CAMERON HUGHES WINE EXPANDS DISTRIBUTION THROUGH COSTCO TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND ILLINOIS

Media contact:
Susan Holden Walsh
Charles Communications Associates
303-449-2526, sholdenwalsh@charlescomm.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAMERON HUGHES WINE EXPANDS DISTRIBUTION THROUGH COSTCO TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND ILLINOIS

With record sales in Northern California, Cameron Hughes Wine launches wine brand in Los Angeles and Chicago – Costco to be the exclusive retailer

SAN FRANCISCO - - Called the Robin Hood of wine for offering ultra-premium wine at extreme values – Cameron Hughes– has expanded distribution to Chicago and Los Angeles selling primarily through Costco, the number one wine retailer in the country. Hughes will be expanding to new retail markets in Washington, Texas, Florida and Georgia by year’s end, while continuing to sell online across the country.

Hughes will be in the Chicago area to introduce his wines, August 17-20, and will be in Los Angeles, August 22-26.

Why is this exciting news for value-conscious wine-lovers and smart shoppers? Cameron Hughes is a modern day negociant or “wine trader”, but with a twist. He buys ultra premium wines from top winemakers and sells it to his customers – mostly wine aficionados - at an extreme value price. A $25-50 bottle of wine sells for $8-15 under his label. Cameron Hughes Wine has sold more than 25,000 cases this year through its website (www.chwine.com), and its key retail partner Costco, the main factor behind the company’s growing success. The majority of each wine goes to the discount mogul, and every release or Lot, as they’re called, flies off Costco shelves, with loyal Hughes fans showing up the day the wine arrives to snatch it up by the case. Hughes supports the consumer’s enthusiasm by providing customers with emails to alert them of the delivery of a new Lot. He is currently introducing Lot 14 Napa Valley Merlot, Lot 15 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon and Lot 16 - a Stag’s Leap District Cabernet. Typically it is impossible to get wines of this quality from these appellations for under $30 but Hughes manages to pull it off at price points under $15!

How, you ask? Hughes’ business model is simple but novel. Cameron Hughes Wine is a virtual winery - it owns no barrels, no vineyards, no winery. Armed with only a nose for a deal and a palate for quality, Hughes purchases ultra-premium excess wine from wineries that, for a variety of reasons, are unable to fit into their programs. He has the wines bottled, adds his label and sells it directly to Costco. This ingenious method allows Hughes to skip the traditional three-tiered system, cutting out most distribution costs and passing the savings directly to the consumer. As he likes to say, "It doesn't cost a lot to make wine; it costs a lot to sell it."

For consumers who would like to learn more about Cameron Hughes Wine or would like advance notice of new Lot releases in their area, they can register for the mailing list at www.chwine.com

About Cameron Hughes
Cameron Hughes Wine is a Wine Trading Company, sourcing small lots of super and ultra-premium wine in bulk and bottling it under its own label, Cameron Hughes Wine. Each particular wine is assigned a “Lot” number upon release. The Cameron Hughes model of purchasing excess wine from wineries and rebottling it under its own label has been compared to Two Buck Chuck, but that’s where the similarities end, as Cameron Hughes works with top, high-end wineries to bring value to the premium categories. Wines are currently sold online and through Costco in California and Illinois. Expansion to additional markets is planned for 2006 and 2007. To learn more or to buy wine, please visit www.chwine.com.

MEDIA NOTES: To schedule an interview with Cameron Hughes, please contact Susan Holden Walsh, Charles Communications Associates at 303-449-2526.
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