FORESTVILLE, NY (June 28, 2011) - Merritt Winery's dessert wine Bella Ice was awarded a double gold medal at Jerry D. Mead's New World International Wine Competition on March 13 and 14, 2011. Merritt's Riesling took a silver medal while Bella Rosa, a sweet, full-bodied Lambrusco was awarded a bronze medal.

            Jerry D. Mead was the founder of the competition and a former wine columnist and wine connoisseur who also founded Wine Trader magazine. In 1991, Mead began to head NWIWC which is based in San Bernardino, California. Although Mead passed on in 2000, the competition is still running. NWIWC was the first competition to judge wines that were in the same price category and in 2009 began to award "platinum" medals to the utmost superior wines.

            "Winning a double gold award with our late harvest wine is a huge accomplishment," says Jason Merritt, General Manager of Merritt Estate Winery. "To have a Concord wine that is grown and produced locally win such a generous award is an honor and shows the public our wine making capability," said Merritt.

For more information on Merritt news and events, visit www.merrittestatewinery.com or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/merrittwinery.

Merritt Estate is located in America's Grape Country, the largest grape growing region of New York State located along the shores of Lake Erie. The grapes and wines produced under Merritt rival the quality of premium vintages throughout the world.