UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

x

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended February 28, 2010

OR

o

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                                          to                                         

Commission File Number 001-08495

CONSTELLATION BRANDS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware		16-0716709
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

207 High Point Drive, Building 100, Victor, New York        14564
            (Address of principal executive offices)                                        (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (585) 678-7100

Title of each class		Name of each exchange on which registered
Class A Common Stock (par value $.01 per share)		New York Stock Exchange
Class B Common Stock (par value $.01 per share)		New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.  Yes   X       No ___

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.  Yes ___     No   X  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes   X       No ___

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).   Yes ___     No ___

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  [    ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check One):

Large accelerated filer   X		Accelerated filer ___
Non-accelerated filer ___		Smaller reporting company ___
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ___     No   X  

The aggregate market value of the voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant, based upon the closing sales prices of the registrant’s Class A and Class B Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter was $2,821,351,237. On that date the registrant had no non-voting common equity.

The number of shares outstanding with respect to each of the classes of common stock of Constellation Brands, Inc., as of April 21, 2010, is set forth below:

Class		Number of Shares Outstanding
Class A Common Stock, par value $.01 per share		189,389,474
Class B Common Stock, par value $.01 per share		23,728,837
Class 1 Common Stock, par value $.01 per share		None

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The proxy statement of Constellation Brands, Inc. to be issued for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders which is expected to be held July 22, 2010 is incorporated by reference in Part III to the extent described therein.

               This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including without limitation the statements under Item 1 “Business” and Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation” regarding (i) the Company’s business strategy, future financial position, prospects, plans and objectives of management, (ii) the Company’s expected restructuring charges, accelerated depreciation, acquisition-related integration costs, and other costs, (iii) information concerning expected actions of third parties, (iv) future worldwide or domestic economic conditions and the global credit environment, and (v) the expected impact upon results of operations resulting from the Company’s decision to consolidate its U.S. distributor network are forward-looking statements. When used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the words “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. In addition to the risks and uncertainties of ordinary business operations and conditions in the general economy and markets in which the Company competes, the forward-looking statements of the Company contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are also subject to the risk and uncertainty that (i) the impact upon results of operations resulting from the decision to consolidate the Company’s U.S. distributor network will vary from current expectations due to implementation of consolidation activities and actual U.S. distributor transition experience and (ii) the Company’s restructuring charges, accelerated depreciation, acquisition-related integration costs, and other costs may vary materially from current expectations due to, among other reasons, variations in anticipated headcount reductions, contract terminations or modifications, equipment relocation, proceeds from the sale of assets identified for sale, product portfolio rationalizations, production footprint and/or other costs of implementation. Additional important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in, or implied, by the Company’s forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are those described in Item 1A “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this report and in other Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

PART I

Item 1.		Business.

Introduction

          Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us” refer to Constellation Brands, Inc. and its subsidiaries, and all references to “net sales” refer to gross sales less promotions, returns and allowances, and excise taxes to conform with the Company’s method of classification. All references to “Fiscal 2010,” “Fiscal 2009,” and “Fiscal 2008” refer to the Company’s fiscal year ended the last day of February of the indicated year. All references to “Fiscal 2011” refer to the Company’s fiscal year ending February 28, 2011.

          Market positions and industry data discussed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are as of calendar 2009 and have been obtained or derived from industry and government publications and Company estimates. The industry and government publications include: Beverage Information Group; Impact Databank Review and Forecast; SymphonyIRI Group; Nielsen; Beer Marketer’s Insights; Euromonitor International; International Wine and Spirit Record; Association for Canadian Distillers; and AZTEC. The Company has not independently verified the data from the industry and government publications. Unless otherwise noted, all references to market positions are based on equivalent unit volume.

          The Company is a Delaware corporation incorporated on December 4, 1972, as the successor to a business founded in 1945.  The Company has approximately 6,000 employees located throughout the world and the corporate headquarters are located in Victor, New York. The Company conducts its business through entities it wholly owns as well as through a variety of joint ventures with various other entities, both within and outside the United States (“U.S.”).

          The Company is the world’s leading wine company with a leading market position in each of its core markets, which include the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom (“U.K.”), Australia and New Zealand. The Company’s wine portfolio is complemented by select premium spirits brands and other select beverage alcohol products.

          The Company is the leading marketer of imported beer in the U.S. through its investment in Crown Imports, a joint venture with Grupo Modelo, S.A.B. de C.V. (“Modelo”) pursuant to which Modelo’s Mexican beer portfolio (the “Modelo Brands”) are imported, marketed and sold by the joint venture in the U.S. along with certain other imported brands.

          Many of the Company’s products are recognized leaders in their respective categories and geographic markets. The Company’s strong market positions make the Company a supplier of choice to many of its customers, who include wholesale distributors, retailers, on-premise locations and government alcohol beverage control agencies.

          The Company’s net sales by product category are summarized as follows:

		For the Year								For the Year
		Ended								Ended
		February 28,				% of				February 28,				% of
		2010				Total				2009				Total
(in millions)
Branded wine		$	2,928.0				87	%		$	3,015.3				83	%
Spirits			223.9				7	%			418.7				11	%
Other			212.9				6	%			220.6				6	%
Consolidated Net Sales		$	3,364.8				100	%		$	3,654.6				100	%

          The Company’s geographic markets include North America (primarily the U.S. and Canada), Europe (primarily the U.K.) and Australia/New Zealand (primarily Australia and New Zealand). Net sales for spirits occurred in the North America market (primarily the U.S.). Branded wine net sales by geographic area (based on the location of the selling company) are summarized as follows:

		For the Year								For the Year
		Ended								Ended
		February 28,				% of				February 28,				% of
		2010				Total				2009				Total
(in millions)
North America		$	2,069.8				71	%		$	2,154.7				72	%
Europe			504.9				17	%			521.3				17	%
Australia/New Zealand			353.3				12	%			339.3				11	%
Consolidated Net Sales		$	2,928.0				100	%		$	3,015.3				100	%

          During the past 10 years, there have been certain key trends within the beverage alcohol industry, which include:

	•		Consolidation of suppliers, wholesalers and retailers;
	•		An increase in global wine consumption, with premium wines growing faster than value-priced wines; and
	•		In the U.S. within the beer category, high-end beer (imports and crafts) growing faster than domestic beer.

          To capitalize on these trends and become more competitive, the Company has generally employed a strategy focused on a combination of organic growth, acquisitions and investments in joint ventures, with an increasing focus on the higher-margin premium categories of the beverage alcohol industry. Key elements of the Company’s strategy include:

	•		Leveraging its existing portfolio of leading brands;
	•		Developing new products, new packaging and line extensions;
	•		Strengthening relationships with wholesalers and retailers;
	•		Expanding distribution of its product portfolio;
	•		Enhancing production capabilities;
	•		Realizing operating efficiencies and synergies; and
	•		Maximizing asset utilization.

          Over the last three fiscal years, the Company has complemented this strategy by divesting certain businesses, brands, and assets as part of its efforts to increase its mix of premium brands, improve margins, create operating efficiencies and reduce debt.

          A challenging global economic environment contributed to some slowing of premium wine industry growth during the calendar 2008 and the first half of calendar 2009.  Premium wine industry growth began to show improvement in the second half of calendar 2009 and the Company believes consumers will continue to trade up to premium wines over the long-term.

Recent Divestitures, Acquisitions and Equity Method Investments

          In January 2010, the Company sold its U.K. cider business for £45.0 million ($73.2 million), net of direct costs to sell, subject to post-closing adjustments. This transaction is part of the Company’s continued focus on higher-margin premium brands and efforts to simplify and improve its international operations.

          In March 2009, as part of its strategic focus on higher-margin premium brands in its portfolio, the Company sold its value spirits business for $336.4 million, net of direct costs to sell. The Company received $276.4 million, net of direct costs to sell, in cash proceeds and a note receivable for $60.0 million. Subsequent to February 28, 2010, the Company received full payment of the note receivable. The Company retained the SVEDKA Vodka and Black Velvet Canadian Whisky premium spirit brands, which have marketplace scale and higher margins than the value spirits brands that were sold. To achieve synergies and operating efficiencies, these brands were consolidated into the Company’s North American wine operations during Fiscal 2010.

          In June 2008, the Company sold certain businesses consisting of several California wineries and wine brands that had been acquired as part of the December 2007 acquisition of the Fortune Brands U.S. wine business, as well as certain wineries and wine brands from the states of Washington and Idaho (collectively, the “Pacific Northwest Business”) for cash proceeds of $204.2 million, net of direct costs to sell. This transaction contributed to the Company’s streamlining of its U.S. wine portfolio by eliminating brand duplication and reducing excess production capacity.

          In February 2008, as part of ongoing efforts to increase focus on premium wine offerings in the U.S., the Company sold its lower margin popular-priced wine brands, Almaden and Inglenook, and certain other assets for cash proceeds of $133.5 million, net of direct costs to sell.

          In December 2007, the Company acquired the Fortune Brands U.S. wine business, which includes wineries and vineyards in California and produces, markets and sells super-premium and fine wines including Clos du Bois and Wild Horse. This transaction expanded the Company’s portfolio of super-premium plus wine brands and strengthened its position as the leading premium wine company in the U.S.

          In April 2007, the Company along with Punch Taverns plc (“Punch”), a leading pub company in the U.K., commenced operations of Matthew Clark, a joint venture which owns and operates the U.K. wholesale business formerly owned entirely by the Company (“Matthew Clark”). The Company and Punch, directly or indirectly, each have a 50% voting and economic interest in Matthew Clark. On April 17, 2007, the Company discontinued consolidation of the U.K. wholesale business and began accounting for its investment in Matthew Clark under the equity method. Matthew Clark is the leading independent (non-brewery-owned) drinks wholesaler to the on-premise trade in the U.K., providing a full range of beverage alcohol and soft drinks. The Company leverages Matthew Clark as a strategic route-to-market for its branded product portfolio.

          In March 2007, the Company acquired the SVEDKA Vodka brand (“SVEDKA”) and related business. SVEDKA is produced in Sweden, and has become the fastest growing major premium spirits brand and the fourth largest vodka brand in the U.S.

          For more information about these transactions, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation” in Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Business Segments

          As a result of the Company’s divestiture of its value spirits business and the integration of the retained spirits brands into the Constellation Wines business, the Company changed its internal management financial reporting to consist of two business divisions: Constellation Wines and Crown Imports. Accordingly, the Company now reports its operating results in three segments: Constellation Wines (branded wine, spirits and other), Corporate Operations and Other, and Crown Imports (imported beer). Prior to the divestiture of the value spirits business, the Company’s internal management financial reporting included the Constellation Spirits business division. The business segments, described more fully below, reflect how the Company’s operations are managed, how operating performance within the Company is evaluated by senior management and the structure of its internal financial reporting.

          Information regarding net sales, operating income and total assets of each of the Company’s business segments and information regarding geographic areas is set forth in Note 24 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements located in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

          Constellation Wines

          Constellation Wines is the leading producer and marketer of wine in the world. It sells a large number of wine brands across all categories – table wine, sparkling wine and dessert wine – and across all price points – popular, premium, super-premium and fine wine. The portfolio of super-premium and fine wines is supported by vineyard holdings in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Constellation Wines is a leading producer and marketer of wine in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand and the leading marketer of wine in the U.K. Wine produced by the Company in the U.S. is primarily marketed domestically and in the U.K. and Canada. Wine produced in Australia and New Zealand is primarily marketed domestically and in the U.S., Canada and U.K., while wine produced in Canada is primarily marketed domestically. In addition, Constellation Wines exports its wine products to other major wine consuming markets of the world.

          In the U.S., Constellation Wines sells 16 of the top-selling 100 table wine brands and is the leading premium wine company. In Canada, it has wine across all price points, and has seven of the top-selling 25 table wine brands and the leading icewine brand with Inniskillin. It has five of the top-selling 25 table wine brands in the U.K. In Australia, it has wine brands across all price points and varieties, and has five of the top-selling 25 wine brands and is the leading producer of cask (box) wines.

          Constellation Wines’ well-known wine brands include Robert Mondavi Brands, Franciscan Estate, Wild Horse, Simi, Toasted Head, Estancia, Clos du Bois, Blackstone, Ravenswood, Black Box, Vendange, Arbor Mist, Inniskillin, Kim Crawford, Ruffino, Nobilo, Jackson-Triggs, Alice White, Hardys, Banrock Station, Stowells, and Kumala. Constellation Wines also produces and sells Paul Masson Grande Amber Brandy, a leading brand in the brandy/cognac category.

          As discussed above, the SVEDKA and Black Velvet Canadian Whisky premium spirit brands, which have a leading position in their respective categories, were consolidated into the Company’s North American wine operations during Fiscal 2010.

          In April 2007, the Company, along with Punch, completed the formation of the Matthew Clark joint venture. Matthew Clark is a drinks wholesaler servicing on-premise trade accounts and distributes wine, distilled spirits, cider, beer, RTDs and soft drinks. Those products include Constellation Wines’ branded wine and products produced by other major drinks companies.

          Constellation Wines is also a leading producer and marketer of wine kits and beverage alcohol refreshment drinks in Canada.

          In conjunction with its wine production, Constellation Wines produces and sells bulk wine and other related products and services.

          Crown Imports

          In January 2007, the Company completed the formation of the Crown Imports joint venture with Modelo. The Company and Modelo indirectly each have an equal interest in Crown Imports, which has the exclusive right to import, market and sell the Modelo Brands, which include Corona Extra, Corona Light, Coronita, Modelo Especial, Pacifico and Negra Modelo, as well as the St. Pauli Girl and Tsingtao brands in all 50 states of the U.S. In the U.S., Crown Imports has six of the top-selling 25 imported beer brands. Corona Extra is the best-selling imported beer and the sixth best-selling beer overall and Corona Light is the leading imported light beer, while St. Pauli Girl is the number two selling German Beer and Tsingtao is the number one selling Chinese Beer.

          Prior to January 2007, the Company had the exclusive right to import, market and sell Modelo’s Mexican beer portfolio in 25 primarily western U.S. states and was the exclusive U.S. national importer, marketer and seller of the Tsingtao and St. Pauli Girl brands. After completing the formation of Crown Imports, the Company discontinued consolidation of the imported beer business and accounts for its investment in Crown Imports under the equity method.

          Corporate Operations and Other

          The Corporate Operations and Other segment includes traditional corporate-related items including executive management, corporate development, corporate finance, human resources, internal audit, investor relations, legal, public relations, global information technology and global supply chain.

Marketing and Distribution

          The Company’s segments employ full-time, in-house marketing, sales and customer service organizations to maintain a high degree of focus on their respective product categories. The organizations use a range of marketing strategies and tactics designed to build brand equity and increase sales, including market research, consumer and trade advertising, price promotions, point-of-sale materials, event sponsorship, on-premise promotions and public relations. Where opportunities exist, particularly with national accounts in the U.S., the Company leverages its sales and marketing skills across the organization and segments.

          In North America, the Company’s products are primarily distributed by wholesale distributors as well as state and provincial alcoholic beverage control agencies. As is the case with all other beverage alcohol companies, products sold through state or provincial alcoholic beverage control agencies are subject to obtaining and maintaining listings to sell the Company’s products in that agency’s state or province. State and provincial governments can affect prices paid by consumers of the Company’s products. This is possible either through the imposition of taxes or, in states and provinces in which the government acts as the distributor of the Company’s products through an alcohol beverage control agency, by directly setting retail prices for the Company’s products.

          In the U.K., the Company’s products are distributed either directly to retailers or through wholesalers and importers. Matthew Clark sells and distributes the Company’s branded products and those of other major drinks companies to on-premise locations through a network of depots located throughout the U.K. In Australia, New Zealand and other markets, the Company’s products are primarily distributed either directly to retailers or through wholesalers and importers. In the U.K., Australia and New Zealand, the distribution channels are dominated by a small number of industry leaders.

Trademarks and Distribution Agreements

          Trademarks are an important aspect of the Company’s business. The Company sells its products under a number of trademarks, which the Company owns or uses under license. Throughout its segments, the Company also has various licenses and distribution agreements for the sale, or the production and sale, of its products and products of third parties. These licenses and distribution agreements have varying terms and durations. At the end of the Company’s year ended February 28, 2010, these agreements included, among others, a long-term license agreement with the B. Manischewitz Company, which expires in 2042, for the Manischewitz brand, a distribution and license agreement with Ruffino S.r.l. that expires in 2014 for the Ruffino brand, and a distribution, importation and license agreement with Baron Phillippe Rothschild that expires in December 2010 for the Mouton Cadet brand.

          All of the Company’s imported beer products are imported, marketed and sold through Crown Imports. Crown Imports has entered into exclusive importation agreements with the suppliers of the imported beer products. These agreements have terms that vary and prohibit Crown Imports from importing beer products from other producers from the same country. Crown Imports’ Mexican beer portfolio, the Modelo Brands, currently consists of the Corona Extra, Corona Light, Coronita, Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo and Pacifico brands and is marketed and sold in all 50 states of the U.S., the District of Columbia and Guam. Crown Imports also has entered into license and importation agreements with the owners of the German St. Pauli Girl and the Chinese Tsingtao brands for their importation, marketing and sale within the U.S. With respect to the Modelo Brands, Crown Imports has an exclusive sub-license to use certain trademarks related to Modelo Brands beer products in the U.S. (including the District of Columbia and Guam) pursuant to a sub-license agreement between Crown Imports and Marcas Modelo, S.A. de C.V. This sub-license agreement continues for the duration of the Crown Imports joint venture.

          Crown Imports and Extrade II S.A. de C.V. (“Extrade II”), an affiliate of Modelo, have entered into an Importer Agreement, pursuant to which Extrade II granted to Crown Imports the exclusive right to sell the Modelo Brands in the territories mentioned above. The joint venture and the related importation arrangements provide that, subject to the terms and conditions of those agreements, the joint venture and the related importation arrangements will continue through 2016 for an initial term of 10 years, and renew in 10-year periods unless GModelo Corporation, a Delaware corporation and subsidiary of Diblo, S.A. de C.V. (“Diblo”), gives notice prior to the end of year seven of any term.

Competition

          The beverage alcohol industry is highly competitive. The Company competes on the basis of quality, price, brand recognition and distribution strength. The Company’s beverage alcohol products compete with other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for consumer purchases, as well as shelf space in retail stores, restaurant presence and wholesaler attention. The Company competes with numerous multinational producers and distributors of beverage alcohol products, some of which have greater resources than the Company.

          Constellation Wines’ principal wine competitors include: E&J Gallo Winery, Foster’s Group, W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Kendall-Jackson, Diageo and Brown-Forman in the U.S.; Andrew Peller, Foster’s Group, Kruger and E&J Gallo Winery in Canada; Foster’s Group, Diageo, E&J Gallo Winery and Pernod Ricard in the U.K.; and Foster’s Group and Pernod Ricard in Australia and New Zealand. Constellation Wines’ principal distilled spirits competitors include: Diageo, Fortune Brands, Bacardi, Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman.

          Crown Imports’ principal competitors include: Anheuser-Busch InBev, MillerCoors and Heineken.

Production

          In the U.S., the Company operates 19 wineries where wine is produced from many varieties of grapes grown principally in the Napa, Sonoma, Monterey and San Joaquin regions of California. In Australia, the Company operates eight wineries where wine is produced from many varieties of grapes grown in most of the major viticultural regions. The Company also operates nine wineries in Canada, four wineries in New Zealand and one winery in South Africa. Grapes are crushed at most of the Company’s wineries and stored as wine until packaged for sale under the Company’s brand names or sold in bulk. In the U.S. and Canada, the Company’s inventories of wine are usually at their highest levels in September through November during and after the crush of each year’s grape harvest, and are reduced prior to the subsequent year’s crush. Similarly, in Australia and New Zealand, the Company’s inventories of wine are usually at their highest levels in March through May during and after the crush of each year’s grape harvest, and are reduced prior to the subsequent year’s crush.

          The Company’s Canadian whisky requirements are produced and aged at its Canadian distillery in Lethbridge, Alberta.  The Company’s requirements of grains and bulk spirits it uses in the production of Canadian whisky are purchased from various suppliers.

          The Company operates one facility in the U.K. that bottles and packages wine imported in bulk from various countries.

Sources and Availability of Production Materials

          The principal components in the production of the Company’s branded beverage alcohol products are agricultural products, such as grapes and grain, and packaging materials (primarily glass).

          Most of the Company’s annual grape requirements are satisfied by purchases from each year’s harvest which normally begins in August and runs through October in the U.S. and Canada, and begins in February and runs through May in Australia and New Zealand. The Company believes that it has adequate sources of grape supplies to meet its sales expectations. However, in the event that demand for certain wine products exceeds expectations, the Company would seek to source the extra requirements from the bulk wine markets, but could experience shortages.

          The Company receives grapes from approximately 1,250 independent growers in the U.S., approximately 1,120 independent growers in Australia, approximately 120 independent growers in New Zealand and approximately 90 independent growers in Canada. The Company enters into written purchase agreements with a majority of these growers and pricing generally varies year-to-year and is generally based on then-current market prices. In Australia, approximately 620 of the 1,120 growers belong to a grape growers’ cooperative. The Company purchases the majority of its Australian grape requirements from this cooperative under a long-term arrangement. In the U.K., the Company bottles and packages wine that is purchased either on a contract basis or on the open market.

          At February 28, 2010, the Company owned or leased approximately 22,200 acres of land and vineyards, either fully bearing or under development, in California (U.S.), New York (U.S.), Canada, Australia and New Zealand. This acreage supplies only a small percentage of the Company’s overall total wine needs. However, most of this acreage is used to supply a large portion of the grapes used for the production of the Company’s super-premium and fine wines. The Company continues to consider the purchase or lease of additional vineyards, and additional land for vineyard plantings, to supplement its grape supply.

          The distilled spirits manufactured and imported by the Company require various agricultural products, neutral grain spirits and bulk spirits. The Company fulfills its requirements through purchases from various sources by contractual arrangement and through purchases on the open market. The Company believes that adequate supplies of the aforementioned products are available at the present time.

          The Company utilizes glass and polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”) bottles and other materials such as caps, corks, capsules, labels, wine bags and cardboard cartons in the bottling and packaging of its products. After grape purchases, glass bottle costs are the largest component of the Company’s cost of product sold. In the U.S., Canada and Australia, the glass bottle industry is highly concentrated with only a small number of producers. The Company has traditionally obtained, and continues to obtain, its glass requirements from a limited number of producers under long-term supply arrangements. Currently, one producer supplies most of the Company’s glass container requirements for its U.S. operations and another producer supplies substantially all of the Company’s glass container requirements for its Australian operations and an affiliate of that producer supplies a majority of the Company’s glass container requirements for its Canadian operations. The Company has been able to satisfy its requirements with respect to the foregoing and considers its sources of supply to be adequate at this time. However, the inability of any of the Company’s glass bottle suppliers to satisfy the Company’s requirements could adversely affect the Company’s operations.

Government Regulation

          The Company is subject to a range of regulations in the countries in which it operates. Where it produces products, the Company is subject to environmental laws and regulations and may be required to obtain permits and licenses to operate its facilities. Where it markets and sells products, it may be subject to laws and regulations on trademark and brand registration, packaging and labeling, distribution methods and relationships, pricing and price changes, sales promotions, advertising and public relations. The Company is also subject to rules and regulations relating to changes in officers or directors, ownership or control.

          The Company believes it is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable governmental laws and regulations in the countries in which it operates. The Company also believes that the cost of administration and compliance with, and liability under, such laws and regulations does not have, and is not expected to have, a material adverse impact on its financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Seasonality

          The beverage alcohol industry is subject to seasonality in each major category. As a result, in response to wholesaler and retailer demand which precedes consumer purchases, the Company’s wine and spirits sales are typically highest during the third quarter of its fiscal year, primarily due to seasonal holiday buying. Crown Imports’ imported beer sales are typically highest during the first and second quarters of the Company’s fiscal year, which correspond to the Spring and Summer periods in the U.S.

Employees

          As of the end of March 2010, the Company had approximately 6,000 full-time employees throughout the world. Approximately 2,800 full-time employees were in the U.S. and approximately 3,200 full-time employees were outside of the U.S., in countries including Australia, the U.K., Canada and New Zealand. Additional workers may be employed by the Company during the grape crushing seasons. The Company considers its employee relations generally to be good.

Company Information

          The Company’s internet address is http://www.cbrands.com. The Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports, filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, are accessible free of charge at http://www.cbrands.com as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company electronically files such material with, or furnishes it to, the SEC. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers, such as the Company, that file electronically with the SEC. The internet address of the SEC’s site is http://www.sec.gov. Also, the public may read and copy any materials that the Company files with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.

          The Company has adopted a Chief Executive Officer and Senior Financial Executive Code of Ethics that specifically applies to its chief executive officer, its principal financial officer, and controller. This Chief Executive Officer and Senior Financial Executive Code of Ethics meets the requirements as set forth in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Item 406 of Regulation S-K. The Company has posted on its internet website a copy of the Chief Executive Officer and Senior Financial Executive Code of Ethics. It is located at http://www.cbrands.com/CBI/constellationbrands/Investors/CorporateGovernance.

          The Company also has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all employees, directors and officers, including each person who is subject to the Chief Executive Officer and Senior Financial Executive Code of Ethics. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available on the Company’s internet website, together with the Company’s Global Code of Responsible Practices for Beverage Alcohol Advertising and Marketing, its Board of Directors Corporate Governance Guidelines and the Charters of the Board’s Audit Committee, Human Resources Committee (which serves as the Board’s compensation committee) and Corporate Governance Committee (which serves as the Board’s nominating committee). All of these materials are accessible on the Company’s Internet site at http://www.cbrands.com/CBI/constellationbrands/Investors/CorporateGovernance. Amendments to, and waivers granted to the Company’s directors and executive officers under the Company’s codes of ethics, if any, will be posted in this area of the Company’s website. A copy of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Global Code of Responsible Practices for Beverage Alcohol Advertising and Marketing, Chief Executive Officer and Senior Financial Executive Code of Ethics, and/or the Board of Directors Corporate Governance Guidelines and committee charters are available in print to any shareholder who requests it. Shareholders should direct such requests in writing to Investor Relations Department, Constellation Brands, Inc., 207 High Point Drive, Building 100, Victor, New York 14564, or by telephoning the Company’s Investor Center at 1-888-922-2150.

          The foregoing information regarding the Company’s website and its content is for your convenience only. The content of the Company’s website is not deemed to be incorporated by reference in this report or filed with the SEC.

Item 1A.		Risk Factors.

          In addition to the other information set forth in this report, you should carefully consider the following factors which could materially affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. The risks described below are not the only risks we face. Additional factors not presently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business operations.

Worldwide and domestic economic trends and financial market conditions could adversely impact our financial performance and the investment performance of pension plan holdings.

          As widely reported, the worldwide and domestic economies have experienced adverse conditions and may be subject to further deterioration for the foreseeable future. We are subject to risks associated with these adverse conditions, including economic slowdown and the disruption, volatility and tightening of credit and capital markets.

          In addition, this global economic situation could adversely impact our major suppliers, distributors and retailers. The inability of suppliers, distributors or retailers to conduct business or to access liquidity could impact our ability to produce and distribute our products. We have a committed credit facility and additional liquidity facilities available to us. While to date we have not experienced problems with accessing these facilities, to the extent that the financial institutions that participate in these facilities were to default on their obligation to fund, those funds would not be available to us.

          We also sponsor a limited number of defined benefit plans that cover some of our non-U.S. employees. Our costs of providing defined benefit plans are dependent upon a number of factors, such as discount rates, the rates of return on the plans’ assets, exchange rate fluctuations, future governmental regulation, global equity prices, and our required and/or voluntary contributions to the plans. The obligations of certain of these defined benefit pension plans exceed the value of the plans’ assets and we continue to service these obligations as appropriate. Without sustained growth in the pension investments over time to increase the value of the plans’ assets, and depending upon the other factors listed above, we could be required to increase funding for some or all of these plans.

          The timing and nature of any recovery in the financial markets remains uncertain, and there can be no assurance that market conditions will improve in the near future. A prolonged downturn, further worsening or broadening of the adverse conditions in the worldwide and domestic economies could affect consumer spending patterns and purchases of our products, and create or exacerbate credit issues, cash flow issues and other financial hardships for us and for our suppliers, distributors, retailers and consumers, as well as further reduce defined benefit pension plan assets. Depending upon their severity and duration, these conditions could have a material adverse impact on our business, liquidity, financial condition and results of operations. The Company is unable to predict the likely duration and severity of the current disruption in the financial markets and the adverse economic conditions in the United States and its other major markets outside the United States.

Our indebtedness could have a material adverse effect on our financial health.

          We have incurred substantial indebtedness to finance our acquisitions. In the future, we may incur substantial additional indebtedness to finance further acquisitions or for other purposes. Our ability to satisfy our debt obligations outstanding from time to time will depend upon our future operating performance. We do not have complete control over our future operating performance because it is subject to prevailing economic conditions, levels of interest rates and financial, business and other factors. We cannot assure you that our business will generate sufficient cash flow from operations to meet all of our debt service requirements and to fund our capital expenditure requirements.

          Our current and future debt service obligations and covenants could have important consequences to you. These consequences include, or may include, the following:

	•		Our ability to obtain financing for future working capital needs or acquisitions or other purposes may be limited;
	•		Our funds available for operations, expansion or distributions will be reduced because we will dedicate a significant portion of our cash flow from operations to the payment of principal and interest on our indebtedness;
	•		Our ability to conduct our business could be limited by restrictive covenants; and
	•		Our vulnerability to adverse economic conditions may be greater than less leveraged competitors and, thus, our ability to withstand competitive pressures may be limited.

          Our senior credit facility and the indentures under which our debt securities have been issued contain restrictive covenants. These covenants affect our ability to, among other things, grant liens and restrict changes of control and certain other fundamental changes. Our senior credit facility also contains covenants that restrict our ability to make acquisitions, incur debt, sell assets, pay dividends, enter into transactions with affiliates and make investments. It also contains certain financial covenants, including a debt ratio test and an interest coverage ratio test. These covenants could limit our ability to conduct business. If we fail to comply with the obligations contained in the senior credit facility, our existing or future indentures or other loan agreements, we could be in default under such agreements, which could require us to immediately repay the related debt and also debt under other agreements that may contain cross-acceleration or cross-default provisions.

Our acquisition, divestiture and joint venture strategies may not be successful.

          We have made a number of acquisitions, including our acquisition of the Fortune Brands, Inc. U.S. wine business and our SVEDKA acquisition, and we anticipate that we may, from time to time, acquire additional businesses, assets or securities of companies that we believe would provide a strategic fit with our business. We will need to integrate acquired businesses with our existing operations. We cannot assure you that we will effectively assimilate the business or product offerings of acquired companies into our business or product offerings or realize anticipated operational synergies. Integrating the operations and personnel of acquired companies into our existing operations or separating from our existing operations the operations and personnel of businesses of which we divest may result in difficulties, significant expense and accounting charges, disrupt our business or divert management’s time and attention. In connection with the integration of acquired operations or the conduct of our overall business strategies, we may periodically restructure our businesses and/or sell assets or portions of our business, including the recent sales of our U.K. cider business and the value spirits business. We may not achieve expected cost savings from restructuring activities or realize the expected proceeds from sales of assets or portions of our business, and actual charges, costs and adjustments due to restructuring activities may vary materially from our estimates. Additionally, our final determinations and appraisals of the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in our acquisitions may vary materially from earlier estimates. We cannot assure you that the fair value of acquired businesses will remain constant.

          Acquisitions involve numerous other risks, including potential exposure to unknown liabilities of acquired companies and the possible loss of key employees and customers of the acquired business. In connection with acquisitions or joint venture investments outside the U.S., we may enter into derivative contracts to purchase foreign currency in order to hedge against the risk of foreign currency fluctuations in connection with such acquisitions or joint venture investments, which subjects us to the risk of foreign currency fluctuations associated with such derivative contracts.

          We have entered into joint ventures, including our joint venture with Modelo and our joint venture with Punch, and we may enter into additional joint ventures. We share control of our joint ventures. Our joint venture partners may at any time have economic, business or legal interests or goals that are inconsistent with our goals or the goals of the joint venture. Our joint venture arrangements may require us to pay certain costs or to make certain capital investments and we may have little control over the amount or the timing of these payments and investments. In addition, our joint venture partners may be unable to meet their economic or other obligations and we may be required to fulfill those obligations alone. Our failure or the failure of an entity in which we have a joint venture interest to adequately manage the risks associated with any acquisitions or joint ventures could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. We cannot assure you that any of our acquisitions or joint ventures will be profitable or that forecasts regarding joint venture activities will be accurate. In particular, risks and uncertainties associated with our joint ventures include, among others, the joint venture’s ability to operate its business successfully, the joint venture’s ability to develop appropriate standards, controls, procedures and policies for the growth and management of the joint venture and the strength of the joint venture’s relationships with its employees, suppliers and customers.

Competition could have a material adverse effect on our business.

          We are in a highly competitive industry and the dollar amount and unit volume of our sales could be negatively affected by our inability to maintain or increase prices, changes in geographic or product mix, a general decline in beverage alcohol consumption or the decision of wholesalers, retailers or consumers to purchase competitive products instead of our products. Wholesaler, retailer and consumer purchasing decisions are influenced by, among other things, the perceived absolute or relative overall value of our products, including their quality or pricing, compared to competitive products. Unit volume and dollar sales could also be affected by pricing, purchasing, financing, operational, advertising or promotional decisions made by wholesalers, state and provincial agencies, and retailers which could affect their supply of, or consumer demand for, our products. We could also experience higher than expected selling, general and administrative expenses if we find it necessary to increase the number of our personnel or our advertising or marketing expenditures to maintain our competitive position or for other reasons.

An increase in import and excise duties or other taxes or government regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business.

          The U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia and other countries in which we operate impose import and excise duties and other taxes on beverage alcohol products in varying amounts which have been subject to change. Significant increases in import and excise duties or other taxes on beverage alcohol products could materially and adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations. Many U.S. states have considered proposals to increase, and some of these states have increased, state alcohol excise taxes. There may be further consideration by governmental entities to increase taxes upon beverage alcohol products as governmental entities explore available alternatives for raising funds during the current macroeconomic climate. In addition, federal, state, local and foreign governmental agencies extensively regulate the beverage alcohol products industry concerning such matters as licensing, trade and pricing practices, permitted and required labeling, advertising and relations with wholesalers and retailers. Certain federal and state or provincial regulations also require warning labels and signage. New or revised regulations or increased licensing fees, requirements or taxes could also have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

We rely on the performance of wholesale distributors, major retailers and government agencies for the success of our business.

          Local market structures and distribution channels vary worldwide. In the U.S., we sell our products principally to wholesalers for resale to retail outlets including grocery stores, club and discount stores, package liquor stores and restaurants and also directly to government agencies. In the U.K., we sell our products principally to retailers and also to wholesalers. In Australia, we sell our products principally to wholesalers and also directly to retailers, while in Canada, we sell our products principally to government agencies. The replacement or poor performance of our major wholesalers, retailers or government agencies could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. Our inability to collect accounts receivable from our major wholesalers, retailers or government agencies could also materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

          The industry is being affected by the trend toward consolidation in the wholesale and retail distribution channels, particularly in Europe and the U.S. If we are unable to successfully adapt to this changing environment, our net income, market share and volume growth could be negatively affected. In addition, wholesalers and retailers of our products offer products which compete directly with our products for retail shelf space and consumer purchases. Accordingly, wholesalers or retailers may give higher priority to products of our competitors. In the future, our wholesalers and retailers may not continue to purchase our products or provide our products with adequate levels of promotional support.

Our business could be adversely affected by a decline in the consumption of products we sell.

          Since 1995, there have been modest increases in consumption of beverage alcohol in most of our product categories and geographic markets. There have been periods in the past, however, in which there were substantial declines in the overall per capita consumption of beverage alcohol products in the U.S. and other markets in which we participate. A limited or general decline in consumption in one or more of our product categories could occur in the future due to a variety of factors, including:

	•		A general decline in economic or geo-political conditions;
	•		Increased concern about the health consequences of consuming beverage alcohol products and about drinking and driving;
	•		A general decline in the consumption of beverage alcohol products in on-premise establishments, such as may result from smoking bans;
	•		A trend toward a healthier diet including lighter, lower calorie beverages such as diet soft drinks, sports drinks and water products;
	•		The increased activity of anti-alcohol groups;
	•		Increased federal, state or foreign excise or other taxes on beverage alcohol products; and
	•		Increased regulation placing restrictions on the purchase or consumption of beverage alcohol products.

          In addition, our continued success depends, in part, on our ability to develop new products. The launch and ongoing success of new products are inherently uncertain especially with regard to their appeal to consumers. The launch of a new product can give rise to a variety of costs and an unsuccessful launch, among other things, can affect consumer perception of existing brands.

We generally purchase raw materials under short-term supply contracts, and we are subject to substantial price fluctuations for grapes and grape-related materials, and we have a limited group of suppliers of glass bottles.

          Our business is heavily dependent upon raw materials, such as grapes, grape juice concentrate, grains, alcohol and packaging materials from third-party suppliers. We could experience raw material supply, production or shipment difficulties that could adversely affect our ability to supply goods to our customers. Increases in the costs of raw materials also directly affect us. In the past, we have experienced dramatic increases in the cost of grapes. Although we believe we have adequate sources of grape supplies, in the event demand for certain wine products exceeds expectations, we could experience shortages.

          The wine industry swings between cycles of grape oversupply and undersupply. In a severe oversupply environment, the ability of wine producers, including ourselves, to raise prices is limited, and, in certain situations, the competitive environment may put pressure on producers to lower prices. Further, although an oversupply may enhance opportunities to purchase grapes at lower costs, a producer’s selling and promotional expenses associated with the sale of its wine products can rise in such an environment.

          Glass bottle costs are one of our largest components of cost of product sold. In the U.S., Canada and Australia, glass bottles have only a small number of producers. Currently, one producer supplies most of our glass container requirements for our U.S. operations and another producer supplies substantially all of our glass container requirements for our Australian operations and one of its affiliates supplies a majority of our glass container requirements for our Canadian operations. The inability of any of our glass bottle suppliers to satisfy our requirements could adversely affect our business.

Our operations subject us to risks relating to currency rate fluctuations, interest rate fluctuations and geopolitical uncertainty which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

          We have operations in different countries throughout the world and, therefore, are subject to risks associated with currency fluctuations. As a result of our international acquisitions, we have significant exposure to foreign currency risk as a result of having international operations in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the U.K. We are also exposed to risks associated with interest rate fluctuations. We manage our exposure to foreign currency and interest rate risks utilizing derivative instruments and other means to reduce those risks. We, however, could experience changes in our ability to hedge against or manage fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates or interest rates and, accordingly, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in reducing those risks. We could also be affected by nationalizations or unstable governments or legal systems or intergovernmental disputes. These currency, economic and political uncertainties may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, especially to the extent these matters, or the decisions, policies or economic strength of our suppliers, affect our global operations.

We have a material amount of intangible assets, such as goodwill and trademarks, and if we are required to write-down any of these intangible assets, it would reduce our net income, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

          During the years ended February 28, 2010, February 28, 2009, and February 29, 2008, we recorded impairment losses of $103.2 million, $300.4 million and $812.2 million, respectively, on our intangible assets and goodwill. We continue to have a significant amount of intangible assets, such as goodwill and trademarks. In accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) guidance for intangibles – goodwill and other, goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets are subject to a periodic impairment evaluation. Reductions in our net income caused by the write-down of any of these intangible assets could materially and adversely affect our results of operations.

The termination of our joint venture with Modelo relating to importing, marketing and selling imported beer could have a material adverse effect on our business.

          On January 2, 2007, we participated in establishing and commencing operations of a joint venture with Modelo, pursuant to which Corona Extra and the other Modelo Brands are imported, marketed and sold by the joint venture in the U.S. (including the District of Columbia) and Guam along with certain other imported beer brands in their respective territories. Pursuant to the joint venture and related importation arrangements, the joint venture will continue for an initial term of 10 years, and renew in 10-year periods unless GModelo Corporation, a Delaware corporation and subsidiary of Diblo, gives notice prior to the end of year seven of any term of its intention to purchase our interest we hold through our subsidiary, Constellation Beers Ltd. (“Constellation Beers”). The joint venture may also terminate under other circumstances involving action by governmental authorities, certain changes in control of us or Constellation Beers as well as in connection with certain breaches of the importation and related sub-license agreements, after notice and cure periods.

          The termination of the joint venture by acquisition of Constellation Beers’ interest or for other reasons noted above could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Class action or other litigation relating to alcohol abuse or the misuse of alcohol could adversely affect our business.

          There has been increased public attention directed at the beverage alcohol industry, which we believe is due to concern over problems related to alcohol abuse, including drinking and driving, underage drinking and health consequences from the misuse of alcohol. Adverse developments in lawsuits concerning these types of matters or a significant decline in the social acceptability of beverage alcohol products that results from lawsuits could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We depend upon our trademarks and proprietary rights, and any failure to protect our intellectual property rights or any claims that we are infringing upon the rights of others may adversely affect our competitive position and brand equity.

          Our future success depends significantly on our ability to protect our current and future brands and products and to defend our intellectual property rights. We have been granted numerous trademark registrations covering our brands and products and have filed, and expect to continue to file, trademark applications seeking to protect newly-developed brands and products. We cannot be sure that trademark registrations will be issued with respect to any of our trademark applications. There is also a risk that we could, by omission, fail to timely renew or protect a trademark or that our competitors will challenge, invalidate or circumvent any existing or future trademarks issued to, or licensed by, us.

Contamination could harm the integrity or customer support for our brands and adversely affect the sales of our products.

          The success of our brands depends upon the positive image that consumers have of those brands. Contamination, whether arising accidentally or through deliberate third-party action, or other events that harm the integrity or consumer support for those brands, could adversely affect their sales. Contaminants in raw materials purchased from third parties and used in the production of our wine and spirits products or defects in the distillation or fermentation process could lead to low beverage quality as well as illness among, or injury to, consumers of our products and may result in reduced sales of the affected brand or all of our brands.

An increase in the cost of energy or the cost of environmental regulatory compliance could affect our profitability.

          We have experienced significant increases in energy costs, and energy costs could continue to rise, which would result in higher transportation, freight and other operating costs. We may experience significant future increases in the costs associated with environmental regulatory compliance. Our future operating expenses and margins will be dependent on our ability to manage the impact of cost increases. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to pass along increased energy costs or increased costs associated with environmental regulatory compliance to our customers through increased prices.

Our reliance upon complex information systems distributed worldwide and our reliance upon third party global networks means we could experience interruptions to our business services.

          We depend on information technology to enable us to operate efficiently and interface with customers, as well as maintain financial accuracy and efficiency. If we do not allocate, and effectively manage, the resources necessary to build and sustain the proper technology infrastructure, we could be subject to transaction errors, processing inefficiencies, the loss of customers, business disruptions, or the loss of or damage to intellectual property through security breach. As with all large systems, our information systems could be penetrated by outside parties intent on extracting information, corrupting information or disrupting business processes. Such unauthorized access could disrupt our business and could result in the loss of assets.

Changes in accounting guidance and taxation requirements could affect our financial results.

          New accounting guidance that may become applicable to us from time to time, or changes in the interpretations of existing guidance, could have a significant effect on our reported results for the affected periods. In addition, our products are subject to import and excise duties and/or sales or value-added taxes in many jurisdictions in which we operate. Increases in indirect taxes could affect our products’ affordability and therefore reduce our sales. We are also subject to income tax in numerous jurisdictions in which we generate revenues. Changes in tax laws, tax rates or tax rulings may have a significant adverse impact on our effective tax rate. Our tax liabilities are affected by the mix of pretax income or loss among the tax jurisdictions in which we operate. We must exercise judgment in determining our worldwide provision for income taxes, interest and penalties; accordingly, future events could change management’s assessment of these amounts.

Various diseases, pests and certain weather conditions could affect quality and quantity of grapes or other agricultural raw materials.

          Various diseases, pests, fungi, viruses, drought, frosts and certain other weather conditions could affect the quality and quantity of grapes and other agricultural raw materials available, decreasing the supply of our products and negatively impacting profitability. We cannot guarantee that our grape suppliers or suppliers of other agricultural raw materials will succeed in preventing contamination in existing vineyards or fields or that we will succeed in preventing contamination in our existing vineyards or future vineyards we may acquire. Future government restrictions regarding the use of certain materials used in grape growing may increase vineyard costs and/or reduce production. Growing agricultural raw materials also requires adequate water supplies. A substantial reduction in water supplies could result in material losses of grape crops and vines or other crops, which could lead to a shortage of our product supply.

Item 1B.		Unresolved Staff Comments.

          Not Applicable.

Item 2.		Properties.

          Through its business segments, the Company operates wineries, a distilling plant and bottling plants, many of which include warehousing and distribution facilities on the premises. Through Matthew Clark, the Company also operates separate distribution centers serving the Constellation Wines segment’s wholesaling business in the U.K. In addition to the Company’s properties described below, certain of the Company’s businesses maintain office space for sales and similar activities and offsite warehouse and distribution facilities in a variety of geographic locations.

          The Company believes that its facilities, taken as a whole, are in good condition and working order and have adequate capacity to meet its needs for the foreseeable future, although it does possess certain underutilized assets.

          The following discussion details the properties associated with the Company’s three business segments.

          Constellation Wines

          Through the Constellation Wines segment, the Company maintains facilities in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., South Africa and Canada. These facilities include wineries, a distilling plant, bottling plants, warehousing and distribution facilities, distribution centers and office facilities. The segment maintains owned and/or leased division offices in a variety of locations, including Canandaigua, New York; St. Helena, California; San Francisco, California; Chicago, Illinois; Reynella, South Australia; Guildford, England; and Mississaugua, Ontario.

          United States

          In the U.S., the Company through its Constellation Wines segment operates two wineries in New York, located in Canandaigua and Naples; 16 wineries in California, located in Acampo, Geyserville, Gonzales, Healdsburg, Kenwood, Madera, Napa, Oakville, Soledad, Rutherford, Templeton, Ukiah, two in Lodi, two in Sonoma; and one winery in Washington, located in Prosser. Eighteen of these wineries are owned and one winery in Sonoma, California, is leased. The Constellation Wines segment considers its principal wineries in the U.S. to be the Mission Bell winery in Madera (California), the Canandaigua winery in Canandaigua (New York), the Franciscan Vineyards winery in Rutherford (California), the Woodbridge Winery in Acampo (California), the Turner Road Vintners Winery in Lodi (California), the Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville (California), the Clos du Bois Winery in Geyserville (California) and the Blackstone Winery in Gonzales (California). The Mission Bell winery crushes grapes, produces, bottles and distributes wine and produces specialty concentrates and Mega Colors for sale. The Canandaigua winery crushes grapes and produces, bottles and distributes wine. The other principal wineries crush grapes, vinify, cellar and bottle wine. In California, the Constellation Wines segment also operates a distribution center and four warehouses and, in New York, operates a warehouse.

          Through the Constellation Wines segment, as of February 28, 2010, the Company owned or leased approximately 12,100 acres of vineyards, either fully bearing or under development, in California and New York to supply a portion of the grapes used in the production of wine.

          Australia/New Zealand

          Through the Constellation Wines segment, the Company owns and operates eight Australian wineries, three of which are in South Australia, two in Western Australia and the other three in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Additionally, through this segment the Company also owns four wineries in New Zealand. All but one of these Australia/New Zealand wineries crush grapes, vinify and cellar wine. Four include bottling and/or packaging operations. The facility in Reynella, South Australia bottles a significant portion of the wine produced in Australia, produces all Australian sparkling wines and cellars wines. The Company considers the segment’s principal facilities in Australia/New Zealand to be the Berri Estates winery located in Glossop and the bottling facility located in Reynella, both in South Australia.

          Through the Constellation Wines segment, as of February 28, 2010, the Company owns or has interests in approximately 4,300 acres of vineyards in South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania, and approximately 4,000 acres of vineyards, either fully bearing or under development, in New Zealand.

          Europe

          Through the Constellation Wines segment, the Company operates Constellation Park, which is located at a leased facility in Severnside, Bristol, England. Constellation Park also bottles products produced by other of the Company’s Constellation Wines segment operations as well as various wine suppliers, and also distributes products from other wine suppliers and acts as a warehouse. Constellation Park is considered a principal facility. Through the Constellation Wines segment, the Company also previously operated a National Distribution Center located in a leased facility in Severnside, Bristol, England, together with an additional leased satellite facility and third party storage facilities within the same region. During Fiscal 2010, the Company assigned these leases to a third party. The Company also currently leases a facility in Bristol, England that previously produced, bottled and packaged wine. During Fiscal 2010, in conjunction with Constellation Park becoming operational, the Company began the process of decommissioning the Bristol facility. Matthew Clark operates 11 physical distribution centers located throughout the U.K. and three satellite depots. All the distribution centers and satellite depots are leased. These distribution centers and depots are used to distribute products produced by the Company, as well as by third parties.

          The Company previously marketed, stored and distributed alcoholic beverages in the Republic of Ireland and leased warehouse and office facilities in Dublin in support of the Company’s business. It ceased these operations during Fiscal 2010 and, consequently, ceased leasing warehouse or office space in Dublin, Republic of Ireland.

          Canada

          Through the Constellation Wines segment, the Company operates nine Canadian wineries, four of which are in British Columbia, four in Ontario, and one in Quebec. Seven of these wineries are owned, one winery in British Columbia is leased and one winery in Ontario is leased. The British Columbia and Ontario operations all harvest a domestic crop and all locations vinify and cellar wines. Four wineries include bottling and/or packaging operations. The Company also operates a distribution center in Mississaugua, Ontario and a warehousing and distribution facility in Scoudouc, New Brunswick. In addition, through the segment the Company operates facilities in Vancouver, British Columbia and Kitchener, Ontario in connection with its beer and wine making kit business, and a finished goods warehouse and sales office in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The Company considers the segment’s principal facilities in Canada to be Niagara Cellars located in Niagara Falls (Ontario), the Vincor Quebec Division located in Rougemont (Quebec), the Vincor Production Facility located in Oliver (British Columbia) and the distribution center located in Mississaugua (Ontario).

          Through the Constellation Wines segment, as of February 28, 2010, the Company owned or leased approximately 1,800 acres of vineyards, either fully bearing or under development, in Ontario and British Columbia to supply a portion of the grapes used in the production of wine.

          Through this segment, the Company currently owns and operates a distilling plant located in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. This facility distills, bottles and stores Canadian whisky for the segment, and distills and/or bottles and stores Canadian whisky, vodka, rum, gin and liqueurs for third parties. The Company considers this facility to be a principal facility.

          South Africa

          Through the Constellation Wines segment, the Company operates a leased winery facility in South Africa.

          Crown Imports

          Crown Imports has entered into various arrangements to satisfy its warehouse requirements. It currently has contracted with eight providers of warehouse space and services in a total of 13 locations throughout the U.S. Crown Imports maintains leased offices in Chicago, Illinois as well as in six other locations throughout the U.S.

          Corporate Operations and Other

          The Company’s corporate headquarters are located in leased offices in Victor, New York.

Item 3.		Legal Proceedings.

          In the ordinary course of their business, the Company and its subsidiaries are subject to lawsuits, arbitrations, claims and other legal proceedings in connection with their business. Some of the legal actions include claims for substantial or unspecified compensatory and/or punitive damages. A substantial adverse judgment or other unfavorable resolution of these matters could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Management believes that the Company has adequate legal defenses with respect to the legal proceedings to which it is a defendant or respondent and that the outcome of these pending proceedings is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, results of operations or cash flows of the Company. However, the Company is unable to predict the outcome of these matters.

          Regulatory Matters – The Company and its subsidiaries are in discussions with various governmental agencies concerning matters raised during regulatory examinations or otherwise subject to such agencies’ inquiry. These matters could result in censures, fines or other sanctions. Management believes the outcome of any pending regulatory matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. However, the Company is unable to predict the outcome of these matters.

Item 4.		(Removed and Reserved).

Executive Officers of the Company

          Information with respect to the current executive officers of the Company is as follows:

NAME		AGE				OFFICE OR POSITION HELD
Richard Sands			59			Chairman of the Board
Robert Sands			51			President and Chief Executive Officer
F. Paul Hetterich			47			Executive Vice President, Business Development, Corporate Strategy and International
Thomas J. Mullin			58			Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Robert Ryder			50			Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
W. Keith Wilson			59			Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources and Administrative Officer
John A. (Jay) Wright			51			President, Constellation Wines North America

          Richard Sands, Ph.D., is the Chairman of the Board of the Company. He has been employed by the Company in various capacities since 1979. He has served as a director since 1982. In September 1999, Mr. Sands was elected Chairman of the Board. He served as Chief Executive Officer from October 1993 to July 2007, as Executive Vice President from 1982 to May 1986, as President from May 1986 to December 2002 and as Chief Operating Officer from May 1986 to October 1993. He is the brother of Robert Sands.

          Robert Sands is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer in July 2007 and appointed as President in December 2002. He has served as a director since January 1990. Mr. Sands also served as Chief Operating Officer from December 2002 to July 2007, as Group President from April 2000 through December 2002, as Chief Executive Officer, International from December 1998 through April 2000, as Executive Vice President from October 1993 through April 2000, as General Counsel from June 1986 through May 2000, and as Vice President from June 1990 through October 1993. He is the brother of Richard Sands.

          F. Paul Hetterich has been the Company’s Executive Vice President, Business Development, Corporate Strategy and International since July 2009. From June 2003 until July 2009, he served as Executive Vice President, Business Development and Corporate Strategy. From April 2001 to June 2003, Mr. Hetterich served as the Company’s Senior Vice President, Corporate Development. Prior to that, Mr. Hetterich held several increasingly senior positions in the Company’s marketing and business development groups. Mr. Hetterich has been with the Company since 1986.

          Thomas J. Mullin joined the Company as Executive Vice President and General Counsel in May 2000. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Mullin served as President and Chief Executive Officer of TD Waterhouse Bank, NA, a national banking association, since February 2000, of CT USA, F.S.B. since September 1998, and of CT USA, Inc. since March 1997. He also served as Executive Vice President, Business Development and Corporate Strategy of C.T. Financial Services, Inc. from March 1997 through February 2000. From 1985 through 1997, Mr. Mullin served as Vice Chairman and Senior Executive Vice President of First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Rochester, New York and from 1982 through 1985, he was a partner in the law firm of Phillips Lytle LLP.

          Robert Ryder joined the Company in May 2007 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Ryder previously served from 2005 to 2006 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of IMG, a sports marketing and media company. From 2002 to 2005, he was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of American Greetings Corporation, a publicly traded, multi-national consumer products company. From 1989 to 2002, he held several management positions of increasing responsibility with PepsiCo, Inc. These included control, strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions and CFO and Controller positions serving at PepsiCo’s corporate headquarters and at its Frito-Lay International and Frito-Lay North America divisions. Mr. Ryder is a certified public accountant.

          W. Keith Wilson joined the Company in January 2002 as Senior Vice President, Human Resources. In September 2002, he was elected Chief Human Resources Officer and in April 2003 he was elected Executive Vice President. In July 2007, he was appointed Chief Administrative Officer while retaining the position of Executive Vice President. From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Wilson served as Senior Vice President, Global Human Resources of Xerox Engineering Systems, a subsidiary of Xerox Corporation, which engineers, manufactures and sells hi-tech reprographics equipment and software worldwide. From 1990 to 1999, he served in various senior human resource positions with the banking, marketing and real estate and relocation businesses of Prudential Life Insurance of America, an insurance company that also provides other financial products.

          John A. (Jay) Wright is currently President, Constellation Wines North America and the President of Constellation Wines U.S., Inc., having held these positions since December 2009. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Constellation Wines U.S., Inc. from March 2009 until December 2009.  Mr. Wright joined the Company in June 2006 with the Company’s acquisition of Vincor International Inc. Mr. Wright served as President of Vincor International Inc. from June 2006 until March 2009 and, prior to that, as President and Chief Operating Officer of Vincor International Inc.’s Canadian Wine Division from October 2001 until June 2006. Before that, he held various positions of increasing responsibility with various other consumer products companies.

          Executive officers of the Company are generally chosen or elected to their positions annually and hold office until the earlier of their removal or resignation or until their successors are chosen and qualified.

PART II

Item 5.		Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

          The Company’s Class A Common Stock (the “Class A Stock”) and Class B Common Stock (the “Class B Stock”) trade on the New York Stock ExchangeÒ (“NYSE”) under the symbols STZ and STZ.B, respectively. There is no public trading market for the Company’s Class 1 Common Stock. The following tables set forth for the periods indicated the high and low sales prices of the Class A Stock and the Class B Stock as reported on the NYSE.

CLASS A STOCK

				1st Quarter					2nd Quarter					3rd Quarter					4th Quarter
	Fiscal 2009
	High			$	21.90				$	23.09				$	23.48				$	17.16
	Low			$	17.21				$	18.82				$	10.66				$	11.54
	Fiscal 2010
	High			$	13.50				$	15.20				$	17.56				$	17.46
	Low			$	10.72				$	11.62				$	14.36				$	14.60

CLASS B STOCK

				1st Quarter					2nd Quarter					3rd Quarter					4th Quarter
	Fiscal 2009
	High			$	21.76				$	22.96				$	23.32				$	17.55
	Low			$	17.00				$	19.21				$	10.78				$	11.64
	Fiscal 2010
	High			$	13.53				$	15.12				$	17.50				$	17.22
	Low			$	10.50				$	11.75				$	14.62				$	14.75

          At April 21, 2010, the number of holders of record of Class A Stock and Class B Stock of the Company were 903 and 184, respectively. There were no holders of record of Class 1 Common Stock.

          With respect to its common stock, the Company’s policy is to retain all of its earnings to finance the development and expansion of its business, and the Company has not paid any cash dividends on its common stock since its initial public offering in 1973. In addition, the Company’s senior credit facility limits the cash dividends that can be paid by the Company on its common stock to an amount determined in accordance with the terms of the 2006 Credit Agreement. Any indentures for debt securities issued in the future, the terms of any preferred stock issued in the future and any credit agreements entered into in the future may also restrict or prohibit the payment of cash dividends on common stock.

Item 6.		Selected Financial Data.

		For the Years Ended
		February 28,				February 28,				February 29,				February 28,				February 28,
		2010				2009				2008				2007				2006
(in millions, except per share data)
Sales		$	4,213.0			$	4,723.0			$	4,885.1			$	6,401.8			$	5,707.0
Less-excise taxes			(848.2	)			(1,068.4	)			(1,112.1	)			(1,185.4	)			(1,103.5	)
Net sales			3,364.8				3,654.6				3,773.0				5,216.4				4,603.5
Cost of product sold			(2,220.0	)			(2,424.6	)			(2,491.5	)			(3,692.5	)			(3,278.9	)
Gross profit			1,144.8				1,230.0				1,281.5				1,523.9				1,324.6
Selling, general and administrative expenses(1)			(682.3	)			(823.8	)			(800.8	)			(763.6	)			(606.2	)
Impairment of intangible assets and goodwill(2)			(103.2	)			(300.4	)			(812.2	)			-				-
Restructuring charges(3)			(47.6	)			(68.0	)			(6.9	)			(32.5	)			(29.3	)
Acquisition-related integration costs(4)			(0.2	)			(8.2	)			(11.8	)			(23.6	)			(16.8	)
Operating income (loss)			311.5				29.6				(350.2	)			704.2				672.3
Equity in earnings of equity method investees			213.6				186.6				257.9				49.9				0.8
Interest expense, net(1)			(265.1	)			(323.0	)			(348.3	)			(273.9	)			(195.8	)
Loss on write-off of financing costs			(0.7	)			-				-				-				-
Gain on change in fair value of derivative instruments			-				-				-				55.1				-
Income (loss) before income taxes			259.3				(106.8	)			(440.6	)			535.3				477.3
Provision for income taxes			(160.0	)			(194.6	)			(172.7	)			(203.4	)			(152.0	)
Net income (loss)			99.3				(301.4	)			(613.3	)			331.9				325.3
Dividends on preferred stock			-				-				-				(4.9	)			(9.8	)
Income (loss) available to common stockholders		$	99.3			$	(301.4	)		$	(613.3	)		$	327.0			$	315.5
Earnings (loss) per common share:
Basic – Class A Common Stock		$	0.46			$	(1.40	)		$	(2.83	)		$	1.44			$	1.44
Basic – Class B Convertible Common Stock		$	0.41			$	(1.27	)		$	(2.57	)		$	1.31			$	1.31
Diluted – Class A Common Stock		$	0.45			$	(1.40	)		$	(2.83	)		$	1.38			$	1.36
Diluted – Class B Convertible Common Stock		$	0.41			$	(1.27	)		$	(2.57	)		$	1.27			$	1.25
Total assets		$	8,094.3			$	8,036.5			$	10,052.8			$	9,438.2			$	7,400.6
Long-term debt, including current maturities		$	3,464.3			$	4,206.3			$	4,878.0			$	4,032.2			$	2,729.9

(1)		During the fourth quarter of the year ended February 28, 2010, the Company changed its policy relating to the classification of amortization of deferred financing costs from selling, general and administrative expenses to interest expense, net. Accordingly, all periods presented have been reclassified to reflect the impact of this policy change.
(2)		For a detailed discussion of impairment of intangible assets and goodwill for the years ended February 28, 2010, February 28, 2009, and February 29, 2008, see Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation under Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption “Fiscal 2010 Compared to Fiscal 2009 – Impairment of Intangible Assets and Goodwill” and “Fiscal 2009 Compared to Fiscal 2008 – Impairment of Intangible Assets and Goodwill,” respectively.

          For the years ended February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, see Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation under Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto under Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Item 7.    Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation.

Overview

          The Company is the world’s leading wine company with a broad portfolio of consumer-preferred premium wine brands complemented by spirits, imported beer and other select beverage alcohol products. The Company continues to supply imported beer in the United States (“U.S.”) through its investment in a joint venture with Grupo Modelo, S.A.B. de C.V. This imported beers joint venture operates as Crown Imports LLC and is referred to hereinafter as “Crown Imports.” The Company is the leading premium wine company in the U.S.; a leading producer and exporter of wine from Australia and New Zealand; the leading producer and marketer of wine in Canada; and a major supplier of beverage alcohol in the United Kingdom (“U.K.”). Through its investment in a joint venture with Punch Taverns plc, the Company has an interest in a U.K. wholesale business (“Matthew Clark”), which is the U.K.’s leading independent premier drinks wholesaler serving the on-trade drinks industry.

          In connection with the Company’s divestiture of its value spirits business and the integration of the retained spirits brands into the Constellation Wines business (see “Divestitures in Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008” below), the Company changed its internal management financial reporting on May 1, 2009, to consist of two business divisions: Constellation Wines and Crown Imports. Accordingly, the Company now reports its operating results in three segments: Constellation Wines (branded wine, spirits and other), Corporate Operations and Other, and Crown Imports (imported beer). Prior to the divestiture of the value spirits business, the Company’s internal management financial reporting included the Constellation Spirits business division. Amounts included in the Corporate Operations and Other segment consist of general corporate administration and finance expenses. These amounts include costs of executive management, corporate development, corporate finance, human resources, internal audit, investor relations, legal, public relations, global information technology and global supply chain. Any costs incurred at the corporate office that are applicable to the segments are allocated to the appropriate segment. The amounts included in the Corporate Operations and Other segment are general costs that are applicable to the consolidated group and are therefore not allocated to the other reportable segments. All costs reported within the Corporate Operations and Other segment are not included in the chief operating decision maker’s evaluation of the operating income performance of the other reportable segments.

          In addition, the Company excludes acquisition-related integration costs, restructuring charges and unusual items that affect comparability from its definition of operating income for segment purposes as these items are not reflective of normal continuing operations of the segments. The Company excludes these items as segment operating performance and segment management compensation is evaluated based upon a normalized segment operating income. As such, the performance measures for incentive compensation purposes for segment management do not include the impact of these items.

          The Company’s business strategy is to remain focused on consumer-preferred premium wine brands, complemented by premium spirits and imported beers. The Company intends to continue to focus on growing premium product categories and expects to capitalize on its size and scale in the marketplace to profitably grow the business. During Fiscal 2010 (as defined below), the Company began implementation of a strategic project to consolidate its U.S. distributor network in key markets and create a new go-to-market strategy designed to focus the full power of its U.S. wine and spirits portfolio in order to improve alignment of dedicated, selling resources which is expected to drive organic growth. The Company believes that this is the right strategy to take in order to position the Company for future growth in a consolidating market. The Company remains committed to its long-term financial model of growing sales, expanding margins, increasing cash flow and reducing borrowings to achieve earnings per share growth and improve return on invested capital.

          Worldwide and domestic economies are experiencing adverse conditions, and economic and consumer conditions in the Company’s key markets, and on a global basis, remain challenging. Accordingly, the current competitive environment in the marketplace remains intense. While the global credit and capital markets may be showing signs of improvement, the global economic situation has or could adversely affect the Company’s major suppliers, distributors and retailers. The inability of suppliers, distributors or retailers to conduct business or to access liquidity could adversely impact the Company’s business and financial performance. In order to mitigate the impact of these challenging conditions, the Company continues to focus on improving operating efficiencies, containing costs, optimizing cash flow, reducing borrowings and increasing return on invested capital. The Company has also maintained adequate liquidity to meet current obligations and fund capital expenditures. However, changing conditions in the worldwide and domestic economies could have a material impact on the Company’s business, liquidity, financial condition and results of operations.

          Marketing, sales and distribution of the Company’s products are managed on a geographic basis in order to fully leverage leading market positions within each core market. Market dynamics and consumer trends vary significantly across the Company’s five core markets (U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia and New Zealand) within the Company’s three geographic regions (North America, Europe and Australia/New Zealand). Within North America, the Company offers a range of beverage alcohol products across the branded wine and spirits and, through Crown Imports, imported beer categories in the U.S. Within the Company’s remaining geographies, the Company offers primarily branded wine.

          The environment for the Company’s products is competitive in each of the Company’s core markets, due, in part, to industry and retail consolidation. In particular, the U.K. and Australian markets are highly competitive, as further described below.

          The U.K. wine market is primarily an import market with Australian wines comprising approximately one-fifth of all wine sales in the U.K. off-premise business. The Australian wine market is primarily a domestic market. The Company has leading share positions in the Australian wine category in both the U.K. and Australian markets.

          Due to competitive conditions in the U.K. and Australia, it has been difficult for the Company in recent fiscal periods to recover certain cost increases, in particular, the duty increases in the U.K. which have been imposed at least annually for the past several years. In the U.K., significant consolidation at the retail level has resulted in a limited number of large retailers controlling a significant portion of the off-premise wine business. The continuing surplus of Australian wine has made and continues to make very low cost bulk wine available to these U.K. retailers which has allowed certain of these large retailers to create and build private label brands in the Australian wine category. Periodically, the Company has implemented price increases in the U.K. and Australia in an effort to cover certain cost increases, including the U.K. duty increases, and to improve profitability; however, the concentrated retail environment, competition from private label causing deterioration of retail pricing, foreign exchange volatility and a challenging economic environment have all contributed to declining gross margins for the Company’s U.K. and Australian businesses for the year ended February 28, 2010 (“Fiscal 2010”). The Company has recently shifted its strategy within these markets to address some of these long-term challenges, including tightening of the portfolio focus, increasing efficiencies, reducing costs and improving cash generation.

          The three years prior to the calendar 2007 Australian grape harvest were all years of record Australian grape harvests which contributed to the current surplus of Australian bulk wine. The calendar 2007 Australian grape harvest was significantly lower than the calendar 2006 Australian grape harvest as a result of an ongoing drought and late spring frosts in several regions. As a result of various conditions surrounding the calendar 2008 Australian grape harvest, the Company previously expected the supply of wine to continue to move toward balance with demand. However, the calendar 2008 Australian grape harvest was higher than expected. Although the calendar 2009 Australian grape harvest came in lower than the calendar 2008 Australian grape harvest and the calendar 2010 Australian grape harvest is expected to come in lower than the calendar 2009 harvest, the total intake continues to exceed the current annual global demand for Australian wine products. Accordingly, the current Australian bulk wine surplus and related intense competitive conditions in the U.K. and Australian markets are not expected to subside in the near term. In the U.S., while the calendar 2009 grape harvest was larger than the calendar 2008 grape harvest, the Company continues to expect the overall supply of wine to remain generally in balance with demand within the U.S.

          In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, pursuant to the Company’s accounting policy, the Company performed its annual review of indefinite lived intangible assets for impairment. The Company determined that certain trademarks associated primarily with the Constellation Wines segment’s Australian reporting unit were impaired largely due to lower revenue and profitability associated with products incorporating these assets included in long-term financial forecasts developed as part of the strategic planning cycle conducted during the Company’s fourth quarter. The Company measured the amount of impairment by calculating the amount by which the carrying value of these assets exceeded their estimated fair values, which were based on projected discounted cash flows. As a result of this review, the Company recorded impairment losses of $103.2 million, which are included in impairment of intangible assets and goodwill on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

          In addition, in the third quarter of fiscal 2010, in connection with the Company’s review of its equity method investments for other-than-temporary impairment, the Company determined that its Constellation Wines segment’s international equity method investment, Ruffino S.r.l. (“Ruffino”), was impaired primarily due to a decline in revenue and profit forecasts for this international equity method investee combined with an unfavorable foreign exchange movement between the Euro and the U.S. Dollar. The Company measured the amount of impairment by calculating the amount by which the carrying value of its investment exceeded its estimated fair value, based on projected discounted cash flows of this equity method investee. As a result of this review, the Company recorded an impairment loss of $25.4 million in equity in earnings of equity method investees on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

          For Fiscal 2010, the Company’s net sales decreased 8% over the year ended February 28, 2009 (“Fiscal 2009”), primarily due to the divestitures of certain lower margin value businesses (see “Divestitures in Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008” below), predominantly the value spirits business, a decrease in U.S. branded wine net sales and an unfavorable year-over-year foreign currency translation impact. The decrease in the U.S. branded wine net sales was due primarily to the Company’s fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 strategic decision to assist U.S. distributors in reducing their higher than average inventory levels. The higher inventory levels resulted primarily from a planned build in inventory levels during the second quarter of fiscal 2010 in advance of the September 1, 2009, U.S. distributor transition program. These actions had the planned effect of moving a portion of third quarter of fiscal 2010 sales into the second quarter of fiscal 2010. However, during the third quarter of fiscal 2010, distributor depletions were not as strong as expected. As a result, U.S. distributor inventory levels were higher than expected at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2010. As such, the Company, in collaboration with certain of its newly contracted U.S. distributors, did not require these distributors to purchase the original contracted amount during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010. The Company estimated that this decision unfavorably impacted the U.S. branded wine net sales by approximately $60 to $70 million. The Company’s Fiscal 2010 operating income increased significantly over Fiscal 2009, primarily due to a decrease in unusual items, which consist of certain amounts that are excluded by management in their evaluation of the results of each operating segment, partially offset by lower operating income in the Company’s Constellation Wines segment. The decrease in unusual items for Fiscal 2010 resulted predominantly from lower impairment losses and a decrease in costs recognized in connection with the Company’s various restructuring plans. The decrease in the Constellation Wines segment’s operating income was primarily due to the loss of operating income in connection with the divestitures and the lower U.S. branded wine net sales discussed above. Net income for Fiscal 2010 increased significantly over Fiscal 2009 primarily due to the items discussed above combined with lower interest expense and a reduction in the Company’s effective tax rate.

          The following discussion and analysis summarizes the significant factors affecting (i) consolidated results of operations of the Company for Fiscal 2010 compared to Fiscal 2009, and Fiscal 2009 compared to the year ended February 29, 2008 (“Fiscal 2008”), and (ii) financial liquidity and capital resources for Fiscal 2010. This discussion and analysis also identifies certain acquisition-related integration costs, restructuring charges and unusual items expected to affect consolidated results of operations of the Company for the year ending February 28, 2011 (“Fiscal 2011”). References to base branded wine gross profit and base business gross profit exclude the impact of (i) branded wine acquired in the BWE Acquisition (as defined below) and (ii) branded wine divested of in the Almaden and Inglenook and the Pacific Northwest Business divestitures, as appropriate. This discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included herein.

Divestitures in Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008

          U.K. Cider Business

          In January 2010, the Company sold its U.K. cider business for cash proceeds of £45.0 million ($73.2 million), net of direct costs to sell, subject to post-closing adjustments. This transaction is consistent with the Company’s strategic focus on premium higher-growth, higher-margin wine, beer and spirits brands. In connection with this divestiture, the Company’s Constellation Wines segment recorded a gain of $11.2 million for Fiscal 2010 which is included in selling, general and administrative expenses on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

          Value Spirits Business

          In March 2009, the Company sold its value spirits business for $336.4 million, net of direct costs to sell. The Company received $276.4 million, net of direct costs to sell, in cash proceeds and a note receivable for $60.0 million in connection with this divestiture. Subsequent to February 28, 2010, the Company received full payment of the note receivable. The Company retained certain premium spirits brands, including SVEDKA Vodka, Black Velvet Canadian Whisky and Paul Masson Grande Amber Brandy. This transaction is consistent with the Company’s strategic focus on premium, higher growth and higher margin brands in its portfolio. In connection with the classification of the value spirits business as an asset group held for sale as of February 28, 2009, the Company’s Constellation Wines segment recorded a loss of $15.6 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, primarily related to asset impairments. In the first quarter of fiscal 2010, the Company’s Constellation Wines segment recognized a net gain of $0.2 million, which included a gain on settlement of a postretirement obligation of $1.0 million, partially offset by an additional loss of $0.8 million. These amounts are included in selling, general and administrative expenses on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

          Pacific Northwest Business

          In June 2008, the Company sold certain businesses consisting of several California wineries and wine brands acquired in the BWE Acquisition, as well as certain wineries and wine brands from the states of Washington and Idaho (collectively, the “Pacific Northwest Business”) for cash proceeds of $204.2 million, net of direct costs to sell. In addition, if certain objectives are achieved by the buyer, the Company could receive up to an additional $25.0 million in cash payments. This transaction contributes to the Company’s streamlining of its U.S. wine portfolio by eliminating brand duplication and reducing excess production capacity. In connection with this divestiture, the Company’s Constellation Wines segment recorded a loss of $23.2 million for Fiscal 2009, which included a loss on business sold of $15.8 million and losses on contractual obligations of $7.4 million. The loss of $23.2 million is included in selling, general and administrative expenses on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

          Almaden and Inglenook

          In February 2008, as part of ongoing efforts to increase focus on premium wine offerings in the U.S., the Company sold its lower margin value-priced wine brands, Almaden and Inglenook, and certain other assets for cash proceeds of $133.5 million, net of direct costs to sell. In connection with this divestiture, the Company’s Constellation Wines segment recorded a loss of $27.8 million for Fiscal 2008, which is included in selling, general and administrative expenses on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Acquisitions in Fiscal 2008

          Acquisition of BWE

          On December 17, 2007, the Company acquired all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Beam Wine Estates, Inc. (“BWE”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Fortune Brands, Inc., together with BWE’s subsidiaries: Atlas Peak Vineyards, Inc., Buena Vista Winery, Inc., Clos du Bois, Inc., Gary Farrell Wines, Inc. and Peak Wines International, Inc. (the “BWE Acquisition”). As a result of the BWE Acquisition, the Company acquired the U.S. wine portfolio of Fortune Brands, Inc., including certain wineries, vineyards or interests therein in the State of California, as well as various super-premium and fine California wine brands including Clos du Bois and Wild Horse. As previously discussed, in June 2008, the Company sold certain assets acquired in the BWE Acquisition in connection with the divestiture of the Pacific Northwest Business.

          The BWE Acquisition supports the Company’s strategy of strengthening its portfolio with fast-growing super-premium and above wines. The BWE Acquisition strengthens the Company’s position as the leading wine company in the world and the leading premium wine company in the U.S.

          Total consideration paid in cash for the BWE Acquisition was $877.3 million. In addition, the Company incurred direct acquisition costs of $1.4 million. The purchase price was financed with the net proceeds from the Company’s December 2007 Senior Notes (as defined below) and revolver borrowings under the Company’s June 2006 Credit Agreement, as amended in February 2007 and November 2007 (as defined below). The results of operations of the BWE business are reported in the Constellation Wines segment and are included in the consolidated results of operations of the Company from the date of acquisition.

          Acquisition of Svedka

          On March 19, 2007, the Company acquired the SVEDKA Vodka brand (“SVEDKA”) in connection with the acquisition of Spirits Marque One LLC and related business (the “SVEDKA Acquisition”). SVEDKA is a premium Swedish vodka and has become the fastest growing major premium spirits brand in the world. At the time of the acquisition, SVEDKA was the fifth largest imported vodka in the U.S. and, since the date of the acquisition, SVEDKA has become the third largest imported vodka in the U.S. In addition, at the time of the acquisition, the SVEDKA Acquisition supported the Company’s strategy of expanding the Company’s premium spirits business and provided a foundation from which the Company looked to leverage its existing and future premium spirits portfolio for growth. In addition, SVEDKA complemented the Company’s then existing portfolio of super-premium and value vodka brands by adding a premium vodka brand that had experienced and continues to experience rapid growth.

          Total consideration paid in cash for the SVEDKA Acquisition was $385.8 million. In addition, the Company incurred direct acquisition costs of $1.3 million. The purchase price was financed with revolver borrowings under the Company’s June 2006 Credit Agreement, as amended in February 2007. The results of operations of the SVEDKA business are reported in the Constellation Wines segment and are included in the consolidated results of operations of the Company from the date of acquisition.

Equity Method Investments in Fiscal 2008

          Investment in Matthew Clark

          On April 17, 2007, the Company and Punch Taverns plc (“Punch”) commenced operations of a joint venture for the U.K. wholesale business (“Matthew Clark”). The U.K. wholesale business was formerly owned entirely by the Company. Under the terms of the arrangement, the Company and Punch, directly or indirectly, each have a 50% voting and economic interest in Matthew Clark. The joint venture reinforces Matthew Clark’s position as the U.K.’s leading independent premier drinks wholesaler serving the on-trade drinks industry. The Company received $185.6 million of cash proceeds from the formation of the joint venture.

          Upon formation of the joint venture, the Company discontinued consolidation of the U.K. wholesale business and accounts for the investment in Matthew Clark under the equity method. Accordingly, the results of operations of Matthew Clark are included in equity in earnings of equity method investees on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations from the date of investment.

          The Company recorded an impairment of its investment in Matthew Clark during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009. This impairment loss of $30.1 million is included in equity in earnings of equity method investees on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Results of Operations

Fiscal 2010 Compared to Fiscal 2009

          Net Sales

          The following table sets forth the net sales (in millions of dollars) by operating segment of the Company for Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009.

		Fiscal 2010 Compared to Fiscal 2009
		Net Sales
										% (Decrease)
		2010				2009				Increase
Constellation Wines:
Branded wine		$	2,928.0			$	3,015.3			(3	)%
Spirits			223.9				418.7			(47	)%
Other			212.9				220.6			(3	)%
Constellation Wines net sales			3,364.8				3,654.6			(8	)%
Crown Imports net sales			2,256.2				2,395.4			(6	)%
Consolidations and eliminations			(2,256.2	)			(2,395.4	)		6	%
Consolidated Net Sales		$	3,364.8			$	3,654.6			(8	)%

          Net sales for Fiscal 2010 decreased to $3,364.8 million from $3,654.6 million for Fiscal 2009, a decrease of $289.8 million, or (8%). This decrease resulted primarily from a decrease in spirits net sales of $194.8 million, a decrease in U.S. branded wine net sales of $87.2 million and an unfavorable year-over-year foreign currency translation impact of $74.1 million. The decrease in spirits net sales resulted predominantly from the divestiture of the value spirits business. As discussed previously, the decrease in U.S. branded wine net sales was due primarily to the Company’s strategic decision in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 to work with certain of its U.S. distributors to reduce their U.S. branded wine inventory levels.

          Constellation Wines

          Net sales for Constellation Wines decreased to $3,364.8 million for Fiscal 2010 from $3,654.6 million in Fiscal 2009, a decrease of $289.8 million, or (8%). Branded wine net sales decreased $87.3 million primarily due to the decrease in U.S. branded wine net sales of $87.2 million and an unfavorable year-over-year foreign currency translation impact of $56.2 million, partially offset by $37.1 million of U.K. branded wine growth on a constant currency basis. The decrease in U.S. branded wine net sales was driven primarily by the Company’s strategic decision, in collaboration with certain of its newly contracted U.S. distributors, to not require these distributors to purchase the originally contracted branded wine amounts during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010. As previously mentioned, the Company estimates that this decision negatively impacted U.S. branded wine net sales by approximately $60 to $70 million. The Company expects this strategic decision will help its U.S. distributors improve depletion trends and consumer takeaway as distributor cost savings associated with carrying lower levels of inventory will be reinvested by the U.S. distributors in additional marketing and promotional programming behind the Constellation Wines U.S. branded wine portfolio. The increase in U.K. branded wine net sales on a constant currency basis was driven primarily by volume growth of lower priced products. Spirits net sales decreased $194.8 million primarily due to a decrease in net sales of $230.0 million in connection with the divestitures of the value spirits business and a Canadian distilling facility, partially offset by growth within the retained spirits brands which was driven largely by volume growth of SVEDKA Vodka. Other net sales decreased $7.7 million primarily due to an unfavorable year-over-year foreign currency translation impact.

          Crown Imports

          As this segment is eliminated in consolidation, see “Equity in Earnings of Equity Method Investees” below for a discussion of Crown Imports’ net sales, gross profit, selling, general and administrative expenses, and operating income.

          Gross Profit

          The Company’s gross profit decreased to $1,144.8 million for Fiscal 2010 from $1,230.0 million for Fiscal 2009, a decrease of $85.2 million, or (7%). This decrease was primarily due to a decrease in gross profit of $78.3 million related to the divestitures of certain lower margin businesses, primarily the value spirits business, a decrease in gross profit on a constant currency basis in the Australian and U.K. businesses of $48.1 million, and a decrease in U.S. base business gross profit of $36.4 million, partially offset by a reduction of $94.9 million in unusual items, which consist of certain amounts that are excluded by management in their evaluation of the results of each operating segment. The decrease in the Australian and U.K. gross profit was due largely to the flow through of higher Australian calendar 2008 harvest costs and an unfavorable mix of sales towards lower margin products. The decrease in U.S. base business gross profit was largely due to the lower net sales to certain U.S. distributors. The lower unusual items was primarily due to a decrease in inventory write-downs of $92.2 million in Fiscal 2010 compared to Fiscal 2009 due largely to (i) inventory write-downs of $53.9 million recorded in Fiscal 2009 in connection with the Company’s plan (announced in August 2008) to sell certain assets and implement operational changes designed to improve the efficiencies and returns associated with the Australian business, primarily by consolidating certain winemaking and packaging operations and reducing the Company’s overall grape supply due to reduced capacity needs resulting from a streamlining of the Company’s product portfolio (the “Australian Initiative”) and (ii) a loss of $37.0 million on the adjustment of certain inventory, primarily Australian, related to prior years.

          Gross profit as a percent of net sales increased to 34.0% for Fiscal 2010 from 33.7% for Fiscal 2009 primarily due to the lower unusual items, partially offset by the decrease in the Australian and U.K. businesses gross profit resulting primarily from the flow through of higher Australian calendar 2008 harvest costs and the unfavorable mix of sales towards lower margin products.

          Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

          Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased to $682.3 million for Fiscal 2010 from $823.8 million for Fiscal 2009, a decrease of $141.5 million, or (17.2%). This decrease was due to a decrease of $143.6 million in the Constellation Wines segment and a $5.8 million decrease in unusual items, which consist of certain amounts that are excluded by management in their evaluation of the results of each operating segment, partially offset by an increase in the Corporate Operations and Other segment of $7.9 million. The decrease in the Constellation Wines segment’s selling, general and administrative expenses was primarily due to decreases in general and administrative expenses of $55.2 million, selling expenses of $44.9 million and advertising expenses of $43.2 million. These decreases are largely attributable to (i) the divestitures of certain lower margin value businesses; (ii) cost savings in connection with the Company’s various restructuring activities; (iii) planned reductions in marketing and advertising spend; and (iv) an overlap of prior year losses on foreign currency transactions. The decrease in unusual items was primarily due to the recognition in Fiscal 2010 of (i) a loss of $34.3 million on the contractual obligation created by the notification by the 9.9% shareholder of Ruffino to exercise the option to put its entire equity interest in Ruffino to the Company for a specified minimum value of €23.5 million ($32.1 million as of February 28, 2010); (ii) $34.9 million of other costs in connection with the Company’s plan (announced in April 2009) to simplify its business, increase efficiencies and reduce its cost structure on a global basis (the “Global Initiative”); and (iii) a gain of $11.2 million in connection with the January 2010 sale of the U.K. cider business.  These items were more than offset by the unusual items recognized in Fiscal 2009 consisting primarily of the recognition of losses of $23.2 million and $15.6 million in connection with the June 2008 sale of the Pacific Northwest Business and the loss, primarily on assets held for sale, in connection with the March 2009 sale of the value spirits business, respectively, and $16.0 million of costs in connection with the Company’s plan (announced in August 2006) to invest in new distribution and bottling facilities in the U.K. and to streamline certain Australian wine operations (collectively, the “Fiscal 2007 Wine Plan”). The increase in the Corporate Operations and Other segment’s selling, general and administrative expenses was due to an increase in general and administrative expenses resulting primarily from the Company’s initiative to implement a comprehensive, multi-year program to strengthen and enhance the Company’s global business capabilities and processes through the creation of an integrated technology platform to improve the accessibility of information and visibility of global data (“Project Fusion”).

          Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percent of net sales decreased to 20.3% for Fiscal 2010 as compared to 22.5% for Fiscal 2009 primarily due to cost savings in connection with the Company’s various restructuring activities, the planned reductions in marketing and advertising spend and the overlap of prior year losses on foreign currency transactions.

          Impairment of Intangible Assets and Goodwill

          During Fiscal 2010, the Company recorded impairment losses of $103.2 million, consisting of impairment of certain trademarks related primarily to its Constellation Wines segment’s Australian reporting unit as more fully discussed in the Overview above. During Fiscal 2009, the Company recorded impairment losses of $300.4 million, consisting of impairments of goodwill and certain trademarks of $252.8 million and $47.6 million, respectively, related primarily to its Constellation Wines segment’s U.K. reporting unit.

          Restructuring Charges

          The Company recorded $47.6 million of restructuring charges for Fiscal 2010 associated primarily with the Company’s Global Initiative and Australian Initiative. Restructuring charges included $25.0 million of employee termination benefit costs, $7.6 million of contract termination costs, $1.6 million of facility consolidation/relocation costs, and $13.4 million of impairment charges on assets sold or held for sale in Australia. The Company recorded $68.0 million of restructuring charges for Fiscal 2009 associated primarily with the Company’s Australian Initiative.

          In addition, the Company incurred additional costs for Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009 in connection with the Company’s restructuring and acquisition-related integration plans. Total costs incurred in connection with these plans for Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009 are as follows:

		Fiscal
		2010				2009
(in millions)
Cost of Product Sold
Accelerated depreciation		$	17.7			$	11.2
Inventory write-downs		$	1.6			$	56.8
Other		$	4.7			$	-
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Other costs		$	42.4			$	24.2
Impairment of Intangible Assets		$	-			$	22.2
Restructuring Charges		$	47.6			$	68.0
Acquisition-Related Integration Costs (see below)		$	0.2			$	8.2

          The Company expects to incur the following costs in connection with its restructuring and acquisition-related integration plans for Fiscal 2011:

		Expected
		Fiscal
		2011
(in millions)
Cost of Product Sold
Accelerated depreciation		$	5.2
Other		$	0.3
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Other costs		$	7.6
Restructuring Charges		$	31.4
Acquisition-Related Integration Costs		$	0.3

          Acquisition-Related Integration Costs

          Acquisition-related integration costs decreased to $0.2 million for Fiscal 2010 from $8.2 million for Fiscal 2009. Acquisition-related integration costs for Fiscal 2010 consisted of facilities and other one-time costs recorded primarily in connection with the Company’s Fiscal 2008 Plan. The Fiscal 2008 Plan consists of (i) the Company’s plans (announced in November 2007) to streamline certain of its international operations, including the consolidation of certain winemaking and packaging operations in Australia, the buy-out of certain grape processing and wine storage contracts in Australia, equipment relocation costs in Australia, and certain employee termination costs; (ii) certain other restructuring charges incurred during the third quarter of fiscal 2008 in connection with the consolidation of certain spirits production processes in the U.S.; and (iii) the Company’s plans (announced in January 2008) to streamline certain of its operations in the U.S., primarily in connection with the restructuring and integration of the operations acquired in the BWE Acquisition. These initiatives are collectively referred to as the “Fiscal 2008 Plan.” Acquisition-related integration costs for Fiscal 2009 consisted of costs recorded primarily in connection with the Company’s Fiscal 2008 plan.

          Operating Income (Loss)

          The following table sets forth the operating income (loss) (in millions of dollars) by operating segment of the Company for Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009.

		Fiscal 2010 Compared to Fiscal 2009
		Operating Income (Loss)
										% (Decrease)
		2010				2009				Increase
Constellation Wines		$	654.9			$	691.4			(5	)%
Corporate Operations and Other			(94.7	)			(86.8	)		9	%
Crown Imports			444.1				504.1			(12	)%
Consolidations and eliminations			(444.1	)			(504.1	)		12	%
Total Operating Segments			560.2				604.6			(7	)%
Acquisition-Related Integration Costs, Restructuring Charges and Unusual Items			(248.7	)			(575.0	)		NM
Consolidated Operating Income		$	311.5			$	29.6			NM

          NM = Not Meaningful

          As a result of the factors discussed above, consolidated operating income increased to $311.5 million for Fiscal 2010 from $29.6 million for Fiscal 2009, an increase of $281.9 million. Acquisition-related integration costs, restructuring charges and unusual items of $248.7 million and $575.0 million for Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009, respectively, consist of certain costs that are excluded by management in their evaluation of the results of each operating segment. These costs include:

		Fiscal
		2010				2009
(in millions)
Cost of Product Sold
Accelerated depreciation		$	17.7			$	11.2
Flow through of inventory step-up			8.4				22.2
Inventory write-downs			1.6				56.8
Other			4.7				37.1
Cost of Product Sold			32.4				127.3

		Fiscal
		2010				2009
(in millions)
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Loss on contractual obligation from put option of Ruffino shareholder			34.3				-
(Gain) loss on sale of nonstrategic business/assets			(11.2	)			8.1
Net (gain) loss on March 2009 sale of value spirits business			(0.2	)			15.6
Loss on sale of Pacific Northwest Business			-				23.2
Other costs			42.4				24.2
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses			65.3				71.1
Impairment of Intangible Assets and Goodwill			103.2				300.4
Restructuring Charges			47.6				68.0
Acquisition-Related Integration Costs			0.2				8.2
Acquisition-Related Integration Costs, Restructuring Charges and Unusual Items		$	248.7			$	575.0

          Equity in Earnings of Equity Method Investees

          The Company’s equity in earnings of equity method investees increased to $213.6 million in Fiscal 2010 from $186.6 million in Fiscal 2009, an increase of $27.0 million, or 14%. This increase is primarily due to the recognition of a $25.4 million impairment loss recognized in Fiscal 2010 related to the Company’s Constellation Wines segment’s international equity method investment in Ruffino (as more fully discussed in the Overview above) as compared to $83.3 million of impairment losses recognized in Fiscal 2009. The increase in equity in earnings of equity method investees from lower impairment losses in Fiscal 2010 was partially offset by a decrease of $30.4 million in equity in earnings from the Company’s Crown Imports joint venture.

          Net sales for Crown Imports decreased to $2,256.2 million for Fiscal 2010 from $2,395.4 million for Fiscal 2009, a decrease of $139.2 million, or (6%). This decrease resulted primarily from lower volumes within the Crown Imports Mexican beer portfolio. Crown Imports gross profit decreased $59.0 million, or (8%), primarily due to these lower sales volumes and a contractual price increase in Mexican beer costs. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $1.0 million, primarily due to an increase in selling expenses as increased advertising spend by Crown Imports in connection with certain Fiscal 2010 national media programs was offset by contributions from the brand owner for this increased advertising spend in Fiscal 2010. Operating income decreased $60.0 million, or (12%), primarily due to these factors.

          Interest Expense, Net

          Interest expense, net of interest income of $10.4 million and $3.8 million, for Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009, respectively, decreased to $265.1 million for Fiscal 2010 from $323.0 million for Fiscal 2009, a decrease of $57.9 million, or (18%). This decrease was primarily due to lower average borrowings for Fiscal 2010 resulting predominantly from the repayment of a portion of the Company’s outstanding borrowings using the proceeds from the sale of the value spirits business and the U.K. cider business.

          Provision for Income Taxes

          The Company’s effective tax rate for Fiscal 2010 of 61.7% was driven largely by (i) a nondeductible portion of the impairment loss related to certain trademarks of $93.7 million, (ii) the recognition of nondeductible charges of $59.7 million related to the Company’s Ruffino investment; and (iii) $37.5 million of taxes associated with the sale of the value spirits business, primarily related to the write-off of nondeductible goodwill; partially offset by a decrease in uncertain tax positions of $33.0 million in connection with the completion of various income tax examinations during Fiscal 2010. The Company’s effective tax rate for Fiscal 2009 of (182.2%) was impacted primarily by (i) a nondeductible portion of the impairment losses related to goodwill, equity method investments and certain trademarks of $268.8 million, $83.3 million and $23.6 million, respectively; (ii) the recognition of a valuation allowance of $67.4 million against net operating losses primarily in Australia resulting largely from the Australian Initiative; and (iii) the recognition of income tax expense in connection with the gain on settlement of certain foreign currency economic hedges.

          Net (Loss) Income

          As a result of the above factors, net income increased to $99.3 million for Fiscal 2010 from a net loss of $301.4 million for Fiscal 2009, or $400.7 million.

Fiscal 2009 Compared to Fiscal 2008

          Net Sales

          The following table sets forth the net sales (in millions of dollars) by operating segment of the Company for Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008.

		Fiscal 2009 Compared to Fiscal 2008
		Net Sales
										% Increase
		2009				2008				(Decrease)
Constellation Wines:
Branded wine		$	3,015.3			$	3,016.9			-
Spirits			418.7				414.2			1	%
Other			220.6				341.9			(35	)%
Constellation Wines net sales			3,654.6				3,773.0			(3	)%
Crown Imports net sales			2,395.4				2,391.0			-
Consolidations and eliminations			(2,395.4	)			(2,391.0	)		-
Consolidated Net Sales		$	3,654.6			$	3,773.0			(3	)%

          Net sales for Fiscal 2009 decreased to $3,654.6 million from $3,773.0 million for Fiscal 2008, a decrease of $118.4 million, or (3%). This decrease was driven primarily by a reduction in wholesale and other net sales resulting largely from the accounting for the Matthew Clark investment under the equity method of accounting. A decrease in branded wine net sales due to the divestitures of the Almaden and Inglenook wine brands and the Pacific Northwest wine brands of $128.4 million and an unfavorable year-over-year foreign currency translation impact of $108.8 million was partially offset by net sales of branded wine acquired in the BWE Acquisition of $147.3 million and the Company’s Fiscal 2008 initiative to reduce distributor wine inventory levels in the U.S.

          The Company’s Constellation Wines segment implemented a program to reduce distributor wine inventory levels in the U.S. during the first half of fiscal 2008, in response to the consolidation of distributors over the past few years and supply chain technology improvements. As distributors were looking to operate with lower levels of inventory while maintaining appropriate service levels to retailers, the Company has worked closely with its distributors to improve supply-chain efficiencies. The Company substantially completed its reduction of distributor wine inventory levels during the second quarter of fiscal 2008. This initiative had a significant impact on the Company’s Fiscal 2008 financial performance, including a reduction of net sales of approximately $110 million.

          Constellation Wines

          Net sales for Constellation Wines decreased to $3,654.6 million for Fiscal 2009 from $3,773.0 million in Fiscal 2008, a decrease of $118.4 million, or (3%). Branded wine net sales decreased $1.6 million primarily due to the decrease in net sales associated with the divestitures of the Almaden and Inglenook wine brands and the Pacific Northwest wine brands of $128.4 million and an unfavorable year-over-year foreign currency translation impact of $108.8 million substantially offset by the net sales of branded wine acquired in the BWE Acquisition of $147.3 million and the benefit from the distributor wine inventory reduction initiative discussed above. Spirits net sales increased $4.5 million primarily due to net sales growth within the Company’s branded spirits portfolio, which was driven primarily by SVEDKA, partially offset by a decrease in contract production services net sales of $21.3 million resulting predominantly from the Company’s August 2008 sale of a nonstrategic Canadian distilling facility. Other net sales decreased $121.3 million primarily due to the accounting for the Matthew Clark investment under the equity method of accounting.

          Crown Imports

          As this segment is eliminated in consolidation, see “Equity in Earnings of Equity Method Investees” below for a discussion of Crown Imports net sales, gross profit, selling, general and administrative expenses, and operating income.

          Gross Profit

          The Company’s gross profit decreased to $1,230.0 million for Fiscal 2009 from $1,281.5 million for Fiscal 2008, a decrease of $51.5 million, or (4%). This decrease was driven primarily by an increase in unusual items, which consist of certain amounts that are excluded by management in their evaluation of the results of each operating segment, which were higher by $93.7 million in Fiscal 2009 versus Fiscal 2008. This increase resulted predominantly from (i) an increase in inventory write-downs of $83.7 million in Fiscal 2009 in connection primarily with the Company’s Australian Initiative of $53.9 million and a loss of $37.0 million on the adjustment of certain inventory, primarily Australian, related to prior years; and (ii) increased flow through of inventory step-up of $10.8 million associated primarily with the BWE Acquisition. The Constellation Wines segment’s gross profit increased $42.2 million primarily due to higher U.S. base branded wine gross profit resulting largely from increased gross profit of $69.5 million due to the BWE Acquisition and the benefit from the Company’s Fiscal 2008 distributor wine inventory reduction initiative, partially offset by reduced gross profit in the U.K. largely attributed to the increasing duty and an unfavorable year-over-year foreign currency translation impact of $28.7 million.

          Gross profit as a percent of net sales decreased to 33.7% for Fiscal 2009 from 34.0% for Fiscal 2008 primarily due to the higher unusual items, partially offset by (i) the benefit of reporting the lower margin U.K. wholesale business under the equity method of accounting for Fiscal 2009, (ii) the benefit from the divestiture of the lower margin Almaden and Inglenook wine brands and the Pacific Northwest wine brands, and (iii) sales of higher margin wine brands acquired in the BWE Acquisition.

          Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

          Selling, general and administrative expenses increased to $823.8 million for Fiscal 2009 from $800.8 million for Fiscal 2008, an increase of $23.0 million, or 2.9%. This increase is due to an increase in unusual items which consist of certain amounts that are excluded by management in their evaluation of the results of each operating segment of $34.0 million and an increase of $7.8 million in the Corporate Operations and Other segment, partially offset by a decrease of $18.8 million in the Constellation Wines segment. The increase in unusual items was primarily due to the recognition in Fiscal 2009 of losses of $23.2 million and $15.6 million in connection with the June 2008 sale of the Pacific Northwest Business and the loss, primarily on assets held for sale, in connection with the March 2009 sale of the value spirits business, respectively, and an increase of $14.3 million of costs in connection with the Company’s Fiscal 2007 Wine Plan, partially offset by the loss on the sale of the Company’s Almaden and Inglenook wine brands and certain other assets of $27.8 million recognized in Fiscal 2008. The increase in the Corporate Operations and Other segment’s selling, general and administrative expenses is primarily due to higher consulting service fees associated with the Company’s review of its businesses and process improvement opportunities and an increase of $6.7 million of stock-based compensation expense, partially offset by lower annual management incentive compensation expense. The decrease in the Constellation Wines segment’s selling, general and administrative expenses is largely due to (i) a favorable year-over-year foreign currency translation impact and (ii) lower general and administrative expenses resulting primarily from increased cost reduction efforts, partially offset by higher losses on foreign currency transactions and higher selling expenses within the Constellation Wines segment.

          Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percent of net sales increased to 22.5% for Fiscal 2009 as compared to 21.2% for Fiscal 2008 primarily due to the higher unusual items, combined with increased losses on foreign currency transactions within the Constellation Wines segment and higher stock-based compensation expense, partially offset by the incremental benefit from the BWE Acquisition and the lower annual management incentive compensation expense.

          Impairment of Intangible Assets and Goodwill

          During Fiscal 2009, the Company recorded impairment losses of $300.4 million, consisting of impairments of goodwill and intangible assets of $252.8 million and $47.6 million, respectively, related primarily to its Constellation Wines segment’s U.K. reporting unit. During Fiscal 2008, the Company recorded impairment losses of $812.2 million, consisting of impairments of goodwill and intangible assets of $599.9 million and $212.3 million, respectively, related primarily to its Constellation Wines segment’s Australian and U.K. reporting units.

          Restructuring Charges

          The Company recorded $68.0 million of restructuring charges for Fiscal 2009 associated primarily with the Australian Initiative. Restructuring charges included $16.5 million of employee termination benefit costs, $3.2 million of contract termination costs, $1.8 million of facility consolidation/relocation costs, and $46.5 million of impairment charges on assets sold or held for sale in Australia. The Company recorded $6.9 million of restructuring charges for Fiscal 2008 associated primarily with the Company’s Fiscal 2008 Plan and the Company’s Fiscal 2006 Plan (as defined below) of $12.0 million, partially offset by the reversal of prior accruals of $5.1 million related primarily to the Company’s plan to restructure and integrate the operations of Vincor International Inc. (“Vincor”) (the “Vincor Plan”). The Company acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Vincor, Canada’s premier wine company, in June 2006 (the “Vincor Acquisition”). The Fiscal 2006 Plan consists of the Company’s worldwide wine reorganizations and the Company’s program to consolidate certain west coast production processes in the U.S., both announced during Fiscal 2006.

          In addition, the Company incurred additional costs for Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008 in connection with the Company’s restructuring and acquisition-related integration plans. Total costs incurred in connection with these plans for Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008 are as follows:

		Fiscal
		2009				2008
(in millions)
Cost of Product Sold
Inventory write-downs		$	56.8			$	10.1
Accelerated depreciation		$	11.2			$	12.0
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Other costs		$	24.2			$	2.2
Impairment of Intangible Assets		$	22.2			$	7.4
Restructuring Charges		$	68.0			$	6.9
Acquisition-Related Integration Costs (see below)		$	8.2			$	11.8

          Acquisition-Related Integration Costs

          Acquisition-related integration costs decreased to $8.2 million for Fiscal 2009 from $11.8 million for Fiscal 2008. Acquisition-related integration costs for Fiscal 2009 consisted of costs recorded primarily in connection with the Company’s Fiscal 2008 Plan. The Fiscal 2009 costs included $2.5 million of employee-related costs and $5.7 million of facilities and other one-time costs. Acquisition-related integration costs for Fiscal 2008 consisted of costs recorded primarily in connection with the Vincor Plan.

          Operating Income (Loss)

          The following table sets forth the operating income (loss) (in millions of dollars) by operating segment of the Company for Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008.

		Fiscal 2009 Compared to Fiscal 2008
		Operating Income (Loss)
										% Increase
		2009				2008				(Decrease)
Constellation Wines		$	691.4			$	630.4				10 %
Corporate Operations and Other			(86.8	)			(79.0	)			(10)%
Crown Imports			504.1				509.0				(1) %
Consolidations and eliminations			(504.1	)			(509.0	)			1  %
Total Operating Segments			604.6				551.4				10 %
Acquisition-Related Integration Costs, Restructuring Charges and Unusual Items			(575.0	)			(901.6	)		NM
Consolidated Operating Income (Loss)		$	29.6			$	(350.2	)		NM

          As a result of the factors discussed above, consolidated operating income increased to $29.6 million for Fiscal 2009 from a consolidated operating loss of $350.2 million for Fiscal 2008, an increase of $379.8 million. Acquisition-related integration costs, restructuring charges and unusual items of $575.0 million and $901.6 million for Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008, respectively, consist of certain amounts that are excluded by management in their evaluation of the results of each operating segment. These amounts include:

		Fiscal
		2009				2008
(in millions)
Cost of Product Sold
Flow through of inventory step-up		$	22.2			$	11.4
Inventory write-downs			56.8				10.1
Accelerated depreciation			11.2				12.0
Other			37.1				0.1
Cost of Product Sold			127.3				33.6
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Loss on sale of Pacific Northwest Business			23.2				-
Loss, primarily on assets held for sale, in connection with the March 2009 sale of the value spirits business			15.6				-
Loss (gain) on sale of nonstrategic assets			8.1				(4.8	)
Loss on sale of Almaden and Inglenook wine brands and certain other assets			-				27.8
Loss on the contribution of the U.K. wholesale business			-				6.6
Other costs			24.2				7.5
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses			71.1				37.1
Impairment of Goodwill and Intangible Assets			300.4				812.2
Restructuring Charges			68.0				6.9
Acquisition-Related Integration Costs			8.2				11.8
Acquisition-Related Integration Costs, Restructuring Charges and Unusual Items		$	575.0			$	901.6

          Equity in Earnings of Equity Method Investees

          The Company’s equity in earnings of equity method investees decreased to $186.6 million in Fiscal 2009 from $257.9 million in Fiscal 2008, a decrease of $71.3 million, or (28%). This decrease is primarily due to $83.3 million of impairment losses recognized in Fiscal 2009 on certain of the Company’s international equity method investments, primarily in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, as compared to a $15.1 million impairment loss recognized in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008.

          Net sales for Crown Imports increased slightly to $2,395.4 million for Fiscal 2009 from $2,391.0 million for Fiscal 2008, an increase of $4.4 million. Crown Imports gross profit decreased $21.3 million, as the slight increase in net sales was more than offset by a contractual price increase in Mexican beer costs. Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased $16.4 million, primarily due to a decrease in advertising spend resulting from timing of marketing activities. Operating income decreased $4.9 million, or (1%), primarily due to these factors.

          Interest Expense, Net

          Interest expense, net of interest income of $3.8 million and $5.7 million, for Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008, respectively, decreased to $323.0 million for Fiscal 2009 from $348.3 million for Fiscal 2008, a decrease of $25.3 million, or (7%). This was primarily due to lower average interest rates for Fiscal 2009.

          Provision for Income Taxes

          The Company’s effective tax rate for Fiscal 2009 of (182.2%) was driven largely by (i) a nondeductible portion of the impairment losses related to goodwill, equity method investments and certain trademarks of $268.8 million, $83.3 million and $23.6 million, respectively; (ii) the recognition of a valuation allowance of $67.4 million against net operating losses primarily in Australia resulting largely from the Australian Initiative; and (iii) the recognition of income tax expense in connection with the gain on settlement of certain foreign currency economic hedges. The Company’s effective tax rate for Fiscal 2008 of (39.2%) was impacted primarily by a nondeductible portion of the impairment losses related to goodwill and certain other intangible assets of $599.9 million and $177.0 million, respectively. In addition, the Company recorded a valuation allowance against net operating loss carryforwards in Australia of $51.7 million for Fiscal 2008.

          Net (Loss) Income

          As a result of the above factors, net loss decreased to a net loss of $301.4 million for Fiscal 2009 from a net loss of $613.3 million for Fiscal 2008, or $311.9 million.

Financial Liquidity and Capital Resources

General

          The Company’s principal use of cash in its operating activities is for purchasing and carrying inventories and carrying seasonal accounts receivable. The Company’s primary source of liquidity has historically been cash flow from operations, except during annual grape harvests when the Company has relied on short-term borrowings. In the U.S. and Canada, the annual grape crush normally begins in August and runs through October. In Australia and New Zealand, the annual grape crush normally begins in February and runs through May. The Company generally begins taking delivery of grapes at the beginning of the crush season with payments for such grapes beginning to come due one month later. The Company’s short-term borrowings to support such purchases generally reach their highest levels one to two months after the crush season has ended. Historically, the Company has used cash flow from operating activities to repay its short-term borrowings and fund capital expenditures. The Company will continue to use its short-term borrowings to support its working capital requirements.

          While certain conditions in the worldwide and domestic economies may be showing signs of improvement, there continues to be volatility in the capital markets, diminished liquidity and credit availability, and increased counterparty risk. Nevertheless, the Company has maintained adequate liquidity to meet current working capital requirements, fund capital expenditures, repay scheduled principal and interest payments on debt, and prepay certain future principal payments on debt. Absent further severe deterioration of market conditions, the Company believes that cash flows from operating activities and its financing activities, primarily short-term borrowings, will provide adequate resources to satisfy its working capital, scheduled principal and interest payments on debt, and anticipated capital expenditure requirements for both its short-term and long-term capital needs.

          As of April 21, 2010, the Company had $308.0 million in revolving loans available to be drawn under its 2006 Credit Agreement. The member financial institutions participating in the Company’s 2006 Credit Agreement have complied with prior funding requests and the Company believes the member financial institutions will comply with ongoing funding requests. However, there can be no assurances that any particular financial institution will continue to do so in the future.

Fiscal 2010 Cash Flows

          Operating Activities

          Net cash provided by operating activities for Fiscal 2010 was $402.5 million, which resulted primarily from net income of $99.3 million, plus $312.0 million of net non-cash items charged to the Consolidated Statements of Operations and $47.1 million of other, net, less $55.9 million representing the net change in the Company’s operating assets and liabilities.

          The net non-cash items consisted primarily of depreciation expense, impairment of intangible assets and goodwill, stock-based compensation expense and loss on the contractual obligation from the put option of a Ruffino shareholder.

          Other, net, consists primarily of cash proceeds from the settlement of certain derivative instruments designated to hedge foreign currency risk associated with certain foreign currency denominated transactions. The net change in operating assets and liabilities resulted primarily from a decrease in other accrued expenses and liabilities of $110.6 million and a decrease of $42.7 million in accounts payable, partially offset by a decrease in accounts receivable, net, and inventories of $61.9 million and $51.0 million, respectively. The decrease in other accrued expenses and liabilities of $110.6 million is primarily due to higher income tax payments for Fiscal 2010 and lower accrued interest resulting primarily from the timing of interest payments. The decrease in accounts payable of $42.7 million is due largely to lower grape grower payables in Australia associated with the calendar 2010 harvest and the timing of payments in the U.K. business. The decrease in accounts receivable, net, of $61.9 million primarily reflects the impact of the reduced branded wine net sales in the U.S. during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 and the liquidation of the accounts receivable balances associated with the January 2010 divestiture of the U.K. cider business. The decrease in inventories of $51.0 million is primarily due to the flow through of the higher calendar 2008 Australian harvest costs in Fiscal 2010, partially offset by an increase in the Company’s U.S. branded wine inventory levels resulting largely from the reduced branded wine net sales in the U.S. during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010.

          Investing Activities

          Net cash provided by investing activities for Fiscal 2010 was $256.6 million, which resulted primarily from the proceeds of $349.6 million from the divestitures of the value spirits business and the U.K. cider business, both net of direct costs to sell, partially offset by $107.7 million of capital expenditures.

          Financing Activities

          Net cash used in financing activities for Fiscal 2010 was $623.0 million resulting primarily from principal payments of long-term debt of $781.3 million, partially offset by proceeds from notes payable of $117.1 million and proceeds from maturity of a derivative instrument of $33.2 million.

Fiscal 2009 Cash Flows

          Operating Activities

          Net cash provided by operating activities for Fiscal 2009 was $506.9 million, which resulted primarily from a net loss of $301.4 million, plus $748.0 million of net non-cash items charged to the Consolidated Statements of Operations and $159.3 million of other, net, less $99.0 million representing the net change in the Company’s operating assets and liabilities.

          The net non-cash items consisted primarily of impairment losses of goodwill and intangible assets; depreciation of property, plant and equipment; equity in earnings of equity method investees, net of distributed earnings; and the write-down of inventory in Australia.

          The net change in operating assets and liabilities resulted primarily from an increase in inventories of $86.0 million and a decrease in other accrued expenses and liabilities of $95.0 million, partially offset by a decrease in accounts receivable of $87.4 million. The offsetting increase in inventories and decrease in accounts receivable are both attributable primarily to lower net sales for the Company’s fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 compared to the Company’s fourth quarter of fiscal 2008. The decrease in other accrued expenses and liabilities is primarily attributable to an increase in cash paid for income taxes.

          Other, net, consisted primarily of (i) cash proceeds of $94.8 million from the settlement of certain foreign currency hedges which were designed to economically hedge foreign currency risk associated with certain foreign currency denominated intercompany balances; (ii) cash proceeds of $27.5 million for tenant allowances received in connection with the Company’s 19.5 year lease of a new warehousing and production facility in the U.K. as part of the Fiscal 2007 Wine Plan; (iii) $11.5 million of non-cash losses on certain foreign currency denominated intercompany balances, net of non-cash gains on certain foreign currency hedges which were designed to economically hedge foreign currency risk associated with these certain foreign currency denominated intercompany balances; (iv) a $9.1 million non-cash loss associated with the settlement of pension and postretirement liabilities as a result of the sale of a nonstrategic Canadian distilling facility; and (v) $7.4 million of non-cash losses on contractual obligations recorded in connection with the sale of the Pacific Northwest Business.

          Investing Activities

          Net cash provided by investing activities for Fiscal 2009 was $128.6 million, which resulted primarily from the proceeds from the sale of the Pacific Northwest Business of $204.2 million, net of direct costs to sell, less $128.6 million of capital expenditures.

          Financing Activities

          Net cash used in financing activities for Fiscal 2009 was $647.4 million resulting primarily from principal payments of long-term debt of $577.6 million and net repayment of notes payable of $109.7 million.

Share Repurchase Programs

          During February 2007, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $500.0 million of the Company’s Class A Common Stock and Class B Convertible Common Stock. During Fiscal 2008, the Company repurchased 21,332,468 shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to this authorization at an aggregate cost of $500.0 million, or an average cost of $23.44 per share, through a combination of open market transactions and an accelerated share repurchase (“ASR”) transaction that was announced in May 2007. The repurchased shares include 933,206 shares of Class A Common Stock that were received by the Company in July 2007 in connection with the early termination of the calculation period for the ASR transaction by the counterparty to the ASR transaction. The Company used revolver borrowings under the June 2006 Credit Agreement, as amended in February 2007, to pay the purchase price for the repurchased shares. The repurchased shares became treasury shares.

          In April 2010, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $300.0 million of the Company’s Class A Common Stock and Class B Convertible Common Stock. Pursuant to this authorization, in April 2010, the Company entered into a collared accelerated stock buyback (“ASB”) transaction under which the Company repurchased $300.0 million of the Company’s Class A Common Stock. The ASB transaction is designed to enable the Company to repurchase a large number of shares at price that represents a discount to the trading price of the shares over a reasonable period so long as the average price stays above a negotiated level. The actual number of shares to which the Company is entitled will generally be based on the average of the daily volume weighted average prices (“VWAP”) of the Company’s Class A Common Stock over a calculation period (scheduled to end on November 24, 2010, subject to being shortened by the counterparty to the ASB transaction), subject to a minimum and maximum number of shares based on the average of the daily VWAP of the Company’s Class A Common Stock over a hedge period (scheduled to end on May 17, 2010, subject to being shortened by the counterparty to the ASB transaction) and subject to the other terms of the ASB transaction. The Company paid the purchase price under the ASB transaction on April 21, 2010, at which time it received an initial installment of 11,016,451 shares, which have become treasury shares. The Company will be entitled to receive additional shares pursuant to the ASB transaction following the end of the hedge period, absent extraordinary circumstances, and may be entitled to receive additional shares following the end of the calculation period. The Company used revolver borrowings under the 2006 Credit Agreement to pay the purchase price for the repurchased shares.

Debt

          Total debt outstanding as of February 28, 2010, amounted to $3,835.5 million, a decrease of $598.1 million from February 28, 2009. The ratio of total debt to total capitalization decreased to 59.8% as of February 28, 2010, from 69.9% as of February 28, 2009, primarily as a result of the decrease in total debt outstanding.

          Senior Credit Facility

          2006 Credit Agreement

          On June 5, 2006, the Company and certain of its U.S. subsidiaries, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as a lender and administrative agent, and certain other agents, lenders, and financial institutions entered into a new credit agreement (the “June 2006 Credit Agreement”). On February 23, 2007, November 19, 2007, and January 25, 2010, the June 2006 Credit Agreement was amended (collectively, the “June 2006 Credit Agreement Amendments”). The June 2006 Credit Agreement together with the June 2006 Credit Agreement Amendments is referred to as the “2006 Credit Agreement.” The 2006 Credit Agreement provides for aggregate credit facilities of $3,842.0 million, consisting of (i) a $1,200.0 million tranche A term loan facility with a final maturity in June 2011 (the “Tranche A Term Loans”), (ii) a $1,800.0 million tranche B term loan facility, of which $1,500.0 million has a final maturity in June 2013 (the “2013 Tranche B Term Loans”) and $300.0 million has a final maturity in June 2015 (the “2015 Tranche B Term Loans”), and (iii) an $842.0 million revolving credit facility (including a sub-facility for letters of credit of up to $200 million), of which $192.0 million terminates in June 2011 (the “2011 Revolving Facility”) and $650.0 million terminates in June 2013 (the “2013 Revolving Facility”). The Company uses its revolving credit facility under the 2006 Credit Agreement for general corporate purposes.

          As of February 28, 2010, the required principal repayments of the tranche A term loan facility and the tranche B term loan facility for each of the five succeeding fiscal years and thereafter are as follows:

		Tranche A				Tranche B
		Term Loan				Term Loan
		Facility				Facility				Total
(in millions)
2011		$	171.1			$	-			$	171.1
2012			150.0				5.5				155.5
2013			-				466.4				466.4
2014			-				465.1				465.1
2015			-				146.3				146.3
Thereafter			-				144.7				144.7
		$	321.1			$	1,228.0			$	1,549.1

          The rate of interest on borrowings under the 2006 Credit Agreement is a function of LIBOR plus a margin, the federal funds rate plus a margin, or the prime rate plus a margin. The margin is adjustable based upon the Company’s debt ratio (as defined in the 2006 Credit Agreement) with respect to the Tranche A Term Loans, the 2011 Revolving Facility and the 2013 Revolving Facility, and is fixed with respect to the 2013 Tranche B Term Loans and the 2015 Tranche B Term Loans. As of February 28, 2010, the LIBOR margin for the Tranche A Term Loan and the 2011 Revolving Facility is 1.25%; the LIBOR margin for the 2013 Revolving Facility is 2.50%; the LIBOR margin for the 2013 Tranche B Term Loans is 1.50%; and the LIBOR margin on the 2015 Tranche B Term Loans is 2.75%.

          The February 23, 2007, amendment amended the June 2006 Credit Agreement to, among other things, (i) increase the revolving credit facility from $500.0 million to $900.0 million, which increased the aggregate credit facilities from $3,500.0 million to $3,900.0 million; (ii) increase the aggregate amount of cash payments the Company is permitted to make in respect or on account of its capital stock; (iii) remove certain limitations on the incurrence of senior unsecured indebtedness and the application of proceeds thereof; (iv) increase the maximum permitted total “Debt Ratio” and decrease the required minimum “Interest Coverage Ratio”; and (v) eliminate the “Senior Debt Ratio” covenant and the “Fixed Charges Ratio” covenant. The November 19, 2007, amendment clarified certain provisions governing the incurrence of senior unsecured indebtedness and the application of proceeds thereof under the June 2006 Credit Agreement, as previously amended. The January 25, 2010, amendment, among other things, (i) decreased the revolving credit facility from $900.0 million to $842.0 million through June 2011, which decreased the aggregate credit facilities from $3,900.0 million to $3,842.0 million; (ii) extended the maturity date with respect to $650.0 million of the revolving credit facility from June 2011 to June 2013; (iii) extended the maturity date with respect to $300.0 million of the tranche B term loan facility from June 2013 to June 2015; (iv) increased the margin applicable to the 2013 Revolving Facility and the 2015 Tranche B Term Loans by 1.25%; (v) permitted the Company to make an optional prepayment of its January 2002 Senior Subordinate Notes (as defined below) using proceeds from borrowings under the revolving credit facility; and (vi) excluded certain non-cash charges from the calculation of the Company’s consolidated net income, which is used for purposes of determining the amount of certain cash payments that the Company is permitted to make in respect of its capital stock.

          The Company’s obligations are guaranteed by certain of its U.S. subsidiaries. These obligations are also secured by a pledge of (i) 100% of the ownership interests in certain of the Company’s U.S. subsidiaries and (ii) 65% of the voting capital stock of certain of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries.

          The Company and its subsidiaries are also subject to covenants that are contained in the 2006 Credit Agreement, including those restricting the incurrence of additional indebtedness (including guarantees of indebtedness), additional liens, mergers and consolidations, the disposition or acquisition of property, the payment of dividends, transactions with affiliates and the making of certain investments, in each case subject to numerous conditions, exceptions and thresholds. The financial covenants are limited to maintaining a maximum total debt coverage ratio and minimum interest coverage ratio.

          As of February 28, 2010, under the 2006 Credit Agreement, the Company had outstanding Tranche A Term Loans of $321.1 million bearing an interest rate of 1.5%, 2013 Tranche B Term Loans of $928.0 million bearing an interest rate of 1.8%, 2015 Tranche B Term Loans of $300.0 million bearing an interest rate of 3.0%, 2011 Revolving Facility of $104.6 million bearing an interest rate of 2.0%, 2013 Revolving Facility of $184.7 million bearing an interest rate of 3.1%, outstanding letters of credit of $34.8 million, and $517.9 million in revolving loans available to be drawn.

          As of April 21, 2010, under the 2006 Credit Agreement, the Company had outstanding Tranche A Term Loans of $321.1 million bearing an interest rate of 1.5%, 2013 Tranche B Term Loans of $928.0 million bearing an interest rate of 1.8%, 2015 Tranche B Term Loans of $300.0 million bearing an interest rate 3.0%, 2011 Revolving Facility of $103.7 million bearing an interest rate of 1.7%, 2013 Revolving Facility of $396.2 million bearing an interest rate of 2.9%, outstanding letters of credit of $34.1 million, and $308.0 million in revolving loans available to be drawn.

          In April 2009, the Company transitioned its interest rate swap agreements to a one-month LIBOR base rate versus the then existing three-month LIBOR base rate. Accordingly, the Company entered into new interest rate swap agreements which were designated as cash flow hedges of $1,200.0 million of the Company’s floating LIBOR rate debt. In addition, the then existing interest rate swap agreements were dedesignated by the Company and the Company entered into additional undesignated interest rate swap agreements for $1,200.0 million to offset the prospective impact of the newly undesignated interest rate swap agreements. As a result, the Company fixed its interest rates on $1,200.0 million of the Company’s floating LIBOR rate debt at an average rate of 4.0% through February 28, 2010. For Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008, the Company reclassified net losses of $27.7 million, $12.6 million and $7.1 million, net of income tax effect, respectively, from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income to interest expense, net on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

          Senior Notes

          In February 2001, the Company issued $200.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8% Senior Notes due February 2008 (the “February 2001 Senior Notes”). On February 15, 2008, the Company repaid the February 2001 Senior Notes with proceeds from its revolving credit facility under the June 2006 Credit Agreement, as amended in February 2007 and November 2007.

          In November 1999, the Company issued £75.0 million ($121.7 million upon issuance) aggregate principal amount of 8 1/2% Senior Notes due November 2009 (the “Sterling Senior Notes”). In March 2000, the Company exchanged £75.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8 1/2% Series B Senior Notes due November 2009 (the “Sterling Series B Senior Notes”) for all of the Sterling Senior Notes. In October 2000, the Company exchanged £74.0 million aggregate principal amount of Sterling Series C Senior Notes (as defined below) for £74.0 million of the Sterling Series B Notes. On May 15, 2000, the Company issued £80.0 million ($120.0 million upon issuance) aggregate principal amount of 8 1/2% Series C Senior Notes due November 2009 (the “Sterling Series C Senior Notes”). In November 2009, the Company repaid the Sterling Series B Senior Notes and the Sterling Series C Senior Notes with proceeds from its revolving credit facility under the June 2006 Credit Agreement, as amended in February 2007 and November 2007, and cash flows from operating activities.

          In February 2009, the Company entered into a foreign currency forward contract to fix the U.S. dollar payment of the Sterling Series B Senior Notes and Sterling Series C Senior Notes. In accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) guidance for derivatives and hedging, this foreign currency forward contract qualified for cash flow hedge accounting treatment. In November 2009, the Company received $33.2 million of proceeds from the maturity of this derivative instrument. This amount is reported in cash flows from financing activities on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for Fiscal 2010.

          As of February 28, 2010, the Company had outstanding $695.0 million (net of $5.0 million unamortized discount) aggregate principal amount of 7 1/4% Senior Notes due September 2016 (the “August 2006 Senior Notes”).

          On May 14, 2007, the Company issued $700.0 million aggregate principal amount of 7 1/4% Senior Notes due May 2017 (the “Original May 2007 Senior Notes”). The net proceeds of the offering ($693.9 million) were used to reduce a corresponding amount of borrowings under the revolving portion of the Company’s June 2006 Credit Agreement, as amended in February 2007. In January 2008, the Company exchanged $700.0 million aggregate principal amount of 7 1/4% Senior Notes due May 2017 (the “May 2007 Senior Notes”) for all of the Original May 2007 Senior Notes. The terms of the May 2007 Senior Notes are substantially identical in all material respects to the Original May 2007 Senior Notes, except that the May 2007 Senior Notes are registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. As of February 28, 2010, the Company had outstanding $700.0 million aggregate principal amount of May 2007 Senior Notes.

          On December 5, 2007, the Company issued $500.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8 3/8% Senior Notes due December 2014 at an issuance price of $496.7 million (net of $3.3 million unamortized discount, with an effective interest rate of 8.5%) (the “December 2007 Senior Notes”). The net proceeds of the offering ($492.2 million) were used to fund a portion of the purchase price of BWE. As of February 28, 2010, the Company had outstanding $497.6 million (net of $2.4 million unamortized discount) aggregate principal amount of December 2007 Senior Notes.

          The senior notes described above are redeemable, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company at any time at a redemption price equal to 100% of the outstanding principal amount plus a make whole payment based on the present value of the future payments at the adjusted Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points. The senior notes are senior unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of payment to all existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness of the Company. Certain of the Company’s significant U.S. operating subsidiaries guarantee the senior notes, on a senior unsecured basis.

          Senior Subordinated Notes

          On January 23, 2002, the Company issued $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8 1/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due January 2012 (the “January 2002 Senior Subordinated Notes”). On February 25, 2010, the Company repaid the January 2002 Senior Subordinated Notes with proceeds from its revolving credit facility under the 2006 Credit Agreement and cash flows from operating activities.

          Subsidiary Credit Facilities

          The Company has additional credit arrangements totaling $266.3 million as of February 28, 2010. These arrangements primarily support the financing needs of the Company’s domestic and foreign subsidiary operations. Interest rates and other terms of these borrowings vary from country to country, depending on local market conditions. As of February 28, 2010, amounts outstanding under these arrangements were $104.5 million.

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

          The following table sets forth information about the Company’s long-term contractual obligations outstanding at February 28, 2010. The table brings together data for easy reference from the consolidated balance sheet and from individual notes to the Company’s consolidated financial statements. See Notes 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements located in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a detailed discussion of the items noted in the following table.

		PAYMENTS DUE BY PERIOD
						Less than												After
		Total				1 year				1-3 years				3-5 years				5 years
(in millions)
Contractual obligations
Notes payable to banks		$	371.2			$	371.2			$	-			$	-			$	-
Interest payments on notes payable to banks(1)			9.4				9.4				-				-				-
Long-term debt (excluding unamortized discount)			3,471.7				187.2				625.5				1,114.2				1,544.8
Interest payments on long-term debt(2)			1,045.7				183.6				331.2				301.1				229.8
Operating leases			546.5				81.3				113.5				74.3				277.4
Other long-term liabilities(3)			283.6				87.6				76.9				38.7				80.4
Unconditional purchase obligations(4)			1,782.9				386.5				536.7				265.7				594.0
Total contractual obligations		$	7,511.0			$	1,306.8			$	1,683.8			$	1,794.0			$	2,726.4

Capital Expenditures

          During Fiscal 2010, the Company incurred $107.7 million for capital expenditures. The Company plans to spend from $110 million to $130 million for capital expenditures in Fiscal 2011. Included within the planned expenditures for Fiscal 2011 are amounts associated with the Company’s Project Fusion. Management reviews the capital expenditure program periodically and modifies it as required to meet current business needs.

Effects of Inflation and Changing Prices

          The Company’s results of operations and financial condition have not been significantly affected by inflation and changing prices. The Company intends to pass along rising costs through increased selling prices, subject to normal competitive conditions. There can be no assurances, however, that the Company will be able to pass along rising costs through increased selling prices. In addition, the Company continues to identify on-going cost savings initiatives.

Critical Accounting Policies

          The Company’s significant accounting policies are more fully described in Note 1 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements located in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. However, certain of the Company’s accounting policies are particularly important to the portrayal of the Company’s financial position and results of operations and require the application of significant judgment by the Company’s management; as a result they are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty. In applying those policies, the Company’s management uses its judgment to determine the appropriate assumptions to be used in the determination of certain estimates. Those estimates are based on the Company’s historical experience, the Company’s observance of trends in the industry, information provided by the Company’s customers and information available from other outside sources, as appropriate. On an ongoing basis, the Company reviews its estimates to ensure that they appropriately reflect changes in the Company’s business. The Company’s critical accounting policies include:

•

Inventory valuation. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market, cost being determined on the first-in, first-out method. The Company assesses the valuation of its inventories and reduces the carrying value of those inventories that are obsolete or in excess of the Company’s forecasted usage to their estimated net realizable value. The Company estimates the net realizable value of such inventories based on analyses and assumptions including, but not limited to, historical usage, future demand and market requirements. Reductions to the carrying value of inventories are recorded in cost of product sold. If the future demand for the Company’s products is less favorable than the Company’s forecasts, then the value of the inventories may be required to be reduced, which could result in material additional expense to the Company and have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial statements. Inventories were $1,879.9 million and $1,828.7 million as of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, respectively.

	•		Impairment of intangible assets and goodwill with indefinite lives. The Company is required to analyze its goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives, which consist primarily of trademarks, for impairment on an annual basis as well as when events and circumstances indicate that an impairment may have occurred. Certain factors that may occur and indicate that an impairment exists include, but are not limited to, operating results that are lower than expected and adverse industry or market economic trends. The impairment testing requires management to estimate the fair value of the assets, including the reporting unit goodwill, and record an impairment loss for the excess of the carrying value over the fair value. The estimate of fair value of the reporting unit is generally determined on the basis of discounted cash flows supplemented by the market approach. The Company’s reporting units include U.S., Canada, New Zealand, U.K. and Australia. The estimate of fair value of the intangible assets is generally determined on the basis of discounted cash flows. In estimating the fair value, management must make assumptions and projections regarding such items as future cash flows, future revenues, future earnings and other factors. The assumptions used in the estimate of fair value are consistent with historical trends and the projections and assumptions that are used in current operating plans. These assumptions reflect management’s estimates of future economic and competitive conditions and are, therefore, subject to change as a result of changing market conditions. If these estimates or their related assumptions change in the future, the Company may be required to record an impairment loss for these assets. The recording of any resulting impairment loss could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial statements. The most significant assumptions used in the discounted cash flows calculation to determine the fair value of the Company’s reporting units and the fair value of intangible assets with indefinite lives in connection with impairment testing are: (i) the discount rate, (ii) the expected long-term growth rate and (iii) the annual cash flow projections.
			If the Company used a discount rate that was 50 basis points higher or used an expected long-term growth rate that was 50 basis points lower or used annual cash flow projections that were 100 basis points lower in its impairment testing of goodwill, then the changes individually would not have resulted in the carrying value of the respective reporting unit’s net assets, including its goodwill, exceeding its fair value, which would indicate the potential for impairment and the requirement to measure the amount of impairment, if any. If the Company used a discount rate that was 50 basis points higher or used an expected long-term growth rate that was 50 basis points lower or used annual cash flow projections that were 100 basis points lower in its impairment testing of intangible assets with indefinite lives, then each change individually would not have resulted in any non-impaired unit of accounting’s carrying value exceeding its fair value.

			In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, pursuant to the Company’s accounting policy, the Company performed its annual goodwill impairment analysis. No indication of impairment was noted for any of the Company’s reporting units for the year ended February 28, 2010, as the fair value of each of the Company’s reporting units with goodwill exceeded their carrying value. Based on this analysis, the fair value of the Company’s Canada, New Zealand and U.S. reporting units exceeded their carrying value by approximately 21%, 14% and 14%, respectively. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, as a result of its annual goodwill impairment analysis, the Company concluded that the carrying amount of goodwill assigned to the Constellation Wines segment’s U.K. reporting unit exceeded its implied fair value and recorded an impairment loss of $252.7 million, which is included in impairment of intangible assets and goodwill on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008, as a result of its annual goodwill impairment analysis, the Company concluded that the carrying amounts of goodwill assigned to the Constellation Wines segment’s Australian and U.K. reporting units exceeded their implied fair values and recorded impairment losses of $599.9 million, which are included in impairment of intangible assets and goodwill on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. Goodwill was $2,570.6 million and $2,615.0 million as of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, respectively.
			In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, pursuant to the Company’s accounting policy, the Company performed its annual review of indefinite lived intangible assets for impairment. The Company determined that certain trademarks associated primarily with the Constellation Wines segment’s Australian reporting unit were impaired. As a result of this review, the Company recorded impairment losses of $103.2 million, which are included in impairment of intangible assets and goodwill on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, as a result of its annual review of indefinite lived intangible assets for impairment, the Company determined that certain trademarks associated primarily with the Constellation Wines segment’s U.K. reporting unit were impaired. As a result of this review, the Company recorded impairment losses of $25.9 million, which are included in impairment of intangible assets and goodwill on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company had previously recorded impairment losses of $21.8 million during its second quarter of fiscal 2009 in connection with the Company’s Australian Initiative. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008, as a result of its annual review of indefinite lived intangible assets for impairment, the Company determined that certain intangible assets associated with the Constellation Wines segment’s Australian and U.K. reporting units, primarily trademarks, were impaired. As a result of this review, the Company recorded impairment losses of $204.9 million, which are included in impairment of intangible assets and goodwill on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. Intangible assets with indefinite lives were $855.7 million and $924.9 million as of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, respectively.

	•		Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation. The Company adopted the fair value recognition provisions using the modified prospective transition method on March 1, 2006 in accordance with the FASB guidance for compensation — stock compensation. Under the fair value recognition provisions of this guidance, stock-based compensation cost is calculated at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as expense, net of estimated pre-vesting forfeitures, ratably over the vesting period of the award. In addition, this guidance requires additional accounting related to the income tax effects and disclosure regarding the cash flow effects resulting from stock-based payment arrangements. The Company selected the Black-Scholes option-pricing model as the most appropriate fair value method for its awards granted after March 1, 2006. The calculation of fair value of stock-based awards requires the input of assumptions, including the expected term of the stock-based awards and the associated stock price volatility. The assumptions used in calculating the fair value of stock-based awards represent the Company’s best estimates, but these estimates involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management judgment. As a result, if factors change and the Company uses different assumptions, then stock-based compensation expense could be materially different in the future. If the Company used an expected term for its stock-based awards that was one year longer, the fair value of stock-based awards granted during Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009, Fiscal 2008 and for the year ended February 28, 2007, (“Fiscal 2007”) would have increased by $25.5 million, resulting in an increase of $6.4 million of stock-based compensation expense for Fiscal 2010. If the Company used an expected term of the stock-based awards that was one year shorter, the fair value of the stock-based awards granted during Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009, Fiscal 2008 and Fiscal 2007 would have decreased by $25.4 million, resulting in a decrease of $5.5 million of stock-based compensation expense for Fiscal 2010. The total amount of stock-based compensation recognized for Fiscal 2010 was $56.8 million, of which $51.7 million was expensed for Fiscal 2010 and $5.1 million was capitalized in inventory as of February 28, 2010. The total amount of stock-based compensation recognized for Fiscal 2009 was $47.5 million, of which $42.9 million was expensed for Fiscal 2009 and $4.6 million was capitalized in inventory as of February 28, 2009. The total amount of stock-based compensation recognized for Fiscal 2008 was $33.6 million, of which $30.4 million was expensed for Fiscal 2008 and $3.2 million was capitalized in inventory as of February 29, 2008.
	•		Accounting for business combinations. The acquisition of businesses is an important element of the Company’s strategy. Under the acquisition method, the Company is required to record the net assets acquired at the estimated fair value at the date of acquisition. The determination of the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the Company’s financial statements. For example, the Company’s acquisitions typically result in the recognition of goodwill and other intangible assets; the value and estimated life of those assets may affect the amount of future period amortization expense for intangible assets with finite lives as well as possible impairment charges that may be incurred. Amortization expense for amortizable intangible assets was $5.8 million, $6.8 million and $4.8 million for Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008, respectively. Amortizable intangible assets were $69.3 million and $75.7 million as of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, respectively.

•

Accounting for promotional activities. Sales reflect reductions attributable to consideration given to customers in various customer incentive programs, including pricing discounts on single transactions, volume discounts, promotional and advertising allowances, coupons, and rebates. Certain customer incentive programs require management to estimate the cost of those programs. The accrued liability for these programs is determined through analysis of programs offered, historical trends, expectations regarding customer and consumer participation, sales and payment trends, and experience with payment patterns associated with similar programs that have been offered previously. If assumptions included in the Company’s estimates were to change or market conditions were to change, then material incremental reductions to revenue could be required, which could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial statements. Promotional costs were $749.8 million, $712.1 million and $733.7 million for Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008, respectively. Accrued promotion costs were $111.4 million and $100.3 million as of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, respectively.

Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted

          Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities —

          In June 2009, the FASB issued amended guidance for consolidation, which, among other things, (i) requires an entity to perform an analysis to determine whether an entity’s variable interest or interests give it a controlling financial interest in a variable interest entity; (ii) requires ongoing reassessments of whether an entity is the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity and eliminates the quantitative approach previously required for determining the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity; (iii) amends previously issued guidance for determining whether an entity is a variable interest entity; and (iv) requires enhanced disclosure that will provide users of financial statements with more transparent information about an entity’s involvement in a variable interest entity. In December 2009, the FASB issued additional guidance on assessing whether a variable interest entity should be consolidated. This guidance identifies the determination of whether a reporting entity should consolidate another entity is to be based upon, among other things, (i) the other entity’s purpose and design and (ii) the reporting entity’s ability to direct the activities of the other entity that most significantly impact the other entity’s economic performance. This guidance also requires additional disclosures about an entity’s involvement with a variable interest entity, including significant changes in risk exposure due to an entity’s involvement with a variable interest entity and how the involvement with the variable interest entity affects the financial statements of the reporting entity. The Company is required to adopt the combined guidance for its annual and interim periods beginning March 1, 2010. The adoption of the combined guidance on March 1, 2010, did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

          Fair value measurements and disclosures –

          In January 2010, the FASB issued amended guidance for fair value measurements and disclosures. This guidance requires an entity to (i) disclose separately the amounts of significant transfers in and out of Level 1 and Level 2 fair value measurements and the reasons for the transfers and (ii) present separately information about purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements on a gross basis in the reconciliation for fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3). This guidance also clarifies existing disclosures requiring an entity to provide fair value measurement disclosures for each class of assets and liabilities and, for Level 2 or Level 3 fair value measurements, disclosures about the valuation techniques and inputs used to measure fair value for both recurring and nonrecurring fair value measurements. The Company is required to adopt the additional disclosure requirements and clarifications of existing disclosures of this guidance for its annual and interim periods beginning March 1, 2010, except for the disclosures about purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements in the reconciliation for fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3). The Company is required to adopt those disclosures for its annual and interim periods beginning March 1, 2011. The adoption of the applicable provisions of this guidance on March 1, 2010, did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The Company does not expect the adoption of the remaining provision of this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Item 7A.		Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

          The Company, as a result of its global operating, acquisition and financing activities, is exposed to market risk associated with changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. To manage the volatility relating to these risks, the Company periodically purchases and/or sells derivative instruments including foreign currency forward and option contracts and interest rate swap agreements. The Company uses derivative instruments solely to reduce the financial impact of these risks and does not use derivative instruments for trading purposes.

          Foreign currency derivative instruments are or may be used to hedge existing foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities, forecasted foreign currency denominated sales/purchases to/from third parties as well as intercompany sales/purchases, intercompany principal and interest payments, and in connection with acquisitions or joint venture investments outside the U.S. As of February 28, 2010, the Company had exposures to foreign currency risk primarily related to the Australian dollar, euro, New Zealand dollar, British pound sterling, Canadian dollar and South African rand.

          As of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, the Company had outstanding foreign currency derivative instruments with a notional value of $1,020.1 million and $1,719.4 million, respectively. Approximately 52% of the Company’s total exposures were hedged as of February 28, 2010, including most of the Company’s balance sheet exposures and certain of the Company’s forecasted transactional exposures. The estimated fair value of the Company’s foreign currency derivative instruments was a net asset of $14.6 million and $7.6 million as of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, respectively. Using a sensitivity analysis based on estimated fair value of open contracts using forward rates, if the contract base currency had been 10% weaker as of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, the fair value of open foreign currency contracts would have been decreased by $13.2 million and $40.4 million, respectively. Losses or gains from the revaluation or settlement of the related underlying positions would substantially offset such gains or losses on the derivative instruments.

          The fair value of fixed rate debt is subject to interest rate risk, credit risk and foreign currency risk. The estimated fair value of the Company’s total fixed rate debt, including current maturities, was $1,974.3 million and $2,353.3 million as of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, respectively. A hypothetical 1% increase from prevailing interest rates as of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, would have resulted in a decrease in fair value of fixed interest rate long-term debt by $97.3 million and $107.9 million, respectively.

          As of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, the Company had outstanding interest rate swap agreements to minimize interest rate volatility. The swap agreements fix LIBOR interest rates on $1,200.0 million of the Company’s floating LIBOR rate debt at an average rate of 4.1% through Fiscal 2010. The Company’s interest rate swap agreements matured on March 1, 2010. A hypothetical 1% increase from prevailing interest rates as of February 28, 2009, would have reduced the fair value of the interest rate swap liability by $9.3 million.

          In addition to the $1,974.3 million and $2,353.3 million estimated fair value of fixed rate debt outstanding as of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, respectively, the Company also had variable rate debt outstanding (primarily LIBOR-based), certain of which includes a fixed margin. As of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, the estimated fair value of the Company’s total variable rate debt, including current maturities was $1,879.2 million and $2,036.4 million, respectively. Using a sensitivity analysis based on a hypothetical 1% increase in prevailing interest rates over a 12-month period, the approximate increase in cash required for interest as of February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, is $19.2 million and $20.4 million, respectively.

Item 8.

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

CONSTELLATION BRANDS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FEBRUARY 28, 2010

The following information is presented in this Annual Report on Form 10-K:

		Page
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – KPMG LLP			58
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – KPMG LLP			59
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting			61
Consolidated Balance Sheets – February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009			62
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended February 28, 2010, February 28, 2009, and February 29, 2008			63
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended February 28, 2010, February 28, 2009, and February 29, 2008			64
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended February 28, 2010, February 28, 2009, and February 29, 2008			66
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements			68
Selected Quarterly Financial Information (unaudited)			132

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors and Stockholders
Constellation Brands, Inc.:

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Constellation Brands, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of February 28, 2010 and 2009, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended February 28, 2010. These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Constellation Brands, Inc. and subsidiaries as of February 28, 2010 and 2009, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended February 28, 2010, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), Constellation Brands, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of February 28, 2010, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), and our report dated April 29, 2010 expressed an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of Constellation Brands, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting.

/s/ KPMG LLP

Rochester, New York
April 29, 2010

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors and Stockholders
Constellation Brands, Inc.:

We have audited Constellation Brands, Inc.’s (the Company) internal control over financial reporting as of February 28, 2010, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Constellation Brands, Inc.’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

In our opinion, Constellation Brands, Inc. maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of February 28, 2010, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheets of Constellation Brands, Inc. and subsidiaries as of February 28, 2010 and 2009, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended February 28, 2010, and our report dated April 29, 2010 expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements.

/s/ KPMG LLP

Rochester, New York
April 29, 2010

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Management of Constellation Brands, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) is responsible for establishing and maintaining an adequate system of internal control over financial reporting. This system is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

The Company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, a system of internal control over financial reporting can provide only reasonable assurance and may not prevent or detect misstatements. Further, because of changes in conditions, effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting may vary over time.

Management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the system of internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control – Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) of the Treadway Commission. Based on that evaluation, management concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was effective as of February 28, 2010.

The effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting has been audited by KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which is included herein.

CONSTELLATION BRANDS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in millions, except share and per share data)

		February 28,				February 28,
		2010				2009
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash investments		$	43.5			$	13.1
Accounts receivable, net			514.7				524.6
Inventories			1,879.9				1,828.7
Prepaid expenses and other			151.0				168.1
Total current assets			2,589.1				2,534.5
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net			1,567.2				1,547.5
GOODWILL			2,570.6				2,615.0
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net			925.0				1,000.6
OTHER ASSETS, net			442.4				338.9
Total assets		$	8,094.3			$	8,036.5
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Notes payable to banks		$	371.2			$	227.3
Current maturities of long-term debt			187.2				235.2
Accounts payable			268.8				288.7
Accrued excise taxes			43.8				57.6
Other accrued expenses and liabilities			501.6				517.6
Total current liabilities			1,372.6				1,326.4
LONG-TERM DEBT, less current maturities			3,277.1				3,971.1
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES			536.2				543.6
OTHER LIABILITIES			332.1				287.1
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (NOTE 15)
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Preferred Stock, $.01 par value- Authorized, 1,000,000 shares; Issued, none at February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009			-				-
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value- Authorized, 322,000,000 shares; Issued, 225,062,547 shares at February 28, 2010, and 223,584,959 shares at February 28, 2009			2.3				2.2
Class B Convertible Common Stock, $.01 par value- Authorized, 30,000,000 shares; Issued, 28,734,637 shares at February 28, 2010, and 28,749,294 shares at February 28, 2009			0.3				0.3
Class 1 Common Stock, $.01 par value- Authorized, 25,000,000 shares; Issued, none at February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009			-				-
Additional paid-in capital			1,493.2				1,426.3
Retained earnings			1,102.8				1,003.5
Accumulated other comprehensive income			587.2				94.2
			3,185.8				2,526.5
Less: Treasury stock-
Class A Common Stock, 26,549,546 shares at February 28, 2010, and 28,184,448 shares at February 28, 2009, at cost			(607.3	)			(616.0	)
Class B Convertible Common Stock, 5,005,800 shares at February 28, 2010, and February 28, 2009, at cost			(2.2	)			(2.2	)
			(609.5	)			(618.2	)
Total stockholders’ equity			2,576.3				1,908.3
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity		$	8,094.3			$	8,036.5

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

CONSTELLATION BRANDS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in millions, except per share data)

		For the Years Ended
		February 28,				February 28,				February 29,
		2010				2009				2008
SALES		$	4,213.0			$	4,723.0			$	4,885.1
Less - Excise taxes			(848.2	)			(1,068.4	)			(1,112.1	)
Net sales			3,364.8				3,654.6				3,773.0
COST OF PRODUCT SOLD			(2,220.0	)			(2,424.6	)			(2,491.5	)
Gross profit			1,144.8				1,230.0				1,281.5
SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES			(682.3	)			(823.8	)			(800.8	)
IMPAIRMENT OF INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL			(103.2	)			(300.4	)			(812.2	)
RESTRUCTURING CHARGES			(47.6	)			(68.0	)			(6.9	)
ACQUISITION-RELATED INTEGRATION COSTS			(0.2	)			(8.2	)			(11.8	)
Operating income (loss)			311.5				29.6				(350.2	)
EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF EQUITY METHOD INVESTEES			213.6				186.6				257.9
INTEREST EXPENSE, net			(265.1	)			(323.0	)			(348.3	)
LOSS ON WRITE-OFF OF FINANCING COSTS			(0.7	)			-				-
Income (loss) before income taxes			259.3				(106.8	)			(440.6	)
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES			(160.0	)			(194.6	)			(172.7	)
NET INCOME (LOSS)		$	99.3			$	(301.4	)		$	(613.3	)
SHARE DATA:
Earnings (loss) per common share:
Basic - Class A Common Stock		$	0.46			$	(1.40	)		$	(2.83	)
Basic - Class B Convertible Common Stock		$	0.41			$	(1.27	)		$	(2.57	)
Diluted - Class A Common Stock		$	0.45			$	(1.40	)		$	(2.83	)
Diluted - Class B Convertible Common Stock		$	0.41			$	(1.27	)		$	(2.57	)
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic - Class A Common Stock			196.095				193.906				195.135
Basic - Class B Convertible Common Stock			23.736				23.753				23.812
Diluted - Class A Common Stock			221.210				193.906				195.135
Diluted - Class B Convertible Common Stock			23.736				23.753				23.812

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

CONSTELLATION BRANDS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(in millions, except share data)

																		Accumulated
										Additional								Other
		Common Stock								Paid-in				Retained				Comprehensive				Treasury
		Class A				Class B				Capital				Earnings				Income (Loss)				Stock				Total
BALANCE, February 28, 2007		$	2.2			$	0.3			$	1,271.1			$	1,919.3			$	349.1			$	(124.5	)		$	3,417.5
Comprehensive loss:
Net loss for Fiscal 2008			-				-				-				(613.3	)			-				-				(613.3	)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income tax effect:
Foreign currency translation adjustments			-				-				-				-				412.2				-				412.2
Unrealized loss on cash flow hedges:
Net derivative losses			-				-				-				-				(23.6	)			-				(23.6	)
Reclassification adjustments			-				-				-				-				(3.1	)			-				(3.1	)
Net loss recognized in other comprehensive income																											(26.7	)
Pension:
Net actuarial losses			-				-				-				-				(4.1	)			-				(4.1	)
Reclassification adjustments			-				-				-				-				5.5				-				5.5
Net gain recognized in other comprehensive income																											1.4
Other comprehensive income, net of income tax effect																											386.9
Comprehensive loss																											(226.4	)
Repurchase of 21,332,468 Class A Common shares			-				-				-				-				-				(500.0	)			(500.0	)
Conversion of 48,184 Class B Convertible Common shares to Class A Common shares			-				-				-				-				-				-				-
Exercise of 2,158,146 Class A stock options			-				-				20.3				-				-				-				20.3
Employee stock purchases of 344,331 treasury shares			-				-				4.4				-				-				1.8				6.2
Grant of 13,726 Class A Common Shares - restricted stock awards			-				-				(0.1	)			-				-				0.1				-
Stock-based employee compensation			-				-				33.9				-				-				-				33.9
Tax benefit on stock-based employee compensation awards			-				-				14.4				-				-				-				14.4
BALANCE, February 29, 2008			2.2				0.3				1,344.0				1,306.0				736.0				(622.6	)			2,765.9
Comprehensive loss:
Net loss for Fiscal 2009			-				-				-				(301.4	)			-				-				(301.4	)
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of income tax effect:
Foreign currency translation adjustments			-				-				-				-				(683.5	)			-				(683.5	)
Unrealized loss on cash flow hedges:
Net derivative losses			-				-				-				-				(16.4	)			-				(16.4	)
Reclassification adjustments			-				-				-				-				0.8				-				0.8
Net loss recognized in other comprehensive income																											(15.6	)
Pension:
Net actuarial gains			-				-				-				-				44.3				-				44.3
Reclassification adjustments			-				-				-				-				12.0				-				12.0
Net gain recognized in other comprehensive income																											56.3
Other comprehensive loss, net of income tax effect																											(642.8	)
Comprehensive loss																											(944.2	)
Adjustments to apply change in measurement date provision of compensation - retirement benefits, net of income tax effect			-				-				-				(1.1	)			1.0				-				(0.1	)
Conversion of 33,660 Class B Convertible Common shares to Class A Common shares			-				-				-				-				-				-				-
Exercise of 2,254,660 Class A stock options			-				-				27.1				-				-				-				27.1
Employee stock purchases of 376,297 treasury shares			-				-				3.6				-				-				2.0				5.6
Grant of 460,036 Class A Common Shares - restricted stock awards			-				-				(2.4	)			-				-				2.4				-
Stock-based employee compensation			-				-				47.5				-				-				-				47.5
Tax benefit on stock-based employee compensation awards			-				-				6.5				-				-				-				6.5
BALANCE, February 28, 2009		$	2.2			$	0.3			$	1,426.3			$	1,003.5			$	94.2			$	(618.2	)		$	1,908.3