Mad Housewife Found In Midwest Grocery Aisles

Media Contact: Gwen Hoover
Rainier Wine
(610) 216-1484 or gwen.hoover@rainierwine.com

For Immediate Release

Mad Housewife Found In Midwest Grocery Aisles
Rainier Wine's Female-Targeted Mad Housewife Brand Moves into Midwest via Cost Plus World Markets

SEATTLE—September 14, 2005—-There she is, staring you eye-to-eye, with egg beater in hand and a wry smile: the labels of Mad Housewife chardonnay, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, making a big splash in the midwest, following a blockbuster west coast debut. Seattle-based Rainier Wine recently forged an agreement with Cost Plus World Markets to populate all 32 storefronts in the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. Cost Plus, recognized nationally as innovator in wine retailing, is a spirited, eclectic and wildly different merchant that turns shopping into an adventure by continually filling aisle after aisle with great finds at great prices from around the world.

"We've found specialty suppliers to provide us with the unique items that represent the tastes of our community," said Julie Joy, Cost Plus Midwest wine manager. "The addition of Mad Housewife, a fun brand with a great taste at an affordable price, is a perfect match for our customers."

"We are thrilled to be working with Cost Plus World Markets, which will be introducing our Mad Housewife to wine drinkers in a new area of the country," co-founder Mike Lynch said. "The response to Mad Housewife on the west coast has exceeded our expectations and we look forward to continued momentum as we expand nationally."

Mad Housewife has garnered both rants and raves with its cheeky photo label of a pink-frocked, retro-twinged housewife, pithy woeful wives tale on the back label, and point-of-sale materials. Mad Housewife wines carry a suggested list price of $9.99.

In January, the company, co-founded by Lynch and Damian Davis, successfully introduced its female-targeted wine brand, following extensive qualitative research with women's focus groups and open-ended surveys. The company will continue to develop wine brands for under served segments of the wine-buying market.

About Rainier Wine

Rainier Wine recognizes that wine should never intimidate, make you think too hard, or create a new line item in your budget. Above all else, wine should be fun, relaxing, memorable, and something you can afford to look forward to at the end of each and every day. For more information on Rainier Wine, contact Mike Lynch at (425) 378-9463, e-mail Mike.lynch@rainierwine.com or visit the company Web site at http://www.rainierwine.com.

About Cost Plus

The first Cost Plus opened in 1958, when a San Francisco businessman parlayed his passion for travel into an import business by selling a shipload of hand-woven wicker from a local pier. The furniture sold out within a few days, but the idea lived on. Now, Cost Plus World Market's store at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco is a favorite destination for tourists and locals alike.

Since its opening more than four decades ago, the Company's product categories have expanded to include: furniture, pillows, lamps, floor and window coverings, frames, baskets, garden, collectibles, tabletop and kitchen accessories, along with gourmet foods and wines. From a dining room table and chairs to the perfect Chardonnay to complement a meal, Cost Plus World Market is a complete value retailing resource which provides simple yet unique solutions for every entertaining and decorating need.

In 1996, the Company completed an initial public offering and trades on the NASDAQ national market under the symbol CPWM.

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