Purple Cowboy Is the Official Wine of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association

NAPA, Calif., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Canopy Management, a Napa Valley-based wine creation, sales and marketing company, announced today that Purple Cowboy wines, their Paso Robles appellation red wine portfolio, has been designated the official wine of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), the first of its kind for a wine brand. The PRCA is the oldest and largest rodeo-sanctioning body in the world.

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"We are thrilled to embark upon this new partnership with the PRCA. Real cowboys do drink wine!" says Terry Wheatley, founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Canopy Management.

Wheatley, along with family including her professional cowboy husband and son, has long been involved with rodeo competition and the western community. In 2004, while her son Wade was competing as a championship roper, Wheatley introduced the rodeo world to the Tough Enough To Wear Pink Campaign to fight breast cancer. Since then TETWP has raised over seven million dollars.

"Since we launched Purple Cowboy in 2008, the wine has been the official wine of the Tough Enough To Wear Pink breast cancer awareness campaign at rodeos across the country. Our enhanced relationship with the PRCA will allow us to take Purple Cowboy's charitable commitment to a new level," explains Wheatley.

Wheatley founded the Tough Enough To Wear Pink Campaign, along with Karl Stressman (formerly Wrangler Special Events Director now PRCA Rodeo Commissioner) to help families coping with breast cancer in the western community. The iconic campaign, which has been adopted by other professional and collegiate sports franchises, has competitors donning the color pink during competition to bring attention to the disease.

With the partnership, Purple Cowboy will receive significant exposure through an extensive advertising and exclusive content campaign on prorodeo.com as well as spotlight presence at PRCA-sanctioned events The PRCA, a membership-based organization, sanctions more than 600 rodeos annually, and there are nearly 30 million fans in the U.S. The PRCA showcases the world's best cowboys in premier events through the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots, and its subsequent Justin Boots Playoffs, the Seminole Hard Rock Xtreme Bulls presented by B&W Trailer Hitches, the PRCA's bull riding tour; and the world-renowned Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Purple Cowboy wines include Tenacious Red, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah and Night Rider Merlot. Trail Boss Cabernet Sauvignon will be added to the portfolio in the fall. The wines have garnered numerous awards and accolades and caught the attention of the mainstream media. Purple Cowboy Tenacious Red was featured on a recent segment of The Today Show.

Purple Cowboy is sourced from Paso Robles, California, a winegrowing region dubbed "Cowboy Wine Country" due to its western heritage and ranching traditions. The wines were inspired by a group of cowboys who worked the vineyards during the week and the rodeo arena on weekends. They liked to drink red wine so dark it turned their teeth to purple, or so the legend goes.

Purple Cowboy wines are available nationally and retail for about $12. Find out more about the wines at www.purplecowboy.com.

About Canopy Management

Canopy Management is a wine creation, sales and marketing company based in Napa Valley, California. Their mission is to bring innovation to the wine marketplace with a portfolio that engages and entertains, over-delivers quality and offers outstanding value. Canopy Management is the founder of the Wine Sisterhood™, a pioneering concept in market research and consumer conversation which uses the tools of digital media to connect consumers to the creation of the next new wine brand. The Canopy portfolio includes Middle Sister, PromisQous, Monogamy, Purple Cowboy, Kate and Cassie, Deep Purple, Good Daughter, Little Chica, Cocca di Papa, Haute Red and White Haute.

SOURCE Canopy Management