Belvedere Winery, Owner of BELVEDERE Trademark, to Explore Strategic Alternatives.

HEALDSBURG, Calif. -- Belvedere Winery, L.P. ("Belvedere Winery" or the "Company") has announced today that it has retained Perella Weinberg Partners as its financial advisor to explore strategic alternatives related to Belvedere Winery and its BELVEDERE([R]) trademark.

In a summary judgment ruling announced on April 26, 2007, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California (Case No. 5:05-cv-04625 JW) held that Millennium Import LLC ("Millennium"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the global luxury goods conglomerate LVMH Mo[R]t Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA (Paris Ticker: MC.PA) and Belvedere Winery's licensee and supplier of BELVEDERE([R]) vodka in the United States, breached its license from the Company to sell BELVEDERE([R]) vodka. The Court also ruled that the Company owns the BELVEDERE([R]) trademark; that the Company properly terminated Millennium's license to sell BELVEDERE([R]) vodka as of November 10, 2005; and, accordingly, that Millennium's continued sales of BELVEDERE([R]) vodka infringe the Company's trademark rights.

According to Belvedere Winery's founder, William R. Hambrecht, the Company is currently seeking another partner for the BELVEDERE([R]) brand and intends to launch BELVEDERE([R]) branded spirits in the United States promptly.

Mr. Hambrecht praised the Court's ruling as "a great victory for fairness and transparency in the distilled spirits business. This decision levels the playing field for trademark owners that might otherwise be afraid to go toe-to-toe with powerful licensees in the distilled spirits industry."

Erik Paul Belt, Maureen K. Toohey, Peter J. Karol, and Rebecca L Hanovice of Bromberg & Sunstein LLP represented Belvedere Winery in this litigation.

About Belvedere Winery:

Founded in 1982 by the investment banker and philanthropist William R. Hambrecht, Belvedere Vineyards & Winery is located in the Russian River Valley in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California. Over its 25-year history, the Winery has won numerous awards for its BELVEDERE([R]) wines, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer.