Ernest Gallo

Ernest Gallo ( born March 18, 1909 in Jackson, California, † March 6, 2007 in Modesto, California ) was one of the pioneers of the American wine industry in California. He was with his brother Julio Gallo Family Vineyards founder of the (formerly E. & J. Gallo Winery ), now (2007) holding the world 's largest family-owned winery and the second largest wine producer in the USA.

Life and work

Gallo was the son of Italian immigrants from Piedmont, Giuseppe Gallo, called Joseph, and Assunta Bianco Gallo, who called Susie. The father and his younger brother Michael bought wine from small wineries, which they sold in the bars of Oakland and San Francisco. From 1906, they named their business " Gallo Wine Company ". An inheritance in 1916 by the maternal grandfather bequeathed them 9000 gallons of red wine. In the 1920s, the parents bought a farm near Modesto and started with the wine, as it also did their neighbors. Private wine was allowed during Prohibition; by rail, the grapes were transported to the eastern United States. The determination of stations on the east coast from Boston via North and South Carolina, from Pittsburg to Cleveland and Buffalo were dominated at that time by gangsters who demanded a discount on each product. At 17, Ernest Gallo accompanied the transports to secure the sale.

Early independence

Nevertheless, the farmer Giuseppe Gallo indebted; on June 21, 1933, he shot first his wife and then himself after the tragic death of his parents Ernest Gallo took over with his brother Julio, the indebted farm. In the time of Prohibition, it had only been possible grapes for sale of wine making, the brothers had little idea. After the repeal of alcohol prohibition in the U.S. in 1933, the situation seemed favorable again, and the brothers founded the company " E. & J. Gallo Winery " with a starting capital of $ 6,000; $ 5,000 of which Ernest had borrowed from his mother. At that time, 800 wineries were founded in California in a short time, who possessed some have much more capital and experience in wine making as the " E. & J. Gallo Winery. " The two brothers left to found a public library in the instructions for use.

Mass production

The commercial breakthrough was achieved by the Gallos 1957 with a wine blend called " Thunderbird", a mixture of white port and lemon juice with an alcohol content of 21% to a sale price of 60 cents for a pint. Especially poor African- American buyers made ​​use of it. 1957 alone 32 million gallons were sold. Thanks to an aggressive marketing in the mass media and through a sales force that occurred penetrating and often, the wholesalers, the Gallos were increasingly off several competitors. The higher the sales were, the more premium wineries bought the Gallos on. For decades, the Gallo brand was the epitome of the cheap wine, until the 1970s improved the Gallos the range. At this time began the Gallos to support financially prominent politicians such as Senators Robert Dole of Kansas, a Republican, and Alan Cranston of California, a Democrat. 1978 and 1986 helped both politicians to adopt reductions in the tax laws that have been referred to as " Gallo wine amendment" because it preserved the Gallos in front of a multi-million dollar high taxation of their land.

Meanwhile, the " E. & J. Gallo Winery " the world's largest family-owned winery and prepared according to the New York " Constellation Brands, Inc. " is the second largest wine producer in the United States dar. The Group had in 2007 more than 4,600 employees and sold its products in 90 countries. Ernest Gallo was last listed on the Forbes list of the 400 richest people on place 297.

In 1986, Ernest and Julio sued their younger half-brother, Joseph, as he wanted to use the protected family name Gallo for his cheese company. The two older brothers won in court and the relationship with Joseph was shattered until his death on 17 February 2007.

Family

After the death of his parents in 1933 attracted Ernest and his brother Julio ( 1910-1993 ), along with their wives, Amelia ( 1910-1993 ) and Aileen ( 1913-1999 ), its only 13 years old half-brother Joseph ( 1919-2007 ) on. Ernest was married 62 years with his wife Amelia Franzia Gallo. They had two sons, David ( † 1997) and Joseph. On 6 March 2007 Ernest Gallo died in his home in Modesto, California twelve days before his 98th birthday.