San Francisco, CA, May 15, 2003 - The third annual World Wine Market which took place May 1-3 at Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, recently announced the winners of Saturday's blind tasting -- "Cabernet Champs: YOU Rate the Winners of the Cabernet Shootout" which was coordinated by Affairs of the Vine, Sebastapol, CA.

Prior to the wine event, Affairs of the Vine, Wine Works, and Wine Enthusiast Magazine collaborated to stage a comparative judging of world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. A distinguished panel of professionals narrowed the field down from 300 submissions to 13 of their favorites, which were then showcased at World Wine Market. Hundreds of wine industry professionals and consumers rated the Cabernet Champs.

Consumers rated four Cabs as tied for first place -- Chateau Margene Vineyard & Winery 2000 (Paso Robles, CA., $30); Hogue Cellars 2000 Genesis (Columbia Valley, WA, $16); Sequoia Grove Vineyards 1999 Semper V (Rutherford, CA $75); Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyard 1997 George's Vineyard (Santa Cruz Mountains, CA, $35). Fifth place winner was Peterson Winery 1999 Bradford Mountain (Dry Creek Valley, CA, $28). Sixth place was The Hess Collection 1999, Estate Grown (Mount Veeder, Napa Valley, CA $35.) Seventh place was All Saints Estate 1999 (Rutherglen, Victoria, Australia, $30.) Eighth place was St. Supery Vineyards & Winery 1999 Limited Edition, Dollarhide (Napa Valley, CA, $70.) Tied for ninth place were Calistoga Cellars 2000 Louer Family Vineyard (Napa Valley, CA, $26) and Sebastiani Vineyards 1999 (Sonoma County, CA, $17.) In eleventh place was Louis Martini 1999 Ghost Pine Vineyard (Chiles Valley, CA, $30.) Twelfth place winner was Hess Estate 1999 (Napa Valley, CA, $20), and, in thirteenth place, Terrazaz de Los Andes Reserva 1999 (Perdiel, Mendoza, Argentina, $15.)

Wine industry professionals' ratings were not significantly different from the consumer ratings. They judged the 13 Cabs as follows: In first place was Chateau Margene Vineyard & Winery 2000 (Paso Robles, CA., $30). Second place, was All Saints Estate 1999 (Rutherglen, Victoria, Australia, $30.) Third place, Sequoia Grove Vineyards 1999 Semper V (Rutherford, CA $75.) Fourth place, Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyard 1997 George's Vineyard (Santa Cruz Mountains, CA, $35.) Tied for fifth place were Hogue Cellars 2000 Genesis (Columbia Valley, WA, $16) and Peterson Winery 1999 Bradford Mountain (Dry Creek Valley, CA, $28.) Seventh place, The Hess Collection 1999, Estate Grown (Mount Veeder, Napa Valley, CA $35.) Tied for eighth place were and Sebastiani Vineyards 1999 (Sonoma County, CA, $17) and St. Supery Vineyards & Winery 1999 Limited Edition, Dollarhide (Napa Valley, CA, $70.) Tied for tenth place were Calistoga Cellars 2000 Louer Family Vineyard (Napa Valley, CA, $26) and was Louis Martini 1999 Ghost Pine Vineyard (Chiles Valley, CA, $30). In twelfth place, Hess Estate 1999 (Napa Valley, CA, $20). And in thirteenth, Terrazaz de Los Andes Reserva 1999 (Perdiel, Mendoza, Argentina, $15). For additional information on the Cabernet Shootout, log onto http://www.affairsofthevine.com

The fourth annual World Wine Market will take place April 29 - May 1, 2004, once again at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. Marin County-based World Wine Market LLC organizes the event.