Fresh & Easy's Napa Family Vineyards Chardonnay Named One of '100 Top Values of the Year' by Wine & Spirits Magazine

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- With more than 40 awards for its exclusive wines this year alone, Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market recently received its latest recognition from Wine & Spirits Magazine, which named the company's exclusive 1997 Napa Family Vineyards Chardonnay one of its "100 Top Values of the Year."  

The 1997 Napa Family Vineyards Chardonnay received an impressive 88 score ("highly recommended") from the magazine in its June 2010 issue.  Orchard fruits and citrus combine with vanilla and creamy creme-brulee in this full-bodied chardonnay.  It retails for $11.99 per 750-ml. bottle.

In all, the magazine tasted 2,195 wines priced $15 or less over the past year, and chose the "100 Top Values" from this group as the wines that showed the best relationship between price and quality.

Wine & Spirits Magazine offers this review of Fresh & Easy's Napa Family Vineyards Chardonnay to its readers: "The broad, nutty flavors of this wine show yeast autolysis while still tasting fresh.  It's marked by a cool, peach-skin flavor and the dry nuttiness of rolled oats.  For a meaty fish sauteed with almonds."

"We are honored to have received this recognition from one of the world's leading wine publications," said Karen Fletcher, Fresh & Easy Category Manager of Wine.  "Having strong relationships with our wineries helps us create high-quality wines that can be offered at incredible prices."  

Nearly 80 of the 170 wines offered at Fresh & Easy are exclusive to the company, with the majority of these retailing for less than $10.  The company has now won more than 130 medals and accolades for these exclusive wines, which are blended with the help of Master of Wine Phil Reedman.  Fresh & Easy has taken home medals from the San Francisco International Wine Competition 2009, Critics Challenge International Wine Competition 2009, Winemaker's Challenge 2010, and the San Diego International Wine Competition 2010, to name a few.

About Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market

Fresh & Easy currently operates more than 150 stores in California, Arizona and Nevada. In addition to wholesome, fresh prepared meals and produce, Fresh & Easy offers everyone's favorite national brand products and household items, all at unbelievably low prices.  All fresh&easy brand products contain no artificial colors, flavors or added trans fats and use preservatives only when absolutely necessary.

Fresh & Easy's wine range offers national brands along with exclusive blends that come from all over the world.  Customers can choose from wines crafted in California, Washington, Italy, Spain, Australia and France, to name a few.

On the back label of Fresh & Easy's exclusive wine bottles, the company offers helpful information to simplify the selection process, with tasting notes, serving and storage tips and vineyard information.

More information regarding Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market can be found at www.freshandeasy.com.

About Wine & Spirits Magazine

Wine & Spirits Magazine is at the center of a core community of working wine people, industry insiders and thoughtful consumers who appreciate wine as much for its substance as for its style.  W&S readers are an influential group that holds and develops ideas about wine that ultimately shape the attitudes and preferences of the world at large.  W&S reports in depth on the trends, wines, regions, soils, food, personalities and collective wisdom that all go into making wine one of life's great experiences.

The magazine, founded in 1982, is well-established and often cited as the best-written wine publication in the country: W&S has won five James Beard Awards for wine writing.

SOURCE Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market