Rosé, and Photo: Visit St. Pete/Clearwater
a blanc de blanc bubbles called Mersecco. Each one holds its fresh take on the classics and embodies all that Mermosa represents, a strong, unstoppable spirit embracing the beauty and power of your inner mermaid.
The story of the siren dates back to the 1700s. Desiree’s family history is rich, and you can find multiple monuments in the Antebellum area, South Carolina, set aside to honor the Noisette family history. As the story has it, Ms. Celestine hailed from Haiti, while Mr. Noisette was a Frenchman with roots in agriculture. They fell in love, married and started a family in Haiti. When they moved to Charleston, Mr. Noisette's wife and children were at risk of being sold into slavery. He did everything he could to petition for their freedom, but it was Ms. Celestine’s strength and diligence after his passing that finally freed her family and made them land owners. The Noisette family now collects and keeps tight records on the family progression and found many family gems, like how Celestine Noisette produced one of the first hot sauces brought to the Americas from Haiti. Desiree’s background is in construction law, and she feels a direct connection to her heritage through understanding the land, the produce, and how to work with the land while honoring its inherent power.
With all the fun, let me assure you that these are not lightweight wines. While the brand has roots in Florida, the wines are made in Oregon thanks to the mentorship of well-known winemaker Joe Dobbes. He taught Desiree how to do formulations and she is involved in every aspect of winemaking and the design of her bottles and brand. Desiree and her husband are planning to put down roots and invest in the Oregon community by opening a Mermosa tasting room in the next 12 months.
When you pick up a bottle of Mermosa, be sure to note the beautiful Celestine represented by a mermaid, also held by a crested moon, this takes center stage on every bottle. Definitely take the time to find a bottle at your local Sam’s Club or Target, or visit their website and order a sample pack. These wines are perfect for gifting, sipping alone, or with the girls. Kudos to Desiree for making a big splash in the wine industry.
For more info, visit mermosa.com. Follow on Facebook @ MermosaWines and Instagram @ mermosawines.
Visit UrbanVino.com or Apple Podcasts to listen to the UrbanVino Podcast, and visit YouTube for the video version. Connect with Jena on LinkedIn @ Jena Domingue and Instagram @ urbanvino.
Jena Domingue is the creator and CEO of UrbanVino House of Brands and Senior Vice President of Sales and Talent and Culture at WineDirect. She is also US Ambassador (California) for Liquid Icons, a global agency working with ultra-premium wine brands worldwide, offering scholarships and apprenticeships specifically geared to promote diversity and inclusion in wine education and hospitality.
GINTERIOR
THE OLD TOM GIN MADE IN FVG: VINTAGE SOUL, MODERN SPIRIT.
GINTERIOR is the Old Tom Gin Made in FVG, which emphasizes FVG’s interiority by highlighting the quite unique quality, nature and purity of the FVG Region. GINTERIOR is the vintage soul spirit which reflects the Victorian tradition: its delicacy gets a modern key review thanks to the skillful mixing of various natural botanicals with some excellences of our territory, such as the Fiumicello City’s Peaches, “Crambe Tataria‘s” seeds, as present in the Pordenone‘s Area dry grasslands «I Magredi», Marasca’s Cherry Honey of the Karst Area, the Dandelion Infusion, typical of the Carnic Valleys.GINTERIOR is an all generis drink: a unique blend, dry and pervasive, as an harmonious perceptive symphony of elements never combined together before.
www.xedequa.com - info@xedequa.com
Embracing the Lifestyle
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Embracing the Lifestyle
Embracing the Lifestyle
Enjoy parties, sports, music, and adventure with Chaco Flaco sparkling craft canned cocktails
By Debbie Hall Photos by Kaveriis Smith
Chaco Flaco sparkling craft canned cocktails, mixers, and cero (mocktails) personify party! At the pool, beach, music festivals, or at home, Chaco Flaco can be summed up in one word: Fun. The global award-winning, all-natural beverage company lives by its mantra: FLAVOR FIRST. Chaco Flaco has no added high fructose corn syrups or artificial ingredients and features lower calories, sodium, and sugar. It is made with real fruit and vegetable juices as a distilled spirits-based cocktail, NOT a MALT or SELTZER.
This adventure in canned cocktails began in Arizona with CEO and head mixologist Chuck Moore. The entrepreneur created clean, natural margarita mixers from home and brought them to the bar he tended for over 12 years. “I would serve these margaritas to the patrons out of empty milk jugs that I would fill with fresh ingredients right from my kitchen. One day three girls from ASU [Arizona State University] kept ordering them, and a guy asked me what they were downing. My nickname has been Chaco (Spanish for Chuck) since my early 20s, and I made the mixers specifically to offset how unhealthy the premade mixers are, so since Flaco means ‘skinny’ in Spanish, I blurted out ‘Chaco Flaco’ and it stuck,” explains Chuck.
Chuck invested his 401k, savings, and raised a little money from friends and family to get his mixer bottled as a drink locally. Then a year later, a guy walked in inquiring about specials. Chuck offered him his margarita mix, and it turns out he worked for the Arizona forager for Whole Foods. This led to the distribution of the brand in Whole Foods grocery chain, AJ’s Fine Foods, and Bashas’. Now with the brand in full motion, distribution in Costco was presented. Enter Steve Cislaw.
Steve was neighbors with a close friend of Chuck’s, worked in the financial services industry for many years as an institutional bond trader, and owned and operated a luxury magazine in Newport Beach, California. The friend would introduce the two of them, and Steve offered to help with distribution in Mexico using his contacts.
“The synergy between us in business was amazing, which turned into an incredible friendship,” says Steve. With his business acumen and sales expertise, Steve became a co-founder and COO of Chaco Flaco, helping develop the mixers into canned cocktails. Their first road show together was at the original Costco in San Diego, eventually traveling and conducting over 80 road shows in 2½ years from California to Texas.
“This was a precursor and our test market to expand our line to canned cocktails. This was before the explosion of hard seltzers and spirit-based RTDs,” says Chuck. They immersed themselves into the ready-todrink world, and, while it took over two years, the perfect Chaco Flaco cocktail was created. Their reach continues to expand, winning over 35 global awards. As winners of Best of Show for the 2021 Bar & Restaurant Expo, Chuck and Steve met the publishers of PR%F Magazine and the PR%F Awards and are looking forward to participating in the 2022 PR%F Awards.
The company is now in the growth phase, encompassing the lifestyle of Chuck and Steve. They love and sponsor many music festivals, especially rock reggae, and will be part of Life is Beautiful, the three-day music, arts, and culture festival transforming downtown Las Vegas with an expected attendance of over 200,000 people. Chaco Flaco will be served at Peyote, located in Fergusons Downtown. They also sponsor Nascar and are getting behind Christian Brooks, the next Indy Car phenom. The pair will also be looking to sponsor Herb N Life, an emerging band from Arizona with national aspirations. Be on the lookout for the Skeleton Crew, a reference to their Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) branding and the street team’s name, handing out swag and goodies at each festival. “We throw beach balls, hand out cozies, and have fun,” says Steve. “No matter how good the product is, if it is just sitting on the shelf, there will be no traction and no sales. We get our customers engaged with our entertaining brand. We love being around our consumers, and we are open to feedback. We take advantage of every opportunity to be in front of people, and we love doing it.” Since Chuck and Steve participate in so many events and sports, there is a possibility that readers will catch them in a reality show by the end of the year, broadcasting and streaming to 52 countries. They also appreciate what they have achieved and are launching the nonprofit foundation, Drop The Can (dropthecan.org), as a play on the phrase “drop the mic.” The organization will focus on clean water initiatives since everyone deserves clean water. Chuck and Steve are also involved with different charities focusing on the military, including Wounded Warriors and For the Fallen. They’ll help build some homes for veterans through the Tunnels to Towers Foundation. Autism has a
significant presence within the Chaco family. The charity will be getting behind the cause, which is near and dear to their hearts.
“We are very excited to get dropthecan.org moving this year and in the years to come. We are so blessed and want to give back. After all is said and done, we can’t take it with us,” says Steve. With a robust marketing plan and a great sales team with energetic owners, Chaco Flaco is working on its crowdfunding to raise capital with WeFunder, which launched in early August and will continue for two more months unless fulfilled sooner.
Chaco Flaco is distributed in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and Southern California, with availability in Texas soon. In addition, they are working on moving into Florida, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, and the Midwest, with plans to be in 20 states by the end of 2023.
For more info, visit chacoflaco.com, and follow on Facebook @ chacoflacodrinks, Instagram @ chacoflacodrinks, and LinkedIn @ chacoflacodrinksllc.
Coconut Rum, Strawberry, Pineapple, Coconut & Lime flavors. 6% ALC/VOL., 12 fluid ounces per can. Sparkling Craft RTD Cocktail. Spirits Based. Gluten-Free. Not Malt. Serving size 1 Can (355 ml) Calories 190
INGREDIENTS: Carbonated Water, Rum, Sugar, Erythritol, Pineapple Juice Concentrate, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Fruit, and Vegetable Juice for Color.
Mango Margarita
Smoked Agave Tequila with Mango, Pineapple, & a hint of Habanero flavors. 6% ALC/VOL., 12 fluid ounces per can. Sparkling Craft RTD Cocktail. Spirits Based. Gluten-Free. Not Malt. Serving size 1 Can (355 ml) Calories 190
INGREDIENTS: Carbonated Water, Tequila, Sugar, Pineapple Juice Concentrate, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Fruit, and Vegetable Juice for Color.
Vodka Berry Mule
Vodka Ginger Brew, with Berries, Mint & Cucumber flavors. 6% ALC/VOL., 12 fluid ounces per can. Sparkling Craft RTD Cocktail. Spirits Based. Gluten-Free. Not Malt. Serving size 1 Can (355 ml) Calories 170
Chaco Flaco All Natural Mixers
• Bloody Maria • Verde Maria • Michelada – Coming Soon
- All natural, gluten-free, non-GMO - - Fire roasted veggies - - First ever green Bloody Mary in a bottle - - Check out the award-winning recipes on the label -
MASKED
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Century Award
Perfect. To receive a Century Award is to be de ned as perfect. It is a 100-point perfect score, unanimously, from all judges present at the awards tasting program. Unanimous. Only a selection of these brands makes it to the prestigious level. It is the ultimate accolade and the utmost level of achievement in a spirits and wine brand. Unparalleled.
Double Gold Award
Outstanding. Spirits and wine awarded a Double Gold are beyond industry standards and celebrated with prominent elegance in their respected categories. These brands de ne nesse and make a palate dance with superiority. When you achieve this award, your brand de es gravity.
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Great and distinguished with high praise and worthy of celebration. Our Gold award is a high merit of achievement. These are the brands that set the bar beyond standard heights and reach it — at all costs and are classi ed as some of the best brands in the arena. Hue, Taste, Texture, Power, Length, and Echo all balance to create a superb avor and moment.
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Rated as good and recommended for the public, our Silver award recipients demonstrate a noticeable well-balanced presence between avor and complexity, taste and nish. Many of our Silver recipients can be found nationally in stores, restaurants, bars, and online.
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