



         Media Contacts                                 Investor Contact
         --------------                                 ----------------
         Lesley Berglund                                Joseph D. Pititto
         (707) 265-1501                                 (516) 237-6131
         lberglund@winetasting.com                      invest@1800flowers.com




         1-800-FLOWERS.COM(R) Acquires The Winetasting NetworkSM

       * Leading multi-channel direct marketer of thoughtful gifts to offer wine
         and wine clubs for personal and corporate gifting.
       * 1-800-FLOWERS.COM will leverage its proven technology platform and
         unique fulfillment capabilities to enhance marketing and fulfillment
         services to benefit wineries.
       * Founder and CEO Lesley Berglund and senior management to remain at The
         Winetasting Network.

Napa, CA, November 16, 2004 - The Winetasting Network  (www.winetasting.com),  a
leading,  Napa Valley-based  provider of distribution services for more than 100
of California's leading wineries and  direct-to-consumer  wine marketing through
the Ambrosia Catalogue of Fine Wine and its websites  (www.winetasting.com - and
-   www.ambrosiawine.com),   today  announced  that  it  has  been  acquired  by
1-800-FLOWERS.COM,  Inc. (NASDAQ: FLWS), a leading multi-channel direct marketer
of thoughtful gifts for all occasions.

The  Winetasting  Network will continue to operate from its current  location in
Napa  Valley,   California,  as  a  division  of  1-800-FLOWERS.COM,   which  is
headquartered in Westbury,  New York. Founder and CEO Lesley P. Berglund and COO
Karen D. Roche will remain at the helm of The Winetasting Network.

Jim McCann, CEO of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM,  said, "For some time we've been searching
for the right  strategic  partner to enter the wine club and wine gift business.
The  Winetasting  Network fits all our criteria:  strong  leadership,  deep wine
industry   contacts,   a  respected   wine   catalogue,   and  the   fulfillment
infrastructure to accommodate growth."

"This transaction will be a boon to the many wineries,  large and small, that we
serve," said Lesley Berglund.  "1-800-FLOWERS.COM  is one of the most successful
pioneers in multi-channel, consumer direct marketing and their business model is
remarkably  similar  to our  own - to  empower  suppliers  and  retailers  while
directly  connecting  them with their  customers.  With the  expanded  resources
provided  by our new  parent,  one of our first  priorities  will be to  further
enhance the direct sales and  fulfillment  services we provide to our winery and
wine  retail  customers.  We will  also  open up new,  direct-to-consumer  sales
channels for the wine industry by leveraging the  1-800-FLOWERS.COM  database of
15 million customers as well as its corporate gift services and extensive online
marketing and selling programs."

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<PAGE>

1-800-FLOWERS.COM Acquires The Winetasting Network, pg. 2:


1-800-FLOWERS.COM  is widely  recognized  for its  direct  marketing  skills and
technology  infrastructure,  making it simple for  customers to find the perfect
solutions for their gift-giving needs through convenient,  multi-channel  access
via the  Internet,  over  the  telephone,  in  stores  and a wide  range of gift
catalogs.

"Our teams have already begun  working to find ways of  leveraging  our combined
assets  as  they  relate  to  fulfillment  services,   technology  capabilities,
logistics streamlining,  and club management tools," Roche said. "We believe our
combined  assets  and  capabilities  will help us to raise the bar for  industry
service standards. Our goal is to offer our winery and retail customers the next
generation of fulfillment and direct-marketing-services technology," she added.

The product line of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM  includes flowers,  plants,  gourmet food,
candies, gift baskets - and now wine. It sells products increasingly online, but
also by telephone and through its  Company-operated  and franchised  stores. For
fiscal 2004,  which ended June 2004, the Company reported total revenues of $604
million, of which 51 percent, or $307 million, came through its online channels.
The  Company  also  attracted  3.1 million new  customers  while  simultaneously
deepening the relationships it has with its existing customers,  resulting in an
increase in its repeat-customer order rate to 45 percent.

"I believe this transaction  represents a significant milestone in the evolution
of wine e-commerce," said Berglund.  "Local contacts and a deep knowledge of the
wine  industry  are  being  combined  with  the  missing  link  in  the  current
e-environment for wine: significant resources, proven direct marketing expertise
and  the  ability  to  leverage   well   established   on-line   cross-marketing
opportunities.  That can only bode well for all the  wineries we serve and their
customers," she added.

About The Winetasting  Network The Winetasting  Network was co-founded by Lesley
Berglund in 1991 with the  Ambrosia  Catalogue of Fine Wine,  and expanded  into
winery and wine club direct marketing  services in 1999. For wine consumers,  it
offers the Ambrosia  catalogue  and wine clubs,  and two online  merchant  sites
(www.ambrosiawine.com and www.winetasting.com). For wineries and wine retailers,
it  provides  both   fulfillment  and  e-commerce   services,   and  experienced
consultation to help them grow their  consumer-direct  sales programs.  In 2003,
the company acquired CDS, its largest distribution services competitor.

About  1-800-FLOWERS.COM(R)  For more  than 25  years,  1-800-FLOWERS.COM,  Inc.
(NASDAQ: FLWS) has been the leading innovator in the floral industry, taking the
extra step to help people connect and express themselves quickly and easily with
exquisite  floral gifts crafted with care by renowned  artisans and the nation's
leading  florists,  as well as distinctive  non-floral gifts appropriate for any
occasion or sentiment.  The Company  provides gift  solutions same day, any day,
offering  an  unparalleled  selection  of  flowers,  plants,  gourmet  foods and
confections,  gift  baskets  and  other  impressive  unique  gifts.  As  always,
satisfaction is guaranteed, and customer service is paramount

                                     (more)
<PAGE>


1-800-FLOWERS.COM Acquires The Winetasting Network, pg. 3:


with quick,  convenient ordering options,  fast and reliable delivery,  and gift
advisors always available.  Customers can shop 1-800-FLOWERS.COM 24-hours a day,
seven-days  a week via the  Internet  (http://www.1800flowers.com);  by  calling
1-800-FLOWERS(R)   (1-800-356-9377);   or  by  visiting  a  Company-operated  or
franchised  store.  The  1-800-FLOWERS.COM  family of brands also  includes home
decor  and  garden  merchandise  from   Plow  &  Hearth(R)  (1- 800-627-1712  or
http://www.plowandhearth.com);  premium  popcorn and  specialty  treats from The
Popcorn Factory(R) (1-800-541-2676 or http://www.thepopcornfactory.com); gourmet
foods from  GreatFood.com(R)  (http://www.greatfood.com);  and children's  gifts
from    HearthSong(R)    (http://www.hearthsong.com)    and    Magic    Cabin(R)
(http://www.magiccabin.com).

Special  Note  Regarding  Forward-Looking  Statements:  A number  of  statements
contained in this press release,  other than statements of historical  fact, are
forward-looking  within the meaning of the Private Securities  Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. These statements  involve risks and uncertainties  that could cause
actual  results  to differ  materially  from those  expressed  or implied in the
applicable  statements.  These  risks  and  uncertainties  include,  but are not
limited to: the Company's ability to grow its revenues; its ability to integrate
and  profitably  grow the businesses of its acquired  companies;  its ability to
maintain  and enhance its online  shopping web sites to attract  customers;  its
ability to  successfully  introduce  new  products and product  categories;  its
ability to provide timely  fulfillment of customer  orders;  its ability to cost
effectively  acquire  and retain  customers;  its  ability  to  compete  against
existing  and  new  competitors;   its  ability  to  cost   efficiently   manage
inventories;  its ability to leverage its operating  infrastructure  and general
consumer   sentiment  and  economic   conditions   that  may  affect  levels  of
discretionary  customer purchases of the Company's products. For a more detailed
description  of these and other risk factors,  please refer to the Company's SEC
filings including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports
on Form 10-Q. The Company expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update
any of the forward looking statements made in this release, or in any of its SEC
filings except, as may be otherwise stated by the Company.

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