Don Sebastiani & Sons Releases New Luxury Napa Valley Label

Business Wire,  June 2, 2008  

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SONOMA, Calif. -- Don Sebastiani & Sons International Wine Negociant today announced the release of a new luxury Napa Valley label, Pennywise. This year, the winery will release a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and a Napa Valley Petite Sirah; production on both wines is extremely limited. Pennywise will be marketed by the company's The Other Guys division.

The company recently announced it will reposition its entire portfolio to capture more shelf space in higher-end retail wine establishments and pursue positions on wine lists of some of the better upscale urban restaurants.

The Pennywise label, created by MSpace Design of Sonoma, features the impression of a penny coin and is modeled after old-fashioned trading stamps, which were once issued by grocers and other retailers to build store loyalty. Customers would collect the stamps, and then redeem or "trade" them for special products. Both wines will be reasonably priced, relative to other Napa Valley luxury wines, between $25 and $30.

The 2005 Pennywise Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted from grapes grown in Calistoga's Solari Vineyard and Yountville's Gamble Vineyard. According to winemaker Richard Bruno, his objective was to make a serious, well structured and age-worthy Cabernet, while refining it with a soft touch to make it approachable in its youth. "While this wine will benefit from extended aging in bottle, its resolved tannins and sappy core is a welcome addition to the luxury category at a truly affordable price point," Bruno said.

The 2005 Pennywise Petite Sirah was sourced from Yount Mill Vineyard in Yountville. Bruno prefers dry-farmed fruit, which automatically reduces crop yield and provides the extraction he wants for a sturdy Petite Sirah. "I like the earthy texture of this wine," he said. "It's a massive, untamed, dark colored beast that we all love staining our teeth drinking. Petite Sirah always starts out hard, but ends up easy."

The Other Guys (TOG) division of Don & Sons focuses on marketing super upscale premium wines through independently owned retail establishments and key on-premise accounts. Wines in the TOG portfolio experienced a 200% increase in growth in 2007 and are expected to equal or surpass that performance in 2008, according to Sebastiani.

Don Sebastiani & Sons is a family-owned wine negociant firm specializing in the marketing of upscale varietal wines. Principals Don Sebastiani and sons, Donny and August, are third and fourth generation California vintners and merchants. The company is headquartered in Sonoma Valley and has a winery in the Napa Valley. Don Sebastiani & Sons' fast-growing The Other Guys portfolio is currently expanding at an annual growth rate of 200%: the more established Three Loose Screws portfolio includes Impact Hot Brands Smoking Loon and Pepperwood Grove.

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