FETZER BREAKS GROUND ON PASO ROBLES WINE PRODUCTION FACILITY

Paso Robles, CA, January 13, 2000 - After months of preparation, Fetzer Vineyards, based in Hopland, Mendocino County, broke ground on their second winemaking facility, located in Paso Robles, along California's Central Coast. A ceremonial Groundbreaking took place on December 9, 1999.

The new facility, located at 8998 North River Road in Paso Robles, will be used by Fetzer for the production of red wines. Phase I of the project will include a complete winery crushing and barrel storage facility. The winery building will be approximately 24,000 square feet and the barrel room approximately 30,000 square feet. The winery is scheduled to be ready to crush 5,000 tons of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for the wine grape harvest in Fall 2000. Fetzer's well known Valley Oaks™ Cabernet and Eagle Peak™ Merlot, two of the most popular wines in the country, are the products that will be made there.

After the harvest of 2000, Phase II will begin, which will add another 5,000 tons of capacity, for a total capacity of 10,000 tons. The winery is considered a production facility and will not have a tasting room or winery events. Continuing Fetzer Vineyards commitment to sustainable business practices, "green" construction materials and techniques will be used for the construction of the facility.

"Our growth over the past five years, coupled with the high quality fruit we're seeing from this area, made creating a second facility in Paso Robles the right thing for us to do," explains Paul Dolan, managing director for Fetzer. "We will eliminate a great deal of grape transportation with our second location, and look forward to the continuing quality improvements we will see in our wines."

Fetzer Vineyards, located in southern Mendocino County, California, was founded by the Fetzer family in 1968, and is now part of the Brown-Forman Wine Group USA. Fetzer's premium varietal wines, including Valley Oaks™ Cabernet Sauvignon, Eagle Peak™ Merlot, and Sundial™ Chardonnay are among the best selling wines in America. Throughout the last decade, Fetzer has played a leading role in organic farming of vineyards and minimizing the winery's impact on the environment. The winery has won numerous awards for its impressive reductions in landfill use, use of green construction, and recycling practices. For more information on Fetzer Vineyards, please visit its website at www.fetzer.com.

Contact:
Sid Goldstein 415/444-7441 or 800/945-9463, x7441
Sid_Goldstein@B-F.com
or Sara Moore Cummings
415/444-7426 or 800/945-9463, x7426
or Sara_Cummings@B-F.com