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26 WINES&VINES April 2015 WINE INDUSTRY NEWS Robert Rivera of Goose Ridge Winery won its Erick Hanson Memorial Wine Grape Grower Award for grower of the year. Rich Wheeler, who worked for St. Mi- chelle Winery Estates for more than 30 years before retiring as its vice president of vineyards, re- ceived the group's Lifetime Achievement Award, and Kevin Corlis, St. Michelle's vice president of vineyard operations, won WAWGG's Industry Service Award. CENTRAL South Dakota DtC bill signed into law The Wine Institute announced Feb. 4 that South Da- kota Gov. Dennis Daugaard signed into law a bill that allows state residents to buy up to 12 cases of wine directly from wineries. Wineries looking to ship wine to South Dakota residents must pay a $100 fee for a state-issued direct- shipper license. Wine labels must first be approved with the state Department of Revenue, and winer- ies cannot sell wine below the manufac- turer's cost. The law will go into effect Jan. 1, 2016, and make South Dakota the 43rd state to allow direct wine shipping. Scurlock joins wine hall of fame David Scurlock, the viticulture outreach specialist at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center of The Ohio State University, was inducted to the Ohio Wine Hall of Fame at the annual banquet of the Ohio Grape and Wine Conference in Dublin, Ohio, on Feb. 16. Scurlock has been with the center since 1980 and helped the state's grapegrowers transition from grow- ing mostly native juice grapes to vinif- era and hybrid wine grape varieties as well as assist those new to the wine and grape industry. EAST Hazlitts celebrate 30- year anniversary The Hazlitt family has been growing grapes on the east side of Seneca Lake in New York's Finger Lakes region for more than 160 years. Elaine and Jerry Hazlitt, the fifth generation of winegrowers, started a winery at the fam- ily vineyard in 1985. Throughout this year, the winery is cel- ebrating its 30th an- niversary. The Hazlitts produce the popular sweet red blend Red Cat and most recently introduced a sparkling cider called Hazlitt's Cider Tree, which is made from New York state apples. New director for Long Island Merlot Alliance The Long Island Merlot Alliance an- nounced it had ap- pointed wine and spirits journalist Amy Zavatto as the group's new execu- tive director focused on promoting the group and its accom- plishments. Zavatto has contributed to several publications and websites and is the author of The Re- naissance Guide to Wine and Food Pair- Kevin Corlis Amy Zavatto Dennis Daugaard Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards