Volumes of Ste Michelle Drop -2%

Dear Client:Overall volumes declined for Ste Michelle Wine Estates in the fourth quarter and full year, but flagship brand Chateau Ste Michelle posted mid-single digit growth. The winery’s new parent company, Altria, announced that Ste Michelle’s wine shipment volume fell -2.2% from the prior year period to 1.9 million cases in the fourth quarter ended December 31. This was “due primarily to the timing of shipments around year-end 2008,” said the company. Ste Michelle suspended shipments to take inventory prior