Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines Announces 'Low Carb' Wines; BV Coastal Estates, Sterling Vintners Collection and Century Cellars Brands Considered 'Low Carb' under new TTB Ruling

NAPA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 20, 2004--Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines (DC&E), part of Diageo (NYSEEO), the world's leading premium drinks business, announced that three of its wine brands, BV Coastal Estates, Sterling Vintners Collection and a new brand offering, Century Cellars, all meet the definition of a "Low Carb" alcohol beverage as recently established by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).


The TTB issued an interim ruling on April 7 on labeling and advertising caloric, protein, fat and carbohydrate information on wines, distilled and malt beverages. As part of its ruling, the TTB held that in order to use the term "low carbohydrate" on labels and in advertisements, the wine must contain no more than seven grams of carbohydrates per a typical serving, which the agency determined to be 5 fl. ounces.

DC&E will soon begin producing point of sale materials, including bottle neckers and in-store displays, informing consumers that BV Coastal Estates, Sterling Vintners Collection and Century Cellars wine brands meet the new TTB guidelines. Also included in the point of sale information will be other macro-nutritional information, such as fat, protein, calories and serving size. For example, point of sale material for BV Coastal Estates 2002 Chardonnay will include the fact that the wine contains 3 grams of carbohydrates, 124 calories, 0 grams of fat and less than 1 gram of protein per five ounce serving.

"The interim guidance provided by TTB really provides clarity around what can truly be considered 'low carb,'" said Ray Chadwick, president of Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines. "We know from our research that our consumers want this information to make informed decisions, and we are proud to take a leadership position in this respect."

Late last year, in an unprecedented move, parent company Diageo announced its intention to voluntarily provide consumers with "alcohol facts," including information on calories, carbohydrates, and alcohol content per serving size on its beverage alcohol packaging and advertising.

"Our labeling efforts are meant to give consumers meaningful information in a way that isn't confusing," Chadwick continued. "At the same time, we firmly believe in social responsibility and feel all adult consumers who choose to drink alcohol should do so responsibly and in moderation."

Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines is part of Diageo, the world's leading premium drinks business. The company produces and markets Beaulieu Vineyard, Sterling Vineyards, Sterling Vintner's Collection, Solaris, and Blossom Hill, as well as the French wines of Barton & Guestier. DC&E is also a leading importer of classified Bordeaux in the U.S. and F.E. Trimbach wines from Alsace. A collection of Burgundy estate-bottled wines and several other fine European wines complement the selection. Diageo's broader business includes Smirnoff Vodkas and flavored malt beverages, Guinness, Bailey's Irish Cream, Crown Royal, and Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, as well as many other of the world's leading premium drinks brands. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE).


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