Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Thank you and goodbye Mr. Gallo

Ernest Gallo, founder of E.&J. Gallo Winery, died Tuesday at his home in Modesto at the age of 97. Ernest and his late brother and business partner, Julio, started E.&J. Gallo Winery in 1933, at the end of Prohibition, with a $5,900, a wine recipe from a public library and the American dream to have their own business. Using his tenacious, shrewd, and aggressive business sense Gallo built a business that went from $30,000 in sales in year one to the second largest wine company by volume, selling an estimated 75 million cases under more than 40 labels. Gallo was also one of the country's wealthiest men, listed on the Forbes magazine list of the 400 richest Americans with a family worth of $1.3 billion. Thank you Ernest and Julio for all the wine you have produced over the past 60 plus years. You will be missed.

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