Yao Family Wines Receives Top Scores From Wine Enthusiast Magazine

ST. HELENA, Calif., May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Yao Family Wines, the Napa Valley wine company founded by Yao Ming and launched in 2011, received high scores for its inaugural 2009 vintages in Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Yao Ming® 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon received a score of 95 points, while the Yao Ming® 2009 Family Reserve received an exceptional score of 97 points. The wines were rated by well-known California editor, Steve Heimoff, in the June issue of the magazine.

"We are extremely honored to receive these high ratings from Wine Enthusiast Magazine," said Yao Ming. "These scores reflect our strong commitment to creating wines with exceptional quality and balance. While we are a new face in this industry, we are dedicated to producing world-class wines that are a true reflection of Napa Valley and the vineyards. With each vintage we aim to improve even more, and I am proud to share our wines with my friends, family and lovers of fine wine in China and all over the world."

Mr. Heimoff raved about the Yao Ming® Family Reserve, noting its palate "bursts with upfront, delicious blackberry, creme de cassis and dark chocolate flavors that are wildly sweet on the midpalate, but then finish thoroughly dry." He also noted that this inaugural release "immediately establishes itself among the elite Cabernets of Napa Valley."

The Yao Ming® Cabernet Sauvignon was additionally well received. The tasting notes commented that this Cabernet was "richly attractive and deeply flavored in blackberries, blueberries and black currants," showing "a dramatic structure marked particularly by firm, smooth tannins, and it finishes dry."

"This rating celebrates the quality of wines we are producing, and I am extremely proud of what we have done," said Tom Hinde, President and Director of Winemaking for Yao Family Wines. "These scores are confirmation of the great wines we have created, and reinforce our mission to further establish Napa Valley as a first-class wine region in China."

The full reviews and ratings can be found in the June 2012 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine, available now.

About Yao Family Wines

In November 2011, Yao Ming, global humanitarian and recently retired NBA star, announced the establishment of his new Napa Valley wine company: Yao Family Wines. The company released its inaugural wine under the brand name Yao Ming®. Yao Family Wines appointed Pernod Ricard (China) as its sole and exclusive importer and distributor of the Yao Ming® wines in mainland China. Yao Family Wines sources the grapes from prestigious Napa Valley vineyards with a reputation for excellent fruit and selects individual blocks to blend for flavor and texture in its world-class wines. For more information about Yao Family Wines, please visit www.yaofamilywines.com.

For more information about Yao Family Wines, contact:

Kristen Horan Reitzell
Calhoun & Company (United States)
[email protected]
+1-415-346-2929

Kathie Wang
Pernod Ricard (China)
[email protected]
+86 21 2301 1072

SOURCE Yao Family Wines