Winemaker Ernest Gallo dies at age 97

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

BERKELEY, Calif. - Ernest Gallo, who parlayed $5,900 and a wine recipe from a public library into the world's largest winemaking empire, died Tuesday at his home in Modesto. He was 97. "He passed away peacefully this afternoon surrounded by his family," said Susan Hensley, vice president of public relations for E.&J. Gallo Winery.

Gallo, who would have been 98 on March 18, was born near Modesto, a then-sleepy San Joaquin Valley town about 80 miles east of San Francisco. He and his late brother and business partner, Julio, grew up working in the vineyard owned by their immigrant father who came to America from Italy's famed winemaking region of Piedmont.

They founded the E.&J. Gallo Winery in 1933, at the end of Prohibition, when they were still mourning the murder-suicide deaths of their parents. Ernest and Julio rented a ramshackle building, and everybody in the family pitched in to make ordinary wine for 50 cents a gallon — half the going price. The Gallos made $30,000 the first year.

Read entire story here.

[DudeAsInCool]

I just finished reading an article on red wines before I went back to the BK boards and saw this. He provided many a nice evening for this dude

[slum_goddess]

does anyone apart from me remember when Gallo was considered like rotgut, stuff only fit for bums to drink?

[DudeAsInCool]

does anyone apart from me remember when Gallo was considered like rotgut, stuff only fit for bums to drink?

yes, but as a young teen, you drink what you can get lol do you remember spinata? yuck

actually, i wasnt a big fan until their wines got better

[Mister Spong]

Beautiful. I've been paying for his funeral for the past few years with all the win I've bought and finally the bastard has repaid me by scoring for my Dead Pool time!

Get in!

Oh and rest in peace fella. People the world over will be marking your passing with a glass or two. I know I will.