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Gina Gallo expands wine empire [The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.](Times-Tribune (Scranton, PA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Nov. 05--Gina Gallo, part of the third generation in the E&J Gallo Winery empire, last week earned the American Wine Society's Award of Merit at the group's conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. The award is the highest the group offers members of the industry. Ms. Gallo helped E&J Gallo, one the largest family-owned companies in the country, transition to producer and importer of premium wine, particularly through her pet project, the small-production Gallo Signature Series that builds upon the Gallo Estate line. She began in the business at age 10, tending the family garden and prowling vineyards, which became both a playground and school. Ms. Gallo is a granddaughter of Julio Gallo, the operations half of the team. His brother, Ernest, handled the business marketing/business half. In 1993, Julio Gallo was driving a vehicle around the family ranch with his granddaughter when the vehicle left the road. Julio Gallo died of injuries suffered in the crash. The association of Gallo with fortified wines such as Thunderbird and inexpensive jug wines, is somewhat unfair. The company made those wines because that was what Americans were drinking in the second half of the 20th century. The company still produces those categories, but today Gallo is a large, diverse company and imports premium wines from around the world. There's nothing wrong with cheap wine. Gallo's Barefoot wines are quality wines for the price. Gina Gallo earned a bachelor's degree from Notre Dame de Namur University and studied winemaking at University of California at Davis, later apprenticing at the Gallo family's experimental micro-winery in Modesto, California. She's part of a wine royal family of sorts, married to Jean-Charles Boisset of another global wine company based in Burgundy. For even more symbolism, they and their twin daughters live in a home formerly owned by Robert Mondavi. "My grandfather, Julio, and great uncle, Ernest, taught us to tend to the fields and left us a legacy that we continue to learn from," Gina Gallo told the 600 people at the conference. The Gallo Signature Series wines are very good, with Gina Gallo's signature on every bottle. Gallo Signature Series 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon has a pleasantly herbal smell with flavors of black fruits and cassis. This wine has 17 percent petit verdot. The 2010 is a special order in Pennsylvania. $37. 1/2 The other way to get into the premium business is to buy a premium winery. So Gallo purchased storied producer Louis M. Martini in 2002. The brand Ghost Pines is produced under the Martini line. Ghost Pines 2012 Zinfandel, made with grapes from Sonoma County and the less prestigious San Joaquin County, is full of sweet, ripe, black fruit with cherry notes and polished tannins. $20. 1/2 GRADE: Exceptional *****, Above average ****, Good ***, Below Average **, Poor -- DAVID FALCHEK, a Times-Tribune business writer, reviews wines each week. Contact him at [email protected]. ___ (c)2014 The Times-Tribune (Scranton, Pa.) Visit The Times-Tribune (Scranton, Pa.) at thetimes-tribune.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |