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Cycles Gladiator Wines Renews Its Commitment to Women’s Empowerment

1 March, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                                            Contact: Kimberly Noelle Charles                                                                         Phone 415|730-0064 Email: press@charlescomm.com Cycles Gladiator Wines Renews Its Commitment to Women’s Empowerment Following their program honoring 100 Years of Women’s Right to Vote in 2020, company commits to more initiatives in 2021 Santa Rosa, CA, March 1, 2021 – On this day which kicks off  Women’s History Month, Cycles Gladiator, the well-established national wine brand, announces several company initiatives that support women’s empowerment. Coming on the heels of a successful 2020 campaign called Walls for Women, wherein Cycles Gladiator co-sponsored an all-female team of muralists who created original art commemorating 100 years of women’s right to vote in the United States, the company laid out its 2021 plan to further their support.   The focus for 2021 will be on education and professional development for aspiring women seeking to advance their careers. Partnering with internationally established non-profit, Dress for Success for the month of March, the parent company of Cycles Gladiator will conduct an intercompany fundraiser for the Your Hour, Her Power campaign. In March, one hour of the equivalent salary for each employee of parent company Wine Hooligans, will be given to Dress for Success to celebrate the import and impact of the female executive and entrepreneurial leadership both at large and at the company. As shared on their website, “Dress for Success is dedicated to supporting women’s financial independence, and this campaign promotes the importance of leadership and empowerment of women for all women.”  As an add on to the fundraiser, Cycles Gladiator will be supporting two workshops serving the client base throughout the United States. The company is asking for additional support of this campaign through social reposts of their feeds on IG and FB, raising awareness, or considering a donation to Dress for Success during Women’s History month using this link. In addition, Cycles Gladiator will be offering a Wine & Spirits Education Trust scholarship to a qualified female candidate who is furthering her studies towards professional certification. The WSET is considered among the leading providers of wine education certification worldwide. Of the continuation of the successful campaign in 2020, Director of Marketing for Cycles Gladiator’s parent company, Wine Hooligans, Anna Frizzell stated, “Our longstanding commitment is to empower women at all levels, at our company, in our communities and well beyond.” Interested candidates should keep an eye on further announcements by following Cycles Gladiator socially on Instagram @cyclesgladiatorwine and Facebook @cyclesgladiator. About Cycles Gladiator: Noted award-winning winemaker Adam LaZarre started Cycles Gladiator in 2005. His goal: to make really great wines that taste two to three times the price and to know that on any given night, someone somewhere is enjoying his wine. Based in Paso Robles, California, LaZarre guides the whole process from selecting the best vineyards from the Central and North Coasts, to working with growers, to complete control of the winemaking, producing five expressive and tasty wines – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Petite Sirah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Belle Époque-inspired, Cycles Gladiator’s wine packaging features a woman suspended in mid-air, liberated by the bicycle, a new invention in the 19th century. The brand was named after the  Paris-based bicycle producer, Gladiator company, whose evocative posters inspired women to get out of the house and explore the larger world, a seismic shift after so many centuries of domesticity. In turn, bicycles became an integral part of the women’s suffrage movement, leading Susan B Anthony to declare that bicycling had “done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.” For more information, interviews and images please contact Charles Communications Associates at press@charlescomm.com or 415|730-0064.   ##
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Cycles Gladiator Murals Honoring 100 Years of Women’s Right to Vote Artist Update

10 August, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                                            Contact: Kimberly Noelle Charles                                                                                                                                                                                                               Phone 415|701-9463                                                                                                                                                                                            Email: press@charlescomm.com                                                                                                                                                                                           Walls for Women- Murals Progress Cycles Gladiator Sponsors Mural Festival Honoring 100 Years of Women’s Right to Vote Tennessee’s Ratification of the 19th Amendment   Santa Rosa, CA August 10, 2020 —This summer, the well-known national wine brand, Cycles Gladiator has partnered with Walls for Women, a public art and awareness campaign to mark the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, giving women the right to vote. Conceived by Tullahoma, Tenn.-based nonprofit DMA-events, eight new murals are being painted around the state by talented women, traditionally underrepresented in the public art movement. To date, two murals have been completed: “Wisteria Maiden” by Juuri of Oklahoma City in Tullahoma, Tenn. and Jenny Ustick of Cincinnati, Ohio whose mural “Hebe, the Moon, the Rivers and the Land” comprises four motifs within one, was installed in McMinnville, Tenn. last week.           The muralists selected by DMA-events, which is dedicated to curating artistic expression in public places, will also include Paris Woodhull whose work will grace the Printshop Beer Co. in Knoxville, Tenn. and Nicole Salgar, who is painting at Bike ‘N Tri in Maryville, Tenn. this and next week. Meanwhile, a duo of painters Cymone Wilder and Sarah Painter are collaborating on a mural nearly 200 feet in length at Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery in Nashville, and artist Kim Radford will soon begin an installation in Nolensville, Tenn. Additional artists will include Whitney Herrington and Tara Aversa for a total of five Tennesseans and the balance from out of state.  The schedule for the installations is listed below.  Follow Cycles Gladiator Wine and DMA-Events and  on Facebook for regular updates: McMinnville: July 18-27 Tullahoma: July 19-24 Knoxville: Aug. 1-10 Maryville: Aug. 4-18 Nashville: Aug. 6-18 Centerville: Aug. 28-31 Nolensville: TBD Dates are subject to modification pending weather and extenuating circumstances The murals are painted on walls in high-visibility locations with the subject matter selected by the individual artists’ professional talents with no creative restrictions. “At DMA-events, we believe in giving the artists full artistic freedom. The murals themselves will not necessarily be about the suffrage movement directly,” says Walls for Women Organizer Kristin Luna. “They will be whimsical, thoughtful and drive forward the state’s century-old commitment to female equality and empowering rights.” “This was an epochal event in American history,” said Cycles Gladiator Founding Winemaker Adam LaZarre.  “And it was the state of Tennessee with its ratification of the amendment that gave the deciding vote granting  American women the right to vote. One hundred years later we want to say ‘thank you’ to all Tennesseans for their forebears’ commitment to moving women forward by commissioning exciting new art.” Director of Marketing for Cycles Gladiator’s parent company, Wine Hooligans, Anna Frizzell stated, “In this election season with the news dominated by many important issues, we are proud to have signed on as a sponsor earlier this year. Our longstanding commitment is to empower women at all levels.” Luna added, “We’re grateful to Cycles Gladiator for recognizing this historic moment for women and wanting to empower female artists through the support of this festival. It’s so important that all industries, not just public art, commit to the hiring of women going forward.” Belle Époque-inspired, Cycles Gladiator’s wine packaging features a woman suspended in mid-air, liberated by the bicycle, a new invention in the 19th century. Cycles Gladiator was the name of the Paris-based bicycle company, whose evocative posters inspired women to get out of the house and explore the larger world, a seismic shift after so many years of domesticity. The Belle Epoque period in history spanned from 1871 to 1914 and was a period of social, cultural and technological innovations, with much of the inspiration coming from France. About Walls for Women: Kristin Luna and Scott Van Velsor started 501(c)(3) DMA-events in May 2018 as a way to harness and inspire the imaginative spirit found in all of humanity by removing some of the barriers to entry of the creative process. Walls for Women focuses exclusively on capturing female creative energy for artistic placemaking in communities in need of joy, hope and color during Tennessee’s Centennial of the 19th Amendment. All DMA murals are updated on the website map in real time, and a Walls for Women trail map will be available at WallsForWomen.com at the conclusion of the festival. About Cycles Gladiator: Noted award-winning winemaker Adam LaZarre started Cycles Gladiator in 2005. His goal: to make really great wines that taste two to three times the price and to know that on any given night, someone somewhere is enjoying his wine. Based in Paso Robles, California, LaZarre guides the whole process from selecting the best vineyards from the Central and North Coasts, to working with growers, to complete control of the winemaking, producing five expressive and tasty wines – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Petite Sirah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. For more information, interviews and images please contact Charles Communications Associates at press@charlescomm.com or 415|701-9463. ##  
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Cycles Gladiator Murals Honoring 100 Years of Women’s Right to Vote

12 May, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    Contact: Kimberly Noelle Charles                                                                         Phone 415|701-9463 Email: press@charlescomm.com Walls for Women Cycles Gladiator Murals Honoring 100 Years of Women’s Right to Vote Tennessee’s Ratification of the 19th Amendment  Adds Local Color to Towns Across State this Summer NASHVILLE, TN, May 12, 2020—With 2020 marking the centennial of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution giving women the right to vote, California-based winery Cycles Gladiator announced it is joining in funding the creation this summer of 10 original murals by female artists in multiple communities across Tennessee, the last of the necessary 36 states to secure ratification on August 18, 1920. “This was an epochal event in American history,” said Cycles Gladiator Founding Winemaker Adam LaZarre.  “And it was the state of Tennessee with its ratification of the amendment that gave American women the right to vote. One hundred years later we want to say ‘thank you’ to all Tennesseans for their forebears’ commitment to moving women forward by commissioning exciting new art.” The murals project, inspired by the fight for women’s suffrage, will be completed in time for the August 18 anniversary. The muralists, a collection of female artists selected by DMA-events, Inc., a Tennessee-based nonprofit that is dedicated to curating artistic expression in public places, will include such notable talents as Sarah Painter, Tara Aversa, Kim Radford, Nicole Salgar, Cymone Wilder, and Paris Woodhull. Volunteer State communities planning to host the murals include the cities of Nashville and Knoxville and smaller towns such as Maryville, Tullahoma and McMinnville.  The work will be painted on walls in high-visibility locations with the subject matter reflecting the individual artists’ professional talents. “The murals themselves will not necessarily be about the suffrage movement directly,” says Walls for Women Organizer Kristin Luna. “They will be whimsical, thoughtful and drive forward the state’s century-old commitment to female equality.” “We’re thrilled by Cycles Gladiator’s commitment to this statewide art project that celebrates women, their individual rights and the uniquely democratic process of voting,” Luna added. “Their commitment to art starts with the theme of the label wrapping around their bottles.  Inspired by an explosive era of creativity that still influences artistic expression, the wine branding features a woman suspended in mid-air, liberated by the bicycle, which was a new invention in the 19th century that transformed civilization. This Paris-based bicycle company, whose posters inspired women to get out of the house and explore the larger world, has a natural synergy with our Walls for Women project and ties into the larger theme of keeping a woman’s voice front and center of our society.”  The Belle Epoque period in history spanned from 1871 to 1914 and was a period of social, cultural and technological innovations, with much of the inspiration coming from France. About Walls for Women: Kristin Luna and Scott Van Velsor started 501(c) (3) DMA-events in May 2018 as a way to harness and inspire the imaginative spirit found in all of humanity by removing some of the barriers to entry of the creative process. Walls for Women focuses exclusively on capturing female creative energy for artistic placemaking in communities in need of joy, hope and color during Tennessee’s Centennial of the 19th Amendment. About Cycles Gladiator: Noted award-winning winemaker Adam LaZarre started Cycles Gladiator in 2005. His goal: to make really great wines that taste two to three times the price and to know that on any given night, someone somewhere is enjoying his wine.  Based in Paso Robles, California, LaZarre guides the whole process from selecting the best vineyards from the Central and North Coasts, to working with growers, to complete control of the winemaking, producing five expressive and tasty wines – Petite Sirah, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The brand name is inspired by the renowned French bicycle company, Cycles Gladiator which rose to prominence during the Belle Epoque era in France. Known for their vibrant advertisements, displayed throughout Paris, bicycle sales flourished throughout this time prompted by the momentum of the women’s suffrage movement. For more information, interviews and images please contact Charles Communications Associates at press@charlescomm.com or 415|701-9463. ###
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Wine Hooligans Welcomes Portlandia Vintners to its Portfolio of Artisan Wine Brands

8 February, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kimberly Noelle Charles or Alexandra Fondren Charles Communications Associates 415.701.9463 | press@charlescomm.com                        Wine Hooligans Welcomes Portlandia Vintners to its Portfolio of Artisan Wine Brands Novato, CA (February 5, 2018)  — Wine Hooligans is pleased to announce the addition of Portlandia Vintners to its growing portfolio of artisan wine brands. The Dundee, Oregon-based winery is rooted in the heart of the Willamette Valley, crafting award winning pinot noir and pinot gris from a region that the New York Times calls one of the world’s best pinot producing regions outside Burgundy.   Launched in 2013 by vintner Damian Davis, Portlandia is an ode to the spirit of Oregon’s great wines while also reflecting a sense of the people that make Portland and the Willamette Valley so special. Davis, previously best known for founding Rainier Wine and its famously irreverent Mad Housewife label, aims to make Oregon wine accessible to everyday wine lovers nationwide.  Portlandia’s partnership with Wine Hooligans facilitates the opportunity to expand distribution across the county and develop everyday, affordable pinot noir and pinot gris from Oregon.   “Adding an exceptional set of Oregon pinots fits perfectly with our focus of bringing unique wines from valuable appellations to both consumers and our partners”, said Dennis Carroll, head hooligan of Wine Hooligans. “With Portlandia, we add a dynamic brand in an important category that’s amassed a wonderful set of accolades.  It’s an exciting addition to the Hooligans portfolio of wines.”    Portlandia includes Oregon-appellated wines with eye-catching labels, which range from $18-20, as well as a $40 single vineyard Pinot Noir from the organic and biodynamic Momtazi Vineyard located in Willamette Valley’s McMinnville AVA.   The climate of the valley encompassing the Willamette River in between Oregon’s Cascades and the Coast Range produces some of the world’s best pinot noir and pinot gris wines. However, Davis notes that “It took relentless optimists to bring pinot noir and pinot gris to Oregon, exactly the kind of ‘Hooligan’ mindset that inspired us to create Portlandia Vintners and ultimately enter into this seamless partnership with Wine Hooligans.”   Portlandia’s reception has been very positive so far, with double 92-point scores from Wine Enthusiast’s February 2018 issue, for both the 2016 Pinot Gris (which also received an Editor’s Choice designation) as well as the 2015 Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, not to mention double 90-point scores for the 2015 Pinot Noir and 2016 Rosé of Pinot Noir.     About Portlandia Wines   Portlandia’s aim is to introduce value into the world of boutique, hand-made Oregon wine. Founder Damian Davis is committed to bringing terroir-driven Willamette Valley pinot noir and pinot gris to the everyday table, rejecting the notion that great Oregon wines can only be enjoyed at a premium. When Portlandia’s initial success enabled the ability to scale, it allowed Davis to bring on a new collaborator in Dennis Carroll and his Wine Hooligans.   The Wine Hooligans infrastructure and financial backing has allowed Portlandia to make an even bolder statement in quality/price ratio. “Wine lovers across the country already know that Oregon wine means world-class pinot. The partnership with Hooligans will enable me to get out there consistently to reinforce that message and share just a touch of what makes life here in the Pacific Northwest so special.” Davis’s 13 years of building relationships and seeking avenues to deliver high-quality, inexpensive wines to consumers throughout the Pacific Northwest has helped him to find the many interesting and overlooked vineyards that now define the Portlandia portfolio.   Carroll added, “At Wine Hooligans, we believe artisan brands are made by talented artists.  Damian has used his deep roots in the Pacific Northwest and his talent to create a wonderful set of pinot noir, pinot gris and rosé bottlings that can be enjoyed every day.  We are happy to play a role in helping expand distribution of this unique brand.”   About Wine Hooligans Wine Hooligans, LLC was created by wine industry veteran Dennis Carroll together with an expert team of artisan winemakers.  Positioned as a passionate disruptor of conventional wine marketing and sales, Wine Hooligans is a brand acquisition and development company, which brings people, places and products together to make exceptional wines in a wide variety of categories.  The portfolio consists of Portlandia, Broadside Wines, Cycles Gladiator, Sea Monster, Goyette and Stephen Vincent.  More information can be found at www.winehooligans.com.    Media Contact For press inquiries and images, please contact Kimberly Noelle Charles at Charles Communications Associates atpress@charlescomm.com or 415.701.9463.    ###
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Wine Hooligans Savors Successes of 2015

17 February, 2016

Wine Business Upstart Bullish on 2016 Wine Hooligans LLC, created by wine industry veteran Dennis Carroll and his band of hooligan sales and marketing pros, is bullish on 2016 as the company enters its third year of business. Reflecting back on the year’s successes with notable brands Broadside Wines, Cycles Gladiator, Sea Monster, 3 Ball, Stephen Vincent and Goyette, the theme for 2015 was “Introduction”. 2014 was the “Set Up and Organization” year for the company as three brands were acquired, two brands were developed, a national sales team was hired, a distribution network was set up and a production and vineyard partner was appointed in Paso Robles, CA.   2015 kicked off with new packaging, wine and focus for Stephen Vincent and Cycles Gladiator and new wine offerings from Broadside Wines. Two newly developed brands Sea Monster and Three Ball were launched and embraced by the marketplace and media. An encapsulated report card from the Head Hooligan, who didn’t skip class for this update, highlighting 2015: Stephen Vincent was rebranded as a Sonoma County/North Coast brand with an emphasis on Pinot, Chardonnay and Cabernet in order to reflect the history and pedigree of Bob Goyette, winemaker and founder of the brand. The packaging was changed to a classic look. Since the reintroduction of the brand, we have received an 88 point score from the Wine Enthusiast for the Cabernet and Gold medals from the California State Fair for the Chardonnay and Red Blend (Crimson). After 50 years of making wine in Sonoma, people are beginning to know Bob and appreciate his winemaking. Cycles Gladiator has been completely reinvented in a “back to the future” scenario. Once a leading national brand with one of the most iconic labels in the wine industry, the brand had suffered over the last several years under prior ownership resulting in packaging changes, SKU proliferation, wine quality issues and a downgrade in appellation. The most important component of this acquisition was bringing back Adam LaZarre, the original winemaker for the brand. Along with bringing Adam back, we have gone back to the original label with some minor changes, partnered up with a vineyard owner to insure we can keep the brand Central Coast focused providing wine quality that consistently supplies a superior price/quality ratio. This has been supported by a Best Buy from the Wine Enthusiast, California State Fair Gold medals and a Sunset Magazine Wine Competition Gold Medal. Cycles has taken the first step to regaining its position as a leading Central Coast brand. Broadside had built a remarkable reputation over the past 10 years with its single vineyard Margarita Cabernet from Paso Robles. Together with its companion chardonnay, Wild Ferment, Broadside has forged a unique taste profile for Paso Robles cabernet and chardonnay. Brian and Stephy Terrizzi had wanted to produce a more affordable cabernet from Paso Robles, but did not have the organization to launch a product. Wine Hooligans partnered up with the Terrizzi’s in late 2014 to create Broadside Paso Robles Cabernet. In our inaugural year, we will ship close to 12,000 cases of the Paso Robles Cabernet. This has been the most successful launch of a product in my 15 years in the industry. While we have continued to grow the distribution of these products, Brian and Stephy have maintained quality, with the Paso Cabernet receiving an 88 from the Wine Enthusiast, Top 15 Summer Wine Values from Food and Wine Magazine, Gold Medal from Sunset Magazine and named one of the top 20 wines under $20 dollars and the only domestic product for the Fall from the New York Times.      Hooligans was also able to develop and introduce two brands in 2015. 3 Ball and Sea Monster were collaborative efforts with Adam LaZarre and Christian Tietje. Sea Monster was a small case production effort with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and a White Blend. We produced 500 cases of each varietal to a very receptive distributor network and public. These small production wines were all bottled a second time due to demand. Speaking to the quality, the Chardonnay received a 91 from the Wine Enthusiast in its first vintage. We believe we have an opportunity with the White Blend to build a premier white blend simply known as… Sea Monster Eclectic White! 3 Ball is our project with Christian Tietje. 3 Ball is a tri appellated zinfandel with fruit from Sonoma, Amador and Paso Robles. Christian, aka Zin Bitch, is a pioneer in the Paso Robles zinfandel and Rhone worlds. 3 Ball reflects three of the best appellations that Christian has made single appellation wines from over the years. The quality is evident in the wine, receiving an 88 from Wine Enthusiast along with a Gold Medal from the San Francisco Wine Competition.   All told in 2015, the company garnered 4 Double Gold Medals, 30 Golds, two 99 point scores, 13 95+ point scores and 35 90+ scores in leading critical publications.  Quotes Carroll, “What started out several years ago as an idea to acquire and reinvent brands, has now become a reality with reinvented brands being introduced across the country throughout 2015. Our strategy of people, place and quality has just begun to have an impact in the market. Our run rates in the last few months of 2015, indicate we have a portfolio of acquired brands that will exceed 125,000 cases in 2016.” Shanken News Daily quoted Carroll in a company feature saying, “After forming new company Wine Hooligans, former BevMo and Purple Wine Co. executive Dennis Carroll is attacking at the premium-and-above tier with a growing portfolio of both new and familiar California brands." Carroll has said of the company’s assertive stance, “What most companies take a decade or more to do, we did in less than two years. Our theme for 2016 is “Intelligent Growth. We want to grow the brands in a manner that is mindful of distribution and brand positioning." Carroll also launched a popular business-to-business blog called “Hooligan Rants” in keeping with the disruptive, somewhat skewed viewpoint of its founder and team.  The most recent posting, “If You Have Sold Wine Through A Distributor, You Have Been On The Blind Date “Ride With” clearly resonated with the industry as a dead-on take on the infamous “blind date” between supplier and sales rep. It garnered over 4,000 likes and many shares on Facebook and is still spreading virally.   About Wine Hooligans  Wine Hooligans, LLC was created by wine industry veteran Dennis Carroll together with an expert team of artisan winemakers. Positioned as a passionate disruptor of conventional wine marketing and sales, Wine Hooligans is a brand acquisition and development company, which brings people, places and products together to make exceptional wines in a wide variety of categories. The portfolio consists of Cycles Gladiator, Sea Monster, Broadside, Goyette and Stephen Vincent. More information can be found at www.winehooligans.com. Follow the company on Twitter @WineHooligans and blog at http://winehooligans.com/blog/.  
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Broadside & Wine Hooligans Celebrate One Year of Growth & Acclaim

29 October, 2015

           With an exhilarating year of impressive growth and ensuing accolades behind them, Brian and Stephy Terrizzi, founders of Broadside Wines, will mark their first anniversary with Dennis Carroll and his Wine Hooligans portfolio of artisan wine brands.   Broadside Wines – led by its highly acclaimed flagship wine, the single vineyard Margarita Cabernet from Paso Robles – partnered with Wine Hooligans one year ago with the intention of expanding distribution across the county and developing an everyday affordable Cabernet from Paso Robles.   During the last year, 30 markets have been added and a 2013 Paso Robles Cabernet introduced across the country.    The reception has been overwhelming: The Paso Robles Cabernet was just named one of Eric Asimov’s Fall Wine: 20 Under $20 in the New York Times while Ray Isle of Food & Wine included it in his 15 Great Summer Wine Values list.  It was the only California Cabernet on either publication’s list.  Wine Enthusiast gave the Paso Cabernet a ‘best value’ designation and 88 points, while the wine also received a Gold Medal from the Sunset Magazine International Wine Competition in its inaugural vintage. A remarkable series of accolades for a new wine.    About Broadside Wines   Broadside’s aim is to bring value to the world of boutique, hand-made wine. Founders Brian and Stephy Terrizzi are committed to bringing their luxury craft-winemaking experience to the everyday table, rejecting the notion that great wines can only be enjoyed at a premium. When they parted ways with their former partner last year, it allowed the Terrizzis to bring on a new collaborator in Dennis Carroll and his Wine Hooligans.   The Wine Hooligans infrastructure and financial backing has allowed the Terrizzis to make an even bolder statement in quality/price ratio. "Our original wine, the Broadside Margarita Cabernet, has received an overwhelmingly positive response over the years, and though it over-delivers for the price, at over twenty dollars it’s still a special occasion wine for most consumers," says Brian. "With this new investment from the Hooligans’ team we now can produce our Broadside Paso Robles Cabernet, a wine that a larger segment of the population can enjoy on a regular basis. It's gratifying to be able to produce a wine of character that restaurants can pour by the glass for $10 or less and consumers can find for around $15 a bottle." Stephy's ten years of experience managing vineyards all over Paso Robles has helped her to find the many interesting and overlooked vineyards that the Terrizzis use in crafting this wine.   Carroll added, “At Wine Hooligans, we believe artisan brands are made by talented artists.  Brian and Stephy have used their deep roots in Paso Robles and their talent to create a wonderful Cabernet that can be enjoyed every day.  We are happy to play a role in helping expand distribution of this unique brand.”   In keeping with the Broadside name (as well as the Terrizzis’ shared love of literature), the brand is an ardent supporter of the literary arts, as official wine sponsor for the San Francisco based literary festival Litquake, as well as of Zyzzyva, one of the nations top journals of the arts and letters.    About Wine Hooligans Wine Hooligans, LLC was created by wine industry veteran Dennis Carroll together with an expert team of artisan winemakers.  Positioned as a passionate disruptor of conventional wine marketing and sales, Wine Hooligans is a brand acquisition and development company, which brings people, places and products together to make exceptional wines in a wide variety of categories.  The portfolio consists of Cycles Gladiator, Sea Monster, Broadside, Goyette and Stephen Vincent.  More information can be found at www.winehooligans.com
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The Return of the Bicycling Beauty - Cycles Gladiator Wines gets new look in gear

7 October, 2015

San Francisco, CA - Cycles Gladiator, historically a top selling extreme value portfolio of California appellated wines, is rolling out a new look with the 2014 vintage. Acquired in 2013 by the sales & marketing start up Wine Hooligans, Cycles’ evocative and iconic label of a winsome naked red-headed beauty with her bicycle, has returned to accompany its original winemaker, Adam LaZarre. Cycles has put into gear a more focused appellation program with long term contract grape growers in the Central Coast and has a portfolio that includes Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Merlot and Pinot Noir. The updated label was the initiative of Head Hooligan Dennis Carroll together with multiple award-winning winemaker LaZarre who aimed to revitalize the wine quality along with its branding. The updated label design brings back the provocative beauty, who was previously de-emphasized on the label. Originally conceived during the Belle Epoque period in Paris, the poster was created by one of many bicycle companies who advertised the newfound freedom from domesticity that women found through access to the bicycle.   Wine Hooligans and Carroll have now restored the label to its former glory, bringing the image back to its original size and focusing production on the versatile and quality driven Californian Central Coast. Trade clientele of Wine Hooligans have praised the revitalized look.  Lee Christopher of Bottles and Barrels, a division of Kentucky Eagle has stated, “Cycles Gladiator is back where it belongs, in the capable hands of Adam LaZarre. I met Adam in 2003 and the wines he made were incredible back then. The new label is fantastic and consumer reaction has been really positive.  Now that Adam has been reunited with the “Lady on the Bicycle” I couldn’t be happier to be back in business with my friend again.” Dave Robertson of Paustis Distributors in Minnesota shares, “The new label is not only cleaner and easier to read, but sales have picked up since we introduced it back into the market. The wine quality definitely showcases Adam’s talents.” Production’s return to its Central Coast roots, where the Paso Robles-based LaZarre lives, has brought winegrowing and winemaking all under one roof.  LaZarre ensures that each vineyard is hand-picked at the most ideal time. He brings small production detail to larger scale production. The wines have already shown great promise winning gold medals at the 2015 Sunset Magazine and Long Beach Grand Cru wine competitions, along with a Best Buy from the Wine Enthusiast. Originally conceived as a brand  in 2005, LaZarre, a former non-commissioned officer in the Navy with 20 years of winemaking experience, created Cycles Gladiator with the mindset to “produce really great wines that taste two to three times the price, [knowing] that, on any given night, someone somewhere is enjoying my wine.” That is still the wines’ credo today. Dennis Carroll brings over 20 years of sales and marketing as well as operational experience to his newly formed companyWine Hooligans. As the former President of Purple Wine Company, Carroll was responsible for building and shaping such household brand names as Mark West, Avalon and Four Vines. His most recent endeavor Wine Hooligans, seeks to create and reinvent artisan wine brands to reach wine lovers all over. To do so, Carroll has gathered four wine makers and five different brands under the Hooligans umbrella, those include Cylces Gladiator, Sea Monster, Broadside, Goyette and Stephen Vincent.  More information can be found at www.winehooligans.com.  
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Wine Hooligans Appoints Trellis Wine Group for National Account Sales

4 May, 2015

    Wine Hooligans Appoints Trellis Wine Group for National Account Sales   Novato, CA - Wine Hooligans has recently secured the national account on-premise sales expertise of Trellis Wine Group www.trelliswinegroup.com for both domestic and international markets. The portfolio of Wine Hooligans, known as a wine industry upstart company includes the brands of Cycles Gladiator, Stephen Vincent, Seamonster, Broadside and Goyette Wines.  Company President and Head Hooligan Dennis Carroll says of the appointment, “I’m excited to be working with Mark Crisler and his team at Trellis Wine Group again.  No one knows the National Account marketplace better than Trellis.  We look forward to building our brands together in future years.”   Mark Crisler, Founder and Chief Everything Officer of Trellis Wine Group has over thirty years of experience in the wine & spirits industry helping brands with market expansion, distributor management, and channel specific sales and marketing strategies. Working as an extension of the veteran sales team Wine Hooligans assembled in its first year of business, Trellis Wine Group will help position the portfolio crafted by winemaking talents Adam LaZarre, Brian Terizzi, Christian Tietje and Bob Goyette.  Crisler stated, “I am truly excited about working with Dennis and the Wine Hooligan’s team.  I see many opportunities to help guide and grow their wines into leading national accounts. I’m particularly proud that my mission of supporting artisan winemakers is in perfect alignment with that of Dennis Carroll.”    About Wine Hooligans After a series of wine industry successes including launching and establishing Purple Wine Company over a 12 year period as well as being part of the original Beverages & More executive team, Carroll created Wine Hooligans as a concept while on the beaches of Hawaii.  Wanting to create a company grounded in strategic sales which helps to create as well as reinvent brands working closely with artisan winemakers, distributor partners and the trade, Wine Hooligans was launched officially in 2014 http://winehooligans.com/   For media requests including interviews, images and more information, please contact Kimberly Charles of Charles Communications Associates at press@charlescomm.com or 415|701-9463 ext. 101.     #   #   #
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