THE CROSSINGS - EXCLUSIVE WINE SPONSOR OF LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING U.S. FILM PREMIERE

THE CROSSINGS - EXCLUSIVE WINE SPONSOR OF
LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
U.S. FILM PREMIERE

December 2, 2003, New York, NY: The Crossings Wines of New Zealand is pleased to announce its partnership with New Line Cinema as the exclusive wine sponsor for Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King premiere pre-screenings in New York City and Los Angeles this winter. Guests at premiere parties will find themselves enjoying a taste of New Zealand with wines from The Crossings as they celebrate the opening of the third installment of this epic film.

"We are absolutely delighted to be partnering with the Lord of the Rings,' says Heidi Kluender, Brand Manager for The Crossings in the U.S. "We feel that this is a fantastic association and a great chance to spread the word about New Zealand and The Crossings.'

George Elworthy, Winemaker for The Crossings draws a distinct parallel between the winery and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. "The name ‘The Crossings' refers to the location of our vineyards in New Zealand where 19th century settlers forded the Awatere River as they journeyed in search of a home or land. Lord of the Rings explores a similar subject—the experience of an epic journey towards an ultimate destination. Because of that theme and the obvious New Zealand bond we feel a real kinship towards the movie.'

Founded in 1995, The Crossings is comprised of 346 acres of wholly owned vineyards located in the Awatere (ah-wah-ter-ree) Valley, a recognized sub-region of Marlborough. The estate is made of three distinct vineyard sites: Medway River Vineyard, Brackenfield Estate and Willow Flat Vineyard. Currently, The Crossings produces three wines available in the US: Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc Reserve ‘Catherine's Run' and a Pinot Noir. All three wines express the unique terroir of New Zealand's Awatere Valley.

The Crossings wines will be the exclusive wine sponsor of the following New Line Cinema Lord of the Rings: Return of the King events:

December 2: Hollywood Foreign Press Screening
December 3: U.S. Benefit Premiere for The American Film Institute (AFI) Pre-Screening Reception
December 15: AOL/Time Warner Advance Special Screening Pre-Screening Reception
January 9: Lincoln Center Film Society Pre-Screening Reception

The Crossings is exclusively imported by W. J. Deutsch & Sons Ltd., White Plains, NY.