Gallo Of Sonoma Wins Third Premio Gran Vinitaly Award

The 2002 VinItaly International Wine and Spirits competition has announced that Gallo of Sonoma Winery captured the prestigious Premio Gran VinItaly award, the competition's highest honor, for the third time in five years. Premio Gran VinItaly is awarded to the one winery that earns the highest number of medals in the annual worldwide competition. Gallo of Sonoma won the Premio Gran VinItaly previously in 1998 and 2001. No other U.S. winery has won this top honor since the competition began a decade ago.

The brother and sister team of winemaker Gina Gallo and winegrower Matt Gallo live and work in Sonoma County, California, America's most awarded wine growing region. According to Gina Gallo, "We're delighted to see our wines from Sonoma County continue to earn this kind of recognition on the world stage. The quality of wines produced in Sonoma County continues to be acknowledged by experts and wine lovers around the world. All the members of our winegrowing and winemaking team should be proud to see their efforts recognized in this way. The Gallo family sincerely appreciates their involvement in achieving this wonderful honor for our wines."

Representing the winemaking family, Christopher Gallo, grandson of industry pioneer
and winemaking legend Ernest Gallo, accepted the award at ceremonies in Verona, Italy. He said, "For the second year in a row I am honored to accept the Premio Gran VinItaly award on behalf of our extended family of winegrowers and winemakers in Sonoma County. Every harvest gives us one more chance to make better wines, and we will continue to strive to make wines people will like and connoisseurs will appreciate."

VinItaly is a truly international competition showcasing 3,151 wines from 30 countries. The Competition is organized by Ente Fiera di Verona with the aim of giving recognition to the best wine makers in the world through rigorous judging performed by a panel of international wine experts.

Medals won by Gallo of Sonoma this year include:
* Grand Gold --1994 Northern Sonoma Estate Bottled
Cabernet Sauvignon,
* Gold --1993 Northern Sonoma Estate Bottled Cabernet
Sauvignon,
* Bronze --1991 Northern Sonoma Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.


Gallo of Sonoma has won over a dozen major global awards for excellence in the last few years. In addition to the 2002 Premio Grand VinItaly, these awards include the "Best Chardonnay Worldwide" at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in 2001; the prestigious "Best American Wine Producer" at the 2000 London International Wine Challenge; the Prix d'Excellence at the Bordeaux Vinexpo in 1999; the 1998 and 2001 Premio Gran VinItaly; and "Winery of the Year " at the 1996, 1998 and 2001 International Wine & Spirits Competitions in the U.S.

More information about Gallo of Sonoma can be found at www.gallosonoma.com