Chalone Wine Group Implements First-Ever Web-Based Production and Acclaims System.

Business Editors/Food & Wine Writers

NAPA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 14, 2004

To streamline the bottling and labeling of all of its wines, Chalone Wine Group (Nasdaq:CHLN) has just switched to a new web-based application that was developed by Winetracker, Inc.

The first of its kind, the WineTracker system allows everyone involved with the bottling process, including the winemaker, the logistics manager, the bottling supervisor, vendors, and marketing personnel, to track every event online. The program uses the information entered by a winery to develop schedules, reminders, purchase orders and executive reports for label production; Alcohol, Tobacco and Tax Bureau's approval; carton, glass and capsule production. It also includes links to vendors for business-to-business transactions and label tracking with a link to TTB's online label approval process. Written in easy to understand language, the application can be used on PCs or Macs and provides complete traceability and data storage.

Originally, Winetracker, Inc. President Kris Caceres was hired by CWG to develop a computerized database for acclaims of all of its wines. As work progressed over a two-year period, the company realized they could save time and energy by managing its bottling functions by using the web-based application. Caceres worked closely with CWG's production, logistics and marketing managers to develop and test the product.

Caceres, who honed his programming skills developing systems to track emergency response, says he found a great opportunity with Chalone Wine Group. "We started with tracking acclaims, but ended up filling a much bigger need. Our team has spent 26 months working both on- and off- site developing the infrastructure necessary to capture the information needed for the bottling process. Chalone Wine Group has been great in helping to develop and test our systems."

Beth Damron, Planning and Logistics Manager of Chalone Wine Group, commented, "We previously had several systems in place in which each staff member involved maintained his own records. As our company grew, the task of managing these events became very complex. Now it is integrated in one system that we all have access to. Email notifications are sent informing us of critical deadlines. We are thrilled to be using this system in 2004 and have already noticed improvements in timely delivery of materials. We anticipate fewer errors and savings due to WineTracker."

WineTracker is comprised of four integrated products: BottleTracker, AcclaimsTracker, VendorTracker and CommerceTracker.

BottleTracker schedules and tracks the elements of the bottling event, provides notifications to those involved, facilitates ordering glass, cork, capsules and labels and provides executive views of the status of the bottling event.

VendorTracker allows wineries to access vendors through the business-to-business feature of BottleTracker. It provides wineries a ready list of vendors that are providing services and supplies, provides vendors a no-cost marketing opportunity to wineries and as well as a means to highlight the attributes of their products through paid advertising.

AcclaimsTracker stores and tracks acclaims of wines as they are reviewed, stores technical information on wines that is connected to the acclaims, provides marketing, distribution and sales valuable up-to-date information to support the wine in the market.

CommerceTracker facilitates the sales of wine through the web, links all information about the wine including pictures, to enable customers to view the "pedigree" of a bottle. Data tracked throughout the WineTracker application is integrated into CommerceTracker to allow for the creation of commerce items with the push of a button.

The four products interact seamlessly so that wine can be tracked and controlled from bottling to point of sales. BottleTracker and VendorTracker are sold together; AcclaimsTracker and CommerceTracker are sold separately and can operate independently of the other applications.

Winetracker, Inc. develops solutions for multi-task oriented events that enable companies to meet production performance goals, improve product quality and integrity, reduce errors and save costs. Its proprietary Internet application can help boost productivity at any winery: from small boutique to multinational corporation. The company is located in Sacramento, California. Kris Caceres is President and John Rowden is Chief Financial Officer.

For more information on WineTracker visit http://winetracker.biz.

For information on Chalone Wine Group visit www.ChaloneWineGroup.com.