It had to happen eventually: Wine as low carb drink

The whole Atkins and South beach diet craze makes me a little nutty, but given its popularity around the States these days, it was only a matter of time before the liquor industry joined in. I've already seen billboards for Vodka, touting the fact that it's a zero carb drink, and a whole Bud Light campaign about how all light beers are low in carbs so choose the one that doesn't taste like swill.

Now, from the editorial staff of justfood.com we learn this:

Diageo is to begin marketing three of its wine brands as "low carb" drinks.
Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines said that three of its wine brands, BV Coastal Estates, Sterling Vintners Collection and a new brand offering, Century Cellars, all meet the definition of a "Low Carb" alcohol beverage as recently established by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).

The company said it will soon begin producing point of sale materials, including bottle neckers and in-store displays, informing consumers that BV Coastal Estates, Sterling Vintners Collection and Century Cellars wine brands meet the new TTB guidelines.

Also included in the point of sale information will be other macro-nutritional information, such as fat, protein, calories and serving size. For example, point of sale material for BV Coastal Estates 2002 Chardonnay will include the fact that the wine contains 3 grams of carbohydrates, 124 calories, 0 grams of fat and less than 1 gram of protein per five ounce serving.

"The interim guidance provided by TTB really provides clarity around what can truly be considered 'low carb,'" said Ray Chadwick, president of Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines. "We know from our research that our consumers want this information to make informed decisions, and we are proud to take a leadership position in this respect."

Next thing you know, they'll be changing the shape of those stodgy old wine bottles to make them more appealing to weight conscious and style conscious yuppie couples and metrosexuals.