Purple Cowboy wines support the fight against breast cancer with Tough Enough To Wear Pink®

Western community campaign now in its 12th year: $24 million raised at rodeos across the country

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Oct 06, 2016, 04:00 ET

SANTA ROSA, Calif., Oct. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2004, Terry Wheatley, wine industry executive and matriarch of a professional rodeo cowboy and ranching family, had a crazy idea. It was the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Terry, a recent breast cancer survivor, wanted to enlist the cowboys and cowgirls to raise awareness about the disease. She convinced her son Wade, who was competing in team roping, and his fellow competitors to wear pink on one night of the rodeo.

Purple Cowboy Wines are proud to support Tough Enough To Wear Pink and 12 years of raising awareness and funds in the fight against breast cancer.

"Cowboys are tough," she explained, "but like everyone else, they are profoundly affected by breast cancer when it strikes a family member."

That night in 2004, the arena was awash with pink, rodeo fans embraced the idea, and Tough Enough To Wear Pink was born. Funds are raised at rodeos and western events through the sale of Tough Enough To Wear Pink gear. Wrangler is the title sponsor, and other corporate partners such as PRCA Rodeo, Las Vegas Events, Montana Silversmiths, Twisted X and Purple Cowboy wines share their support through generous financial and in-kind donations.

To date, over $24 million has been raised and a goal has been set for $50 million by the 20^th Anniversary of Tough Enough To Wear Pink in 2024. Funds raised stay in local communities to support early detection, treatment and family needs and to international research for a cure through the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Purple Cowboy wines were created by Terry Wheatley, Global Executive Vice-President, Vintage Wine Estates. When she first started out in the wine business, she was told of a group of rodeo-riding, winemaking cowboys who drank so much wine their teeth turned to purple. They were known as the "Band of the Purple Cowboys." Terry vowed someday to make a wine dedicated to their independent spirit. Purple Cowboy has been a proud sponsor of Tough Enough To Wear Pink since the brand was launched in 2008.

"What better way to support Tough Enough To Wear Pink than with a wine inspired by cowboys and the western community," explained Terry. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each bottle of Purple Cowboy wines—Tenacious Red Blend, Trail Boss Cabernet Sauvignon and Rancher's Reserve Rosé, go back to Tough Enough To Wear Pink.

Purple Cowboy wines are produced by Vintage Wine Estates. Employees, trade partners and friends of the wine company will wear pink to work on Tough Enough To Wear Pink Day, Wednesday, October 19 to celebrate survivors and raise awareness about the importance of early detection.

To learn more, visit www.toughenoughtowearpink.com or www.purplecowboy.com

About Vintage Wine Estates

Vintage Wine Estates is a privately held wine company owned by a group of vintner families with deep roots in the wine business. The families own a collection of winery estates and brands including Clos Pegase Winery, Cosentino Winery, Girard Winery, B.R. Cohn Winery, Swanson Vineyards, Viansa Sonoma, Windsor Vineyards, Cartlidge & Browne, Sonoma Coast Vineyards, Middle Sister, Tall Dark Stranger, Pro-mis-Q-ous, Monogamy, Girl & Dragon, Purple Cowboy and a number of exclusive wine brands. Vintage Wine Estates is a majority partner in Splinter Group Spirits, producing craft Kentucky whiskey (Straight Edge) and American whiskey (Slaughter House) and markets Clayhouse and Buried Cane wines. An industry leader across all sales channels and dedicated to providing wine consumers with a range of wines from $10 to $100 dollars, Vintage Wine Estates produces outstanding wines from Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and other premium California winegrowing regions and respects the way people buy their wine—at wineries, at retail, on the telephone, on television, on the Internet and by mail. www.vintagewineestates.com

For more information contact:

Mary Ann Vangrin
[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161006/416089

SOURCE Vintage Wine Estates