TTB CONTINUES REQUIREMENT FOR CERTIFICATION OF BURNELLO di MONTALCINO

Washington, D.C. - On October 20, 2009, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade
(TTB) Administrator met with Luca Zaia, Italian Minister of Agriculture and with Giulio
Terzi di Sant'Agata, Italy’s Ambassador to the United States. The Government of Italy
requested the meeting to discuss the ongoing investigations into the improper blendingof several Italian wines including Brunello di Montalcino. Minister Zaia reassured TTBthat his office has taken full responsibility for the integrity of all 500 Italian winedenominations and has ensured that none of the mislabeled products that have beenthe subject of numerous press reports for months now are on the market. He stressedthat he has taken TTB concerns about the integrity of certain Italian wines seriously andconsequently mandated a heightened quality control and oversight role for the Ministry of Agriculture. Minister Zaia also advised that the court case would be concluding soon and that TTB would be provided with information on the final disposition of the cases assoon as possible.

Contrary to numerous reports indicating that TTB will no longer require the Italian
government certification for imports of Burnello di Montalcino, TTB, at the meeting with
the Italian government representatives, emphasized the need to receive the prosecutors report as soon as it is available to assist in determing the future need for and scope of the certification process. At this time, TTB continues to enforce the certification requirement and has no plans to lift this requirement.