Delicato Introduces Clay Station Brand; New Brand Targets Adventuresome Consumers.

Business Editors/Wine Writers

NAPA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003

Delicato Family Vineyards is introducing Clay Station, a new wine brand created for consumers who want to move beyond more traditional grape varieties. This limited production 20 thousand case brand will be sold on premise and in fine wine shops both here and abroad later this month. The Clay Station wines, created from classic Old World grape varieties, include Viognier, Malbec, Shiraz, Pinot Grigio and Petite Sirah sourced from Northern California's Lodi wine growing region including Delicato's Clay Station estate vineyard. The wines will retail for $12.99 to $15.99.

"Clay Station wines are crafted for the adventuresome wine consumer seeking something interesting, new and more intriguing than the usual glass of Chardonnay or Merlot," said Kristel Cerna, Clay Station Brand Director. "We believe these remarkable food friendly wines are exactly what the consumer is looking for."

The Clay Station wine types are sometimes known as "emerging varietals" as they gain prominence and grow in popularity and sales. According to A.C. Nielsen SCANTRAK data, supermarket sales of these wine types have enjoyed double-digit growth over the past year. Viognier sales volume is up 25.3%, Pinot Grigio is up 26.1%, Petite Sirah increased 18.7%, Malbec is up 10.2%, and Shiraz (also known as Syrah) is up 61.4%.*

The Clay Station brand is named for Delicato's newest estate vineyard located in the Lodi wine growing region of Northern California. The 1,600 acres of undeveloped land purchased in 1994 has quite a history. It was once a historic stagecoach stop and part of the Borden Ranch known for its Herefords and thoroughbred trotters. The Indelicato family, with more than 75 years of winegrowing experience, understood the remarkable potential of the undeveloped site for a vineyard. Located 200-300 feet above the valley floor, the rich, reddish clay soils are studded with large stone 'cobbles' creating an excellent well-drained growing medium for quality wine grapes.

Morning fog and afternoon breezes from the nearby Sacramento Delta and the Carquinez Strait moderate the afternoon heat and create cool nighttime conditions and an extended growing season. The newly developed vineyard now produces elegantly aromatic white wines and powerfully structured reds.

"Most of the Clay Station varieties, especially Viognier, are new to the Lodi growing region," said Bud Bradley, Delicato Director of Grower Relations. "They are not the easiest grapes to grow and require constant coordination between the viticultural and winemaking team to turn these sometimes demanding grapes into exceptional wines."

At the insistence of Delicato winemakers, the first Clay Station bottling, 2001 Viognier, was released last year. The wine was awarded a gold medal and named "Best Viognier of California" at the 2002 California State Fair Wine Competition.

Delicato is one of America's leading family winegrowers and it consistently ranks among America's top ten wineries. For more than three quarters of century, the Indelicato family has been growing fine wine grapes while assembling a portfolio of world-class vineyards. Today, Delicato harvests more than 5,000 acres of estate vineyards across the top wine regions of California.

The winery has been winning top awards and medals in both domestic and international competitions. Last year Delicato won the prestigious "Wine Producer of the Year" trophy at the International Wine and Spirit Competition for a second year in a row. Delicato Family Vineyards Shiraz won "Best of California" at the California State Fair Wine Competition

in both 2001 and 2002!

* AC Nielsen SCANTRACK data (Dollar Sales, Total U.S. Food and Combined Liquor, 52 weeks ending Feb. 15, 2003.)

NOTE TO EDITORS: Artwork, including package and label, available upon request.