USA: WineryExchange Expands to Asia-Pacific

WineryExchange, the leading online business-to-business marketplace for winegrowers, wineries, suppliers, and retailers, expanded its operations to the Asia-Pacific region this week with the opening of the company's new office in Sydney, Australia. WineryExchange appointed Bill Narlock to head the company's new office in Sydney. Mr. Narlock will be responsible for increasing WineryExchange's presence in the quickly growing Australian wine industry.

"More than 1000 wineries will produce over 1 million tons of wine grapes in Australia this year, a 65% increase from just five years ago. This is a huge and rapidly expanding market for WineryExchange," commented Peter Byck, president and CEO of WineryExchange. "Online trading will help further integrate Australia into the global wine market by creating more transparent and efficient pricing of goods worldwide. With WineryExchange, the wine industry is moving online, down under."

Great-Grandson of Industry Pioneer to Manage Asia-Pacific Operations Mr. Narlock joins WineryExchange after serving as Managing Director of the Asia-Pacific region for Myers-Holum International, a worldwide professional services organization. The great-grandson of Anton Nichelini, one of the pioneers of the California wine industry, Mr. Narlock has been involved with wine and wineries his entire life. He was born and raised on the original Nichelini homestead and vineyard in California, and he maintains an active role in the family-owned winery today.

"The wine business has been in my blood for at least three generations," explained Bill Narlock, WineryExchange's newly appointed Asia-Pacific Managing Director. "I'm very excited by the prospect of applying my international management expertise and the very latest Internet technology to the age-old craft of wine production."

WineryExchange.com currently offers the world's largest online inventory of bulk wine and wine grapes. Members can choose from more than 30 million gallons of international bulk wine from nine countries and over 200 individual wineries. Buyers can source wines by variety, by price, and by unique details such as appellation, lab analysis and production techniques. Sellers can list inventory, review account activity and negotiate transactions. Soon, WineryExchange will expand its e-commerce offerings to include winery and vineyard supplies, equipment, and value-added services.

WineryExchange has also established strategic alliances with prominent wine industry leaders worldwide. Strategic affiliates of the company include the Joseph W. Ciatti Company, the world's largest broker of bulk wine and grapes; Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates, the wine industry's leading economic analysts; WineIndustryNews.com, the comprehensive resource for wine news and information; and Wines & Vines, the leading business publisher for the North American wine and grape industries. WineryExchange plans to continue its global expansion with operations in South America and Europe in the near future.

About WineryExchange

WineryExchange is a neutral, online business-to-business marketplace serving winegrowers, wineries, suppliers, and retailers. Founded in 1999 by leading wine industry, financial, and technology executives, the company provides products, services, and real-time market information for every link in the wine industry value chain -- from the dirt to the bottle. The Web site is also the premier forum for news, analysis, and discussion affecting the wine industry worldwide.

WineryExchange has received financial backing from venture investors Venrock Associates, 3i, and vTraction, and from prominent angel investors including Draper Richards and Fred Warren, founder of Brentwood Associates. The company is based in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices in Novato and San Bruno, California.