Cream Ridge, NJ (May 31,
2016) – Plagido’s Winery of Hammonton earned Winery of the Year honors at the annual New Jersey
Wine Competition. The honor was bestowed on owner Ollie Tomasello at the
Competition’s awards ceremony, held this Saturday at the Garden State Wine Growers Association’s (GSWGA) Wine & BBQ Festival at Schooley’s
Mountain Park in Long Valley. In addition to Winery of the Year, Governor’s Cup
trophies for best grape, fruit and dessert wines were also awarded for the
competition organized by Dr. Gary Pavlis of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension that
judged over 300 different wines from New Jersey wineries.

The Governor’s Cup for Best Grape wine went to Hawk Haven Vineyard of Rio Grande for their 2012 Cabernet Franc, which also won Best Vinifera
wine. DiMatteo Vineyards of Hammonton won the Governor’s Cup for fruit wine
for their non-vintage Blueberry wine and Hopewell Valley Vineyards of Pennington took home the Governor’s Cup for Best
Dessert wine for its 2006 Port wine.

In winning Winery of the Year, Plagido’s Winery scored seven
overall medals including two gold medals for their 2013 Cour d’Est and 2014
Cabernet Franc; two silver medals for the non-vintage Chambourcin and
non-vintage Concetta’s Casalinga and three bronze medals for their Blackberry
Vigoroso, 2013 Cab Franc/Merlot and non-vintage Niagara.    

“This honor means so much to us,” said Ollie Tomasello. “This
is a reflection on the hard work our family and team here have put into our
winery. To think that I am the fourth generation member of our family to farm
our land in Hammonton and now to win this honor gives me a great sense of
satisfaction.  We pride ourselves on the
exceptional wine being made and the family atmosphere we have created for all
our customers new and old at Plagido’s Winery.”    

Other notable awards went to Coda
Rossa Winery of
Franklinville winning Best American wine honors for their non-vintage Concord
wine and Heritage Vineyards of Mullica Hill earned Best Hybrid for their 2012
Late Harvest Chambourcin and Best Sparkling wine honors for the 2013 Brut. Heritage,
the 2011, 2014 and 2015 winery of the Year earned the most medals in the
competition with 16 including gold, six silver and nine bronze medals. Alba Vineyard,
of Finesville, the 2013 Winery of the Year, earned 11 medals with one god,
three silver and seven bronze medals. Coda Rossa also took home 11 medals with
gold, three silver and seven bronze medals.

 The GSWGA is a coalition of nearly 50 wineries and vineyards
across New Jersey, dedicated to raising the quality and awareness of New Jersey
wine. For the complete list of medal winners in the New Jersey Wine
Competition, visit www.newjerseywines.com/awards.

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