Free the Grapes!: Raise Your Glass in May for "Grape Liberation Month"

National Toast to Commemorate Fifth Anniversary of U.S. Supreme Court Wine
Direct Shipping Ruling, and to Stop the Monopoly Power Grab of HR 5034
NAPA, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
Free the Grapes!, the national grassroots coalition of wineries, consumers and
retailers, has reason to celebrate and another challenge to oppose. In honor of
the fifth anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Granholm v.
Heald, and to defy a federal bill seeking to erase consumer gains, Free the
Grapes! has declared May as "Grape Liberation Month." www.freethegrapes.org

"In 2004, only 27 states allowed wineries to ship directly to consumers. Now, 37
states allow such shipments, which can reach 83% of American wine lovers.
Although not all grapes are free, the number and diversity of wines available
has expanded considerably," said Free the Grapes! executive director Jeremy
Benson. "We`re inviting American wine lovers to raise a glass to toast these
achievements and to help stop HR 5034. The bill could reverse these gains and
reduce consumer choice by offering federal backing to anti-competitive and
discriminatory state alcohol beverage laws," he added.

Enter the "Search for the Official Grape Liberation Toast." Deadline May 9.

Sharpen your pencils and write an original toast related to the fifth
anniversary of Granholm v. Heald. To enter, post your original toast to the Free
the Grapes Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FreetheGrapes) or email it to
shackles@freethegrapes.org by May 9, 2010. The toast can reflect on the ruling,
on HR 5034, on wines that you can now enjoy or wines frustratingly out of reach.
Write a sonnet. Write a haiku. Iambic pentameter is ok, too. The only
requirement is that the toast is an original work and has a wine shipping theme.
The winning entry will be announced on May 12 and the winner receives of a Free
the Grapes T-shirt, and enjoys bragging rights until 2015!

National Toast on Sunday, May 16, 2010

Armed with the official Grape Liberation Toast, wine lovers are encouraged to
get together with friends and family on Sunday, May 16 to celebrate the U.S.
Supreme Court ruling. Share thoughts and pictures on the Free the Grapes!
Facebook page by telling us what wine you`ll open (or opened) and with whom.

"Raise a glass to freedom of (wine) choice," concluded Benson. "The cause
continues until all grapes are free. Cheers!"

For more information on Free the Grapes` response to HR 5034, visit
http://www.freethegrapes.org/index.php?q=content/media_updates. More information
on the national toast is available at
http://www.freethegrapes.org/index.php?q=content/Grape_Month_Toast.

Free the Grapes!
Sean Carroll, 707-254-1167 (Media)
carroll@bensonmarketing.com

Copyright Business Wire 2010