CHESTER, Pa., Feb. 1, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- ClassicWines.com, the online guide to classic wine will celebrate the launch of its vastly expanded web portal with a celebration at its Delaware County Pennsylvania Headquarters on February 9, 2007. The event will feature a live filming of "The Classic Wines Minute," a wine tasting that will be led by ClassicWines.com editor Brian Freedman, and detail the company's progress which includes the release of the Internet's largest wine directory.
ClassicWines.com is entering its second year of operation with ambitious plans. The company is the brainchild of Mark Shay, an Internet entrepreneur behind such successful enterprises as GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com and BoxBundles.com. For Shay, the wine venture is a chance to develop a new Internet based community. "The Internet is the prefect vehicle to connect passionate people with their common passions. The vision of ClassicWines.com is to guide, teach and connect those who love wine, from novices to aficionados," says Shay.
The new site features an expansive directory of wine labels and articles by wine expert Brian Freedman. Freedman's articles have been a popular feature on the original ClassicWines.com site and with the expansion Freedman's role is now editor and site sommelier. "I am excited to bring my years of experience to the public through this powerful new web site," says Freedman. "Our technology collects the experiences of wine consumers and ties it to expert commentary in a very educational format. We see ClassicWines.com as a way for wine lovers of all types to connect and share."
ClassicWines.com not only tallies the opinions of wine lovers, it connects them with online wine merchants. "The Internet is beginning to change the wine industry in the same way that Expedia.com changed the travel industry and Amazon.com changed bookstores," says Mark Spangler, Product Manager of ClassicWines.com. "Online shopping with home delivery is now becoming commonplace. Business and legal barriers are falling and we expect to see wine as one of the fastest growth sectors of Internet commerce over the next few years. It is our intention to have ClassicWines.com at the forefront of this dramatic shift in wine retailing."
A Launch Party will celebrate the release and will be held at the company's headquarters in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The event is an open house and open to all -- Friday February 9, from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 1450 Edgmont Avenue, Chester, PA 19013. Visit http://www.ClassicWines.com/launch for further details.