DeLoach Vineyards Releases ‘Vinthropic’ Chardonnay in its Continued Fight Against Hunger Festival

All proceeds will benefit Redwood Empire Food Bank in Sonoma County, CA

Santa Rosa, CA – DeLoach Vineyards today announced the release of its 2009 ‘Vinthropic’ Sonoma County Chardonnay.  This philanthropic endeavor continues the Fight Against Hunger campaign launched by parent company Boisset Family Estates last summer. All proceeds from sales of the wine will be donated to the Redwood Empire Food Bank, Sonoma County’s largest hunger-relief organization, with the goal of contributing at least 60,000 meals this year to help fight hunger in the community.  Petaluma-based Paragon Label joined the effort by generously donating all wine labels for the program, helping to make each bottle more beneficial for those in need.

“It is sometimes hardest to care for those closest to us – to recognize and confront the need immediately in our own neighborhoods,” says Jean-Charles Boisset, President of Boisset Family States.  “Our communities represent the fabric of who we are, where we stem from and the future of our united nations.  DeLoach Vineyards has long been an integral part of Sonoma’s fabric, and supporting our neighbors is a vital endeavor.  Our partners in ‘Vinthropic’ – the Redwood Empire Food Bank – are among the most dedicated, passionate and efficient organizations providing hunger relief that I have encountered in the many years that my family has been working to fight hunger.  We are proud to support their efforts.”

David Goodman, Executive Director of the Redwood Empire Food Bank, commented: “The willingness of DeLoach to put hunger front and center is remarkable; pairing an issue as ‘rough’ as hunger alongside a beverage as ‘delicate’ as wine is admirable. We appreciate DeLoach's leadership in understanding that it can play a role in not only pleasing the consumer with its wines, but also educating and inspiring the very same consumer on social issues. DeLoach recognizes that it can make a positive difference in the lives of people in need by doing what it does best - making world-class wine.”

‘Vinthropic’ Chardonnay is available for $15 per bottle at the DeLoach Vineyards tasting room, the new Boisset Taste of Terroir tasting salon in Healdsburg, CA, and nationwide through the DeLoach Vineyards website. The wine is also available for retailers and restaurateurs wishing to support the cause.

Upon its release, reaction to the ‘Vinthropic’ Chardonnay has already been very positive.  Sonoma Restaurateur Duskie Estes recently began serving the wine at her Zazu Restaurant + Farm: “Thank you DeLoach for making this generous wine. You are caring for the folks in our own backyard and I am grateful. AND I want to pour the wine at Zazu! The wine is rich and complex with an incredible balance between fruit and wood. Nice work!”

DeLoach Vineyards’ Winemaker Brian Maloney, himself a native of the area, said: “This lush and refreshing wine brings out the warmth of Sonoma County and we are truly proud for the opportunity to support the Redwood Empire Food Bank.”

DeLoach Vineyards’ contribution to the Fight Against Hunger campaign through its ‘Vinthropic’ Chardonnay reinforces the Boisset Family Estates national campaign to combat hunger in local communities. In addition to the ‘Vinthropic’ effort, Boisset Family Estates surpassed its goal of donating 1.2 million meals to local food banks in Dallas, Indianapolis, Denver, Missouri, Boston, Peoria, IL, Atlanta, the San Francisco Bay Area and more in 2009 and 2010. For more information, visit www.boissetfamilyestates.com/fightagainsthunger.

About DeLoach Vineyards

DeLoach Vineyards has been a pioneering producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley since 1975. DeLoach seeks to produce exceptional wines that spotlight the singular personality of the Russian River Valley. The Boisset family of Burgundy purchased DeLoach in 2003, bringing the techniques and approaches of Burgundy to the Russian River Valley, which they believed to be California’s most expressive terroir for cultivating Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Under Boisset, DeLoach has grown its small-lot vineyard designate wine program, converted to organic and Biodynamic® farming practices, and implemented traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques such as open-top wood fermentors, native yeast fermentations, and hand punch-downs. Wine & Spirits magazine named DeLoach Vineyards a Top 100 Winery for the tenth time in the winery’s history in 2009. Located at 1791 Olivet Road in Santa Rosa, the DeLoach Vineyards tasting room, picnic area and organic garden are open to the public daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.deloachvineyards.com.

About the Redwood Empire Food Bank

The REFB is the largest food bank serving the North Coast of California from Marin County to Oregon. The REFB provides food assistance to 70,000 children, families and seniors every month.  The REFB also is the primary resource for hunger relief agencies in Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties. Learn more at www.refb.org.