Jim Concannon to receive 'Lifetime Achievement Award' at the California State Fair on July 12, 2007

    LIVERMORE, Calif., July 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Exposition and
 State Fair has selected three individuals for the annual Lifetime
 Achievement Award. Jim Concannon, Jerry Lohr and Robert Gallo were chosen
 as the 2007 recipients based on their outstanding lifetime of contributions
 to the California wine industry.
     (PHOTO: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070709/AQM019)
     Having served Concannon Vineyard for over 50 years, Jim Concannon is
 currently the ambassador representing the winery that his grandfather James
 Concannon established in 1883. In 2008, Concannon Vineyard will be
 celebrating 125 years of growing wine grapes and making wine.
     According to the California State Fair, Jim Concannon was chosen this
 year because, "His contribution to the wine business reaches back to the
 late 1960s when he acted in a leadership capacity to provide Cabernet
 Sauvignon root stock used in the development of what are now known as Clone
 7, 8 and 11. This in turn advanced the opportunity for California Cabernets
 to lead the world in quality standards for this red wine grape. Concannon
 was the first to produce wine labeled as Petite Sirah in 1964 from a 1961
 vintage, and led the nation in advocacy for Petite Sirah wine." Jim is also
 being recognized for his family's involvement as a founding member of the
 Wine Institute.
     The three winners will be recognized for their work at the California
 Grape and Gourmet at Cal Expo on July 12, 2007.
     According to Jim Concannon, "The stature of the people who have
 received this award before me, and the two gentlemen who will be sharing
 the stage with me this year, are all people of profound commitment and
 passion. I'm deeply honored to be identified with such outstanding people.
 I gratefully accept this distinction, as it honors the Concannon Family, my
 Grandfather, Father, and brother Joe, for their dedication, commitment, and
 hard work for so many years. This is very humbling, and also very exciting.
 I'm so pleased that I'm the one in my family to witness Concannon Vineyard
 stepping into the spotlight, to take its historical place as one of
 California's founding wineries."
     Sample and media contact: Jo Diaz
     707-620-0788
     jo@diaz-communications.com
 
 

SOURCE Concannon Vineyard