FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact:

Scott Scheid, President

Scheid Vineyards Inc.

831-455-9990

OR

Nevena Orbach

The Orbach Company Inc.

818-904-0500

 

SCHEID VINEYARDS LAUNCHES “THE WINE BASKET”

 

Salinas, CA, October 2, 2001--- Wine lovers looking for that extra special Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Merlot can choose from a selection of award-winning wines through “The Wine Basket,” an online store being launched today by Monterey County winemaker and grape grower Scheid Vineyards Inc. (Nasdaq: SVIN).

 

Available at www.scheidvineyards.com/winebasket, the site “allows the public to enjoy the fruits of a harvest which were previously available only at select Monterey County restaurants, or to our shareholders,” said Scott Scheid, President.  Scheid added, “Less than one percent of our annual harvest is made into these very special wines which showcase the quality of Monterey wine grapes and our dedication in the vineyards.”

 

Online shoppers can fill their Wine Basket with an array of limited release, premium red and white wines with labels that showcase original works from artist Dominic Man-Kit Lam, who creates dramatic color scenic images with film through a process he calls, “chromoskedasic.”

 

Perfect for gift giving, these aesthetically attractive bottles contain equally dramatic wines, including the 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon, a Bronze Medal Winner at the prestigious 2001 California State Fair, and a Gold Sweeps winner at the 2000 Monterey County Wine Competition.

  

The process of whole berry, small lot fermentation using traditional methods, allows Scheid to produce rich, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignons with abundant fruit characteristics. Smooth and polished, the 1997 Cab weaves together ripe blackberry, currant and earth flavors. An elegant wine with soft tannins, it can be served now, but will age gracefully. From Scheid’s San Lucas Vineyard, this Monterey appellation wine was aged in a combination of 70 percent French oak and 30 percent dried American oak for close to two years before bottling. Only 1,242 cases were produced.

 

The Wine Basket also features a 1999 Pinot Noir, a follow-up release to the award-winning 1998 Pinot Noir, a Double Gold winner at the 2000 California State Fair. Rich and full-bodied, the 1999 Pinot is an exciting wine with aromas of vanilla and wild berry. From Scheid’s Riverview Vineyard, the wine was aged in 100 percent French oak barrels with a very limited production of only 374 cases.

 

In addition to wine, online shoppers can choose from a variety of accessories, including professional corkscrews, wine glasses, as well as apparel.

 

A visit to The Wine Basket and the Scheid Vineyards website will allow wine aficionados to take a tour through Scheid’s Monterey County vineyards, meet its winemaker, learn about Dominic Lam’s original art technique, and provide links to Monterey wine events, restaurants and retailers.

 

Scheid Vineyards Inc. is a leading independent producer of premium wine grapes and operates approximately 6,000 acres of vineyards, primarily in Monterey County, California. The Company sells most of its grape production under long-term contracts to wineries producing primarily premium quality table wines, and the Company also produces a small amount of ultra premium wine under its own label.