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HAHN ESTATES, SMITH & HOOK RANK 1-2 IN GLOBAL TASTING

Düsseldorf — Two American red wines from Hahn Estates in Monterey took the first two places in the red wine category at the Prowein wine trade show wine competition here today, outscoring more than 1500 red wine entries from around the world. The winery completed a $7.5 million revitalization last year, and the 2001 Smith & Hook Santa Lucia Highlands Cabernet Sauvignon (second place) is one of the first wines from the new program.

The top red wine is the 2002 Hahn Estates Meritage, made by winemaker Adam LaZarre, who accepted the award at the fair.

Prowein is a major world trade fair in its 10th year. Hahn Estates was the only American producer in the top ten chosen in the competition. “This is enormous validation of our commitment to Monterey and our new program,” said Hahn’s President Bill Leigon, who has seen sales more than double in the past year.

The Hahn revitalization program was a five-year effort under owner Nicolaus Hahn of Switzerland and Leigon. With over 1000 vineyard acres in Monterey, the winery refined its viticultural practices and installed new crushing, fermentation, refrigeration and ozone equipment, plus an entire new barrel program. This is all in addition to a new winemaking and management team, including the appointment of Leigon as Hahn’s president, and LaZarre as winemaker.

“Last June we said that we were ready to meet the top competition in the globe, but of course we had no idea that we would see gold medal results at a world competition so soon,” Leigon said. Other medals for Hahn Estates in the past twelve months include nine gold medals in major U.S. national competitions, including a Gold Medal and Best of Class for the Hahn 2001 Monterey Merlot at the 2003 San Diego National Wine competition – making it the best of all the 2001 Merlots entered; a Double Gold Medal for the 2002 Hahn Estates Meritage at this year’s San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition; and a Gold Medal and Best of Class award for the 2001 Cabernet Franc from the 2003 Los Angeles County Fair.

Hahn Estates wines are in national distribution and in major export markets. A third brand, HRM Rex Goliath, has been quite successful in the super-value category.

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