Wine.com Grows Wine List in Response to 20% Growth

Wine.com, the nation's #1 online wine retailer, today announced the company has doubled its selection of critically acclaimed wines scoring 90 points or higher and priced under $20. This comes at a time when consumers are tightening their wallets and looking for the best values on quality rated wines. Company revenue and unit volumes of 90+ point rated wines under $20 grew 16% and 20% respectively in 2008, signaling a major consumer trend in the world of wine. In response, Wine.com's buyers have been busy expanding the company's assortment to what they believe is the largest offering of "90+ point/under $20" wines in the world.

"Our 90/20 list has always been popular with our customers, who know that top rated wines can still be affordable," said Rich Bergsund, CEO of Wine.com. "We've seen this trend accelerate in 2008 and 2009, so we're responding with hundreds of great new wines from all over the world. And our 94+ point wine list isn't too bad either!"

Wine.com pioneered the concept of the 90+ point under $20 wine list with its online wine database. The company provides professional ratings from eight independent sources including: Wine Spectator, Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, Wine & Spirits, Wine Enthusiast, Steven Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Connoisseurs Guide, The Wine News and James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion. Ratings are based on a 100-point quality score with each publication having its own method of tasting and assigning scores. Wine.com also displays a "ratings pedigree," or ratings from past vintages, plus winemaker notes, customer reviews, printable cellar notes and bottle tags upon delivery. Unlike some retailers, the company does not provide its own numerical ratings to avoid a potential conflict of interest.

"While Cabernet, Merlot, and Chardonnay are well represented on our 90-under-$20 list," said Mike Osborn, Founder and VP Merchandising at Wine.com, "what's most interesting is the opportunity for low-risk sampling of blended wines and lesser known varietals such as Grenache, Malbec, Carmenere, Torrontes and Albariño. The combination of the critic's rating and the under $20 price provides a great opportunity to cultivate a wine enthusiast's palate."

Wine.com is also offering customers a way to save on the costs of shipping. Customers can join Wine.com's Steward-Ship™ Program and receive 12 months of unlimited standard shipping for just $49. As a Steward-Ship™ member, wine bottles, gifts and accessories can be ordered throughout the year free of shipping charges. No minimum order amount is required and promotional codes and discounts may still be applied. The program has been enthusiastically received by Wine.com's customers in the first three months since launch. Visit http://www.wine.com/stewardship for more information.