Castiglione della Pescaia, Italy (April 10, 2009) – The Stianti Mascheroni family, leaders in Tuscany’s organic viticultural movement, will debut its first vintage of Prelius wines worldwide this spring. The Prelius estate is located in the hilly amphitheater of Tuscany’s Maremma region, which marks the family’s first venture outside its Chianti Classico estate.

Prelius wines are made with grapes grown in organically farmed vineyards managed by Federica Mascheroni Stianti, daughter of Castello di Volpaia proprietors Giovannella Stianti and Carlo Mascheroni. The family purchased the 52-acre property near Castiglione della Pescaia in 2007. The vineyards had been previously planted between 2001 and 2005 and are neighbored by the vineyards of Antinori and Bellavista.

The ancient Maremma region has experienced a viticultural renaissance. With its proximity to the Tyrrhenian Sea, the climate offers ideal conditions for growing Bordeaux varietals, which make up a large percentage of the wines produced in the region.

The winery will debut two wines in May 2009, the 2008 Vermentino ($16) and the 2007 Morello di Prile ($22). The Vermentino, made with 100% of the varietal by the same name, offers fresh pineapple and apple flavors with floral aromas. The Morello di Prile, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, is a rich, yet elegant wine with beautiful tannins and a long, seamless finish. Next year, Prelius will release its flagship wine, Castelprile, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Prelius’s contemporary label artwork, which depicts the ancient lake used by Etruscans more than 2,500 years ago, has earned the winery two major awards at the International Packaging Competition held in Verona, Italy, in March 2009.

The Stianti Mascheroni family revitalized the village of Volpaia in the heart of Chianti Classico near Radda in Chianti, transforming it into an agricultural treasure after Giovannella and Carlo received the estate as a wedding gift in 1972 from the bride’s father. Today, the Stianti Mascheroni family owns roughly two-thirds of the village. There are 914 acres of land, including 114 acres of vineyards, nearly 40 acres of olive trees, as well as the walled village, villas and forests. All of the estate vineyards are farmed organically.

Wilson Daniels Ltd. www.wilsondaniels.com is the exclusive U.S. importer for both Castello di Volpaia and Prelius. For more information about Prelius, please visit www.prelius.it.