[marden]

Winemaker who brought grapes of wealth to California dies, aged 97

Founder turned a modest family brewing firm into world's largest producer

Dan Glaister in Los Angeles
Thursday March 8, 2007
The Guardian

According to legend, Ernest and Julio Gallo started their first winery in 1933. Using a $5,000 (£2,500) loan from Ernest's mother-in-law and Julio's savings of $900.23, the two brothers rented a cement warehouse in their home town of Modesto, California, and began making wines. With the help of a recipe they found in some prohibition-era leaflets in the basement of Modesto library they made ordinary wines for the bargain price of 50 cents a gallon, half the going rate. In their first year in business, they made $30,000 and an empire was born.

More than 70 years later, the last of the founders of the company has died. Ernest Gallo, the eldest of three brothers, died on Tuesday, but he leaves behind a robust wine dynasty and an industry transformed. Gallo, which is still a family-owned and run business, possesses thousands of acres of vineyards in California, and employs 4,600 people. The family ranks at 297 on Forbes list of the richest Americans, with a fortune estimated at $1.3bn.

Winemaker who brought grapes of wealth to California dies, aged 97 | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited

Raise your glass and say a toast to the man partially responsible for the American wine industry.

[Atomic Rooster]

All the winos are in a complete stupor since they heard.

[marden]

Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster 

All the winos are in a complete stupor since they heard.

Prolly.

[IceEnclosure]

he was the dude.

[voodoo]

So the Gallo brothers have passed away now. They were a legend in life, I'll give them that.

They made and make poor to passable wines. They don't even approach average.

V

[marden]

Originally Posted by voodoo 

So the Gallo brothers have passed away now. They were a legend in life, I'll give them that.

They made and make poor to passable wines. They don't even approach average.

V

Prix d'Excellence
Challenge International du Vin
Bordeaux, France: 1999
One of only 40 wines out of 5,160 to receive this coveted award at the largest international competition held in France.

Best Cabernet Sauvignon Worldwide
International Wine and Spirit Competition
London, England: 2002
Worldwide recognition at the oldest annual wine judging in the world.
Vintage: 1996 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Best Chardonnay Worldwide (Mission Hill Trophy for Best Chardonnay)
International Wine and Spirit Competition
London, England: 1998, 2001
The only winery to win this prestigious award twice, in one of the world's oldest and most renowned wine competitions.
Vintages: 1995 Estate Chardonnay (1998 Mission Hill Trophy)
1997 Stefani Vineyard Chardonnay (2001 Mission Hill Trophy)

Best Cabernet Sauvignon Worldwide
San Francisco International Wine Competition
San Francisco: 2001
“Best of Show” winner among all red wines in America’s largest wine competition.
Vintage: 1997 Barrelli Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

The Chardonnay Trophy
International Wine Challenge
London, England: 1998
Winner of the most golds — of 1,147 Chardonnay wines, only 27 won gold medals.
Vintages: 1996 Stefani Vineyard Chardonnay
1996 Laguna Vineyard Chardonnay

Portfolio Award
San Francisco Wine Competition, 2005
Gallo Family Vineyards was recognized for excellence across a wide spectrum of brands.

89 points and Best Buy! Chardonnay
Wine Enthusiast, March 2006
Gallo Family Vineyards, Sonoma Reserve Chardonnay - 2004

92 points
Wine Enthusiast, March 2006
Gallo of Sonoma Estate Chardonnay - 2000

Gold and Best of Class
San Francisco Wine Competition, 2006
Gallo Family Vineyards, Sonoma Reserve, Pinot Noir - 2004

87 points
Wine Enthusiast, February 2006
Gallo Family Vineyards, Sonoma Reserve Pinot Gris - 2004

Gallo of Sonoma

[voodoo]

Originally Posted by marden 

Gallo of Sonoma

Neat.

Then there are wineries like Vega-Sicilia. You probably haven't heard of them. They only make good wines.

V

[marden]

Originally Posted by voodoo 

Neat.

Then there are wineries like Vega-Sicilia. You probably haven't heard of them. They only make good wines.

V

You're right. I haven't, but I'm not a connoisseur. Are they your favorite?

[voodoo]

Originally Posted by marden 

You're right. I haven't, but I'm not a connoisseur. Are they your favorite?

Yes, they are one of my favorine winemakers. They are known for making among the best wines in Europe. A bottle of Vega-Sicilia Unico 1989 goes for no less than €200. I've tasted Alion, a brand of Vega-Sicilia, it is most excellent. A bottle goes for 'just' €50 or so. I've not tasted a proper 'Unico' yet. Maybe when I've got some €€€s to spend

Vega-Sicilia is a winery from Ribera del Duero and that district make very fine wines. Although Toro wines are even more to my liking. Very deep, very red. MmmmMMmm

Of the California wineries, Beringer is one of my favorites. I haven't had the pleasure to taste the Gallo you linked to, but I'm sure it's worth it! - Even though Gallo is mostly famous for average (but quite fine) table wines.

While in university I worked weekends in a wine speciality store. I'm no expert, but I learned a lot while working there. They sent us to wine-expos and there was tasting of 5-10 bottles of different brands from around the world every friday afternoon.

V

[marden]

Originally Posted by voodoo 

Yes, they are one of my favorine winemakers. They are known for making among the best wines in Europe. A bottle of Vega-Sicilia Unico 1989 goes for no less than €200. I've tasted Alion, a brand of Vega-Sicilia, it is most excellent. A bottle goes for 'just' €50 or so. I've not tasted a proper 'Unico' yet. Maybe when I've got some €€€s to spend

Vega-Sicilia is a winery from Ribera del Duero and that district make very fine wines. Although Toro wines are even more to my liking. Very deep, very red. MmmmMMmm

Of the California wineries, Beringer is one of my favorites. I haven't had the pleasure to taste the Gallo you linked to, but I'm sure it's worth it! - Even though Gallo is mostly famous for average (but quite fine) table wines.

While in university I worked weekends in a wine speciality store. I'm no expert, but I learned a lot while working there. They sent us to wine-expos and there was tasting of 5-10 bottles of different brands from around the world every friday afternoon.

V

How neat!

[Powerbook]

I buy the usual Gallo wines quite often (Zinfandel, Shiraz, etc) - they are good table wines, nothing special, but tasteful.

@Voodoo:
I know you hate and fear the German master race, but what do you think about German wines? From my p.o.v. Southern Germany has some fantastic wines. Do you drink Lemberger, Muskat-Trollinger or Schwarzriesling?

Regards
PB.

[voodoo]

Originally Posted by Powerbook 

I buy the usual Gallo wines quite often (Zinfandel, Shiraz, etc) - they are good table wines, nothing special, but tasteful.

@Voodoo:
I know you hate and fear the German master race, but what do you think about German wines? From my p.o.v. Southern Germany has some fantastic wines. Do you drink Lemberger, Muskat-Trollinger or Schwarzriesling?

Regards
PB.

Just to get it out of the way, I have never tasted a good German red wine. Lemberger included. No matter the grape used, they are too light or too sweet for my taste. e.g. Moselland Avantgarde Rotwein.

I like wines with the color of oxygenated blood and a deep, deep long taste of earth, oak and grapes with a powerful scent. For that you need a dry, almost arid climate and immense heat and sun among other things.

I have not had the pleasure of trying a Muskat-Trollinger that I recall, but I've had many fine Schwarzriesling white wines.

I like dry white wines, not the girly sweet typical German exports, e.g. Ars Vitis riesling, except a glass or two on the right occations. I find the petroleum tones of a typical dry riesling most entertaining. It never fails to bring a smile to my face.

Of the dry wines, Sander Riesling Spätlese is quite nice. Lingenfelder Riesling, Guntrum Oppenheimer Sacktrager Riesling Spätlese and Palts Rivaner also. All of them dry, the rieslings with the amusing petroleum scent.

I'll be the first to admit that you'd have to search long and hard for a good Spanish white wine, but a good German or Austrian white is a far easier find. However, as I mentioned above, I'm far far more partial to red wines. Perhaps you Germans don't export any good red wines, but I think it is far more likely that there aren't any. Tradition and climate just doesn't agree with German reds wines.

V