Ernest Gallo..dead

Bobby42 · Post by **Bobby42** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:10 am

Damn. I'm thirsty for cheap wine.

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.

It grew to become the world's largest wine company by volume, a title since taken by Constellation Brands of New York. But Gallo remains second, selling an estimated 75 million cases under more than 40 labels.

"My brother Julio and I worked to improve the quality of wines from California and to put fine wine on American dinner tables at a price people could afford," Mr. Gallo told The Modesto Bee on his 90th birthday. "We also worked to improve the reputation of California wines here and overseas."

Ernest directed sales, devised marketing strategies and kept a short leash on distribution. Julio, who died in 1993, made the wine.

Gallo was no less tough on the people who worked for him as on those he battled for business. He also demanded total loyalty from his employees. In 1986, when he learned that two longtime Gallo executives were secretly planning to buy a winery of their own, he fired them on the spot.

Gallo was a courtly man who affected Old World manners. But in business he was tenacious, shrewd, aggressive, and secretive. He and others of the Gallo clan shunned publicity. The reason for the secretiveness, many of their former associates said, was the way his parents had died.

Fresno County records say their father, Joseph, shot their mother, Susie, to death in June 1933, then killed himself. That was two months before the founding of the Gallo winery.

pron · Post by **pron** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:35 am

He helped a lot of people get laid, rack him, rip.

Atomic Punk · Post by **Atomic Punk** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:37 am

I forget which Gallo wife it was, but back around 1990 I was travelling back to the CNY Bay Area and there was a 4 hour traffic jam. It was the Pacheco Pass section of HWY 152 which is a very scenic area and was only a two-way in that part.

After about 2 hours I got out of my truck and climbed up a hill and you could see miles of lights ahead.

Turns out a very old (late 80's) and drunk Mrs. Gallo hit a gook family head-on killing them all. Gallo lived and I don't believe she served time.

The point being, that was 4 hours of drinking that didn't happen.

BSmack · Post by **BSmack** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:39 am

Atomic Punk wrote:the CNY Bay Area

Crazy times!!!

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:56 am

BSmack wrote:
Atomic Punk wrote:the CNY Bay Area
Crazy times!!!

Beat me to it.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 3:02 am

pron wrote:He helped a lot of people get laid, rack him, rip.

I said pretty much that same thing after Luther Vandross died.

jiminphilly · Post by **jiminphilly** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 4:29 am

rack me- I think I have him in my death pool.

Edit- This is confirmed. I said he'd die of a blood clot. I call for an autopsy.

RedHerring · Post by **RedHerring** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 4:40 am

"Fuck Him!! I'll dance on that homo's grave!!!"

- Charles J. Cisco

Trollfessor · Post by **Trollfessor** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:02 pm

jiminphilly wrote:rack me- I think I have him in my death pool.

Edit- This is confirmed. I said he'd die of a blood clot. I call for an autopsy.

Props on your 3 points.

jiminphilly · Post by **jiminphilly** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:02 pm

Trollfessor wrote:
jiminphilly wrote:rack me- I think I have him in my death pool.

Edit- This is confirmed. I said he'd die of a blood clot. I call for an autopsy.
Props on your 3 points.

That's why I'm calling for an autopsy. I need the bonus points. But every point matters at this point..

I have Stephen Hawking too and I predict his rocket ride this year will end tragically.

ElvisMonster · Post by **ElvisMonster** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:07 pm

jiminphilly wrote:rocket ride

WAR Friday nights!

Sincerely,

YD · Post by YD » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:40 pm

that gif is awesome

rack CU

YD · Post by YD » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:31 pm

cheap wine?? we can mix it with some green apple zima and koolaid for jungle juice!!! OMG RACK!

/s/

Raydah James · Post by **Raydah James** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:44 pm

RACK the monstah

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 11:06 pm

EM is good at wytching puckered lips.

RACK

ElvisMonster · Post by **ElvisMonster** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 11:22 pm

Mikey wrote:EM is good at wytching puckered lips.

RACK

I just copied the url. I'm pretty sure that's the work of one of the nutters.

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 11:30 pm

You had me all excited there for a few minutes.

ElvisMonster · Post by **ElvisMonster** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:02 am

Mikey wrote:You had me all excited there for a few minutes.

I would have gotten away with it if it hadn't been for those meddling kids.