Big News

Charles Communications Signs Golden Star Tea and Brix Chocolate

San Francisco, CA February 2009 – Charles Communications Associates, LLC. announced the addition of two new clients to its diverse portfolio of consumer brands for 2009. Golden Star Tea, and Brix Chocolate have tasked Charles Communications for their public relations efforts for its strategic insight and ability to steer brands to the right media and consumer groups both online and off.

“We are extremely excited to be promoting two such tasty and truly unique products outside our mainstream portfolio of wine & spirits,” said Kimberly Charles, founder of Charles Communications Associates, LLC.. “Both companies were initiated by imaginative, and forward thinking people and that’s a perfect fit for our firm. We appreciate being acknowledged as experts in the field of fine food and beverage.”

Golden Star Tea is a San Francisco brewer of a unique product: White Jasmine Sparkling Tea. Similar to champagne in its mouth feel and complex character, the White Jasmine offers a drinking experience that is at once familiar and entirely new. With a slight sweetness and a clean acidity, it pairs perfectly with a wide variety of cuisines and is the ideal choice for any refined celebration or affair. For those consumers unwilling to sacrifice sophistication and complexity in their search for a non-alcoholic fine beverage, Golden Star’s White Jasmine Sparkling Tea offers a welcome and unique choice. The beverage is available in 730ml bottles at Whole Foods Market, as well as specialty wine shops and restaurants. For more information please visit www.goldenstartea.com.

Brix Chocolates were specially developed to pair with wine. Based on single origin chocolate from Ghana, Brix chocolates boast red fruit flavors that won’t overwhelm wine. Brix Milk Chocolate is ideally suited for light bodied red wines and dessert wines; while Brix Dark Chocolate is very versatile and pairs well with medium bodied and fruit forward red wines ranging all the way from fuller bodied Pinot Noir to lighter Cabernets. Brix Extra Dark Chocolate is the perfect pair for powerful or tannic red wines. Dr. Nick Proia, a pulmonologist and wine enthusiast, created Brix chocolates after seeking a healthier alternative to pairing wine with cheese. For more information please visit www.brixchocolate.com.

About Charles Communications Associates, LLC.
Charles Communications Associates, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, CA is an independent creative marketing communications and public relations firm that helps local and global companies, organizations and non-profits create, build and launch a brand. Recognized as one of the most effective PR firms in the consumer products and wine industry, CCA is also known for success in the gourmet, natural and organic food and beverage categories, as well as for top shelf spirits and luxury products marketing. The CCA team infuses its work with enthusiasm, originality, and strategy to help clients thrive and grow. Current CCA client roster includes Boisset Family Estates, The Bubble Lounge, Domaine Carneros, JAQK Cellars, Mark West, Parallel Wines, and Volta Wines. For more information please visit www.charlescomm.com.

For press inquiries contact Kimberly Charles of Charles Communications Associates, LLC at kcharles@charlescomm.com or 415.701.9463. www.charlescomm.com.

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Move Over Cheese

Brix Chocolate Introduces the First Wine Friendly Chocolate As an Alternative to Cheese

San Francisco, CA (January 22, 2009) – Brix Chocolate, the first chocolate designed specifically to complement wine, made its national debut at the highly-anticipated 2009 Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, CA.  Brix Chocolate, the only specific “chocolate for wine” was created by Dr. Nick Proia, a practicing pulmonologist and a Professor of Medicine at Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine, after realizing that cheese, the traditional accompaniment to a glass of wine, counteracts wine’s unique health benefits. Both red wine and chocolate boast anti-oxidant benefits lowering blood pressure and reducing risk of heart disease, whereas cheese on the other hand, has high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol, both of which can lead to increased risk of heart disease. Dr. Prioa was determined to find a better partner to pair with his glass of red wine. Unable to find a chocolate on the market that complemented wine, Dr. Proia developed Brix, his own line of chocolates specifically designed to enjoy with wine.
Brix uses only single origin chocolates from Ghana as the base for their chocolates, blending its rich red fruit flavors with Belgian confectionary chocolate to achieve a final product that won’t overwhelm the nuances of finer wines. After rigorous testing of over thirty single origin chocolates and various blends in 5% increments 15 potential formulas were developed. From there the fifteen original samples were honed down to just three blends, all of which chosen unanimously from the test groups as the best wine partners. Each of the three different blends of chocolate (milk, dark, and extra dark) were designed to complement different varietals and styles of wine.

Brix Milk Chocolate has a higher cocoa content (40%) than most milk chocolates on the market and an almost spicy flavor. It pairs well with light bodied reds like Pinot Noir and with dessert wines. Brix Extra Dark was developed to pair with powerful tannic red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Barolo. Brix Dark is the most versatile and complements fruit forward red wines including: Merlot and Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache as well as Zinfandel. With Valentine’s Day less than a month away, the national product launch offers a timely and sophisticated twist on the traditional sweetheart offering of wine and chocolate.

Brix takes it name from a term in the wine industry used to measure the sugar content of grapes, a gauge often used to determine ripeness at harvest time. It also provides inspiration for the shape of the Brix “brick” specially designed to be broken into large, rough pieces whose flavors explode faster in the mouth than a uniformly smooth piece, creating a more intense burst of flavor. These large bricks lend themselves well to creating a hands-on communal experience to be enjoyed by many as each brick is large enough to share with up to fifteen people making the act of breaking the chocolate as elemental as the act of breaking bread. Serving Brix chocolate with wine creates an interactive and social dessert and wine experience for exploration and enjoyment.

Products:
Brix Milk Chocolate
Brix Dark Chocolate
Brix Extra Dark Chocolate

Availability: Brix Chocolate can be found online at www.brixchocolate.com, at Cost Plus World Market and Kings Supermarket.

ABOUT BRIX
Brix chocolates were specially developed to pair with chocolate. Based on single origin chocolate from Ghana, Brix chocolates boast red fruit flavors that won’t overwhelm wine. Brix Milk Chocolate is ideally suited for light bodied red wines and dessert wines; while Brix Dark Chocolate is very versatile and pairs well with medium bodied and fruit forward red wines ranging all the way from fuller bodied Pinot Noir to lighter Cabernets. Brix Extra Dark Chocolate is the perfect pair for powerful or tannic red wines. Dr. Nick Proia, a pulmonologist and wine enthusiast, created Brix chocolates after seeking a healthier alternative to pairing wine with cheese. For more information please visit www.brixchocolate.com.
For more information, photos or to request media samples please contact Kendall Johnson, Charles Communications Associates at kendall@charlescomm.com or call 415-701-9463.

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