Press Release: 7 September 2010 –
HAMDEN, Conn. – Showtime Networks Inc., in partnership with CBS Consumer Products, has entered into a licensing agreement with Votto Vines Importing (Votto Vines) for a line of Italian wines based on the upcoming SHOWTIME series The Borgias. This will be the first imported wine licensing venture for Showtime Networks and CBS Consumer Products.
“We are thrilled to be working with Showtime and CBS Consumer Products on this unique opportunity,” says Votto Vines President and CEO Michael Votto. He adds, “This is a tremendous opportunity, and we look forward to developing a successful initiative together.”
In keeping with the setting of The Borgias, the red and white varietals will be imported from the northern Italian region of Veneto. Each wine will retail for under $15/bottle and will be produced by an award-winning family winery located in the heart of the Bianco di Custoza zone, on the outskirts of the historic center of Verona. The target release date for The Borgias wines is the spring of 2011, in advance of the show’s premiere.
“In this economy, wine consumers are seeking high-quality wines at great price points,” says Votto Vines SVP of Sales Jeremy Jerome. “That is what The Borgias wine brand will represent. Traditional Italian varietals from the region of Veneto at a price point that will appeal to both the novice and experienced wine consumer alike. Having nearly finalized the selection process for The Borgias wines, we are confident that wine consumers will be very excited about these wines.”
THE BORGIAS , a one-hour drama series based on the infamous Italian Renaissance family, will premiere on SHOWTIME in spring 2011 with nine episodes. Oscar®-winning actor Jeremy Irons will star in the epic drama as Rodrigo Borgia, the cunning, manipulative patriarch of the Borgia family who ascends to the highest circles of power within Renaissance-era Italy. Additionally, Academy Award®-winning director Neil Jordan (“The Crying Game”) will create and executive produce the series and will direct the first two episodes. The series is currently in production in Budapest.
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Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, SHOWTIME 2 HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD™, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND™ and FLIX ON DEMAND®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution which operates SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
CBS Consumer Products manages worldwide licensing and merchandising for a diverse slate of television brands and series from CBS, CBS Television Studios and CBS Television Distribution, as well as from the company’s extensive library of titles, Showtime and CBS Films. Additionally, the group oversees online sales of programming merchandise. For more information, visit www.cbsconsumerproducts.com.
Votto Vines Importing (Votto Vines) is a dynamic wine importation, distribution and tourism company headquartered in Connecticut. Votto Vines combines a deep entrepreneurial spirit with diverse professional experience to apply its forward thinking ideas to the international wine trade. Votto Vines is the sole US importer for the Order Sons of Italy in America, the largest and longest running organization for people of Italian heritage in the United States, and founders of the Italia Business 2.0™ program for college and graduate students. The family values of loyalty, equality and appreciation for tradition instilled in the company executives has stimulated expansive growth despite the current recessionary environment. For more information, please visit www.vottovines.com.
For more information on the series, visit: THE BORGIAS on SHOWTIME