Victory for Value as Aldi Gin Wins IWSC Trophy

LONDON, July 27, 2010 - The UK's most prestigious, independent wine and spirit competition, the
International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), has awarded this year's Gin &
Vodka Association Trophy to a new Aldi own label gin.

Oliver Cromwell 1599 Premium Gin, a new product made exclusively for
Aldi, beat stiff competition from leading distillers to win the top accolade.

Currently scheduled for launch in September, Oliver Cromwell 1599 Premium
Gin will be sold in a 50cl bottle in 450 Aldi stores nationwide and is
expected to retail at under GBP10. Following its unprecedented IWSC win, the
budget retailer expects the award-winning product to be a hit with Christmas
shoppers looking for quality and value for money.

IWSC competition director Frances Horder said, "Aldi's success in the
IWSC may come as a surprise to consumers but they have been steadily gaining
credibility in the industry for their spirits category in recent years,
winning the International Wine and Spirit Competition European Retail Spirits
Buyer Trophy in 2009. We are delighted for the buying team and their
suppliers for their deserved success and we hope this award will give
consumers the reassurance and guidance they need to pick this product off the
shelf."

The results of the spirits judging follow surprise wins in the IWSC
northern hemisphere wine judging earlier this year, including a bronze medal
for the first ever release from a new Welsh winery - Ancre Hill Estates in
the Wye valley - and a silver (best in class) for the Eglantine Vineyard
North Star from Nottinghamshire.

Oliver Cromwell 1599 Premium Gin is due to be unveiled as a trophy winner
tonight [27th July 2010] alongside the other spirits trophies' winners at an
exclusive industry tasting hosted by the IWSC and the Worshipful Company of
Distillers at the Innholders' Inn.

The IWSC is judged by a panel selected from 300 fully qualified,
experienced industry judges. Noted for its vigorous and unrivalled judging
process, the IWSC is proud to be the only competition of its kind that
conducts a full blind tasting with extensive chemical analysis.

For the full results of this year's IWSC spirits judging, please visit
www.iwsc.net

Editors' notes:

The International Wine and Spirit Competition was founded in 1969 and is
the premier competition of its kind in the world. Its aim is to promote the
quality and excellence of the world's best wines, spirits and liqueurs. All
entries of wines, spirits and liqueurs are blind tasted in groups divided by
variety, region and vintage as necessary. Awards are made on a points system
and sponsored trophies are presented in selected categories.

Technical analysis is carried out on Gold, Gold (Best in Class), Silver
(Best in Class) award winning wines, spirits and liqueurs to ensure that all
products are technically sound and will be of the same high quality when they
reach the consumer as they were when the judging panels originally tasted
them.

The IWSC is supported by a group of Vice Presidents made up of some of
the most influential men and women in the trade, including Baroness
Philippine de Rothschild, Miguel Torres, Marchese Piero Antinori, Robert
Drouhin, Paul Symington, May de Lencquesaing, Gina Gallo, Rafael Guilisasti
and this year's IWSC President, Prince Michael zu Salm-Salm, of the
distinguished and most venerated Salm-Dalberg family.

    For further information or images, please contact:

    Lucy Richardson
    Phipps
    17 Exeter Street, London, WC2E 7DU
    Tel: +44(0)20-7759-7400
    e-mail: iwsc@phippspr.com

    Comments

    - For comment from the IWSC, please contact competition director Frances
      Horder on +44(0)1483-542-701

    - For comment from Aldi, please contact Helen Easson at Weber Shandwick
      on +44(0)161-238-9428, HEasson@webershandwick.com

For further information or images, please contact: Lucy Richardson, Phipps, 17 Exeter Street, London, WC2E 7DU, Tel: +44(0)20-7759-7400, e-mail: iwsc at phippspr.com; For comment from the IWSC, please contact competition director Frances Horder on +44(0)1483-542-701; For comment from Aldi, please contact Helen Easson at Weber Shandwick on +44(0)161-238-9428, HEasson at webershandwick.com