Distil Regulatory News (DIS)

25 Apr 2005 07:01

Blavod Extreme Spirits PLC25 April 2005 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Successful Wine Launches in US Lead to UK Deals for Blavod Extreme Spirits Moretti and Folonari Pleased With U.S. Sales FRANKLIN, Tenn. - April 25, 2005 - Blavod Extreme Spirits ('BES') announcestoday that it has expanded its international wine distribution agreements withthe Moretti family and Guido Folonari to include the United Kingdom. Building onits successful distribution of the Moretti family's and Guido Folonari's winesin the United States, BES was awarded the UK distribution deals. The agreementsinclude the following brands: Petra, Tenuta L'illuminata, and Tenuta San Giorgio. The Moretti family is renowned for its Contadi Castaldi and Bellavista wineries,located in the Franciacorta region of Italy, which is best known for itssparkling wines. Guido Folonari owns the L'illuminata and San Giorgio estatesand is a member of the family that started Ruffino. BES has a diverse portfolio of products on the UK market, including the uniqueBlavod Black Vodka which is directly owned by BES. By expanding its productportfolio BES is increasing value and, therefore, penetration into its corecustomer base. In addition to these two deals, the UK portfolio representsagency brands including Domaines Barons Rothschild, Babco and Fernet Branca andMarie Brizard. Francesca Moretti said, "We are very pleased with the unique marketing ideasthat BES is using to sell our wines in the US. We are delighted to have themstart distributing our wine in the UK." Guido Folonari added, "BES is a great partner is the United States. My wines arereceiving excellent attention in that market place and I am looking forward toworking with them in the UK." Jeff Hopmayer, CEO of Blavod Extreme Spirits, said, "BES is honored to beworking with the best wine makers in the wine industry, such as the Moretti andFolonari families. We look forward to long relationships with them, and toselling their wines throughout the world." Further Details:Catherine Maitland Cardew Group 020 7930 0777 UKDonna Schwartze DSPR 314-330-3488 USA Note to editors:Blavod Extreme Spirits, plc (LSE:BES), established in 2003, is a London-basedand publicly traded company with U.S. subsidiary offices, Blavod Extreme SpiritsUSA, Inc., headquartered in Franklin, Tenn. The BES portfolio includes theaward-winning Players Extreme line featuring Five Times Distilled Vodka alongwith intensely infused Green Apple, Cherry, Lemon, Mandtango (mandarin/tangerine) and Caramel vodkas. Players Extreme also offers flavor-infused rums -Banana, Coconut and Mango. Blavod launched Blavod Black Vodka in 1998 and hasestablished a strong UK and U.S. sales network. BES also represents a wineportfolio including Italian estates, Baroncini and Bruno Rocca, among others.Bruno Rocca's 1999 Rabaja (Barbaresco) was named one of Wine Enthusiast's Top100 Wines of 2004. ### This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange