LIVERMORE, Calif., Jan. 19, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Debra Hill, of Russellville, Arkansas, was announced today as the winner of the "Family First" $20,000 Family Reunion contest sponsored by Concannon Vineyard. The winner was announced by John Concannon, 4th generation vintner. "I am absolutely speechless," said sweepstakes winner Debra Hill, a widowed mother of 4 who works two full-time jobs to support three children still in college. "I have not seen my son in over two years who works in New York, a world away from the small Arkansas town where we live. I cried and was shaking uncontrollably at the prospect of us being able to make the trip to visit him and have our family all together," said Hill.
"My dad and I are very pleased that Debra won the contest," said John Concannon. "We created this contest because, in our four generations of winemaking in California, we have always put family first. I hope that this program reminds all of us to think of the vital importance of family to our own lives. There were over 200,000 entries into the contest and it is really heartwarming to know that someone like Debra won so she can reunite her family after being apart for so long."
"Words are an inadequate expression of my gratitude to Concannon Vineyard for making this long-dreamed of reunion a reality," exclaimed Debra. "2010 was the third year in a row that we were not able to get together as a family. Now, thanks to Concannon Vineyard, I can arrange to reunite all of us. When we get together, our family will raise a toast to the Concannon family, in hopes that their long-standing tradition of putting families first will continue for many generations to come." The Hill family planning for the reunion consists of Debra, John, Brandy, Mandy and Sarah; the reunion will be held in Niagara Falls later this year.
A founding family of California wine, Concannon Vineyard produced the first varietally labeled Petite Sirah, sparking a love affair with this varietal, and is celebrating 50 years of America's first Petite Sirah this year. Concannon also introduced cabernet clones 7, 8 and 11 that replanted much of Napa Valley in the 1970s. As Concannon enters its 128th harvest, the pioneering winery continues to lead the California wine industry in preserving an agricultural way of life by protecting vineyards from urban development.
For more information, contact Patricia Schneider 415/717-7595 or psa.patricia@gmail.com.
Concannon Vineyard. 4590 Tesla Rd., Livermore, CA, 94550
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| [Image] | Concannon Family First 2010 Sweepstakes Winner Debra Hill.jpg |