Gallo family

For the Gallo crime family, see Joe Gallo § Gallo Crew.

The Gallo family is an American wine family. The father, Giuseppe "Joseph" Gallo, Sr., immigrant from Fossano, Italy, after a period of menial labor started farming grapes, founded a winery, and died in a murder-suicide when he shot his wife and then killed himself.[1][2]

Ernest and Julio Gallo started E. & J. Gallo Winery, which today is the largest exporter of California wines. Julio was focused on the production of wine, and Ernest on its sale.[3] A third brother, Joseph, was a rancher, cheese maker, and founder of Joseph Gallo Farms. In the 1980s, Julio and Ernest sued Joseph for its use of Gallo as a brand name for his cheese brand, and eventually won the trial.[3]

  1. ^ Eric Pace (May 4, 1993). "Julio Gallo, 83, Wine Industrialist, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
  2. ^ Family Secrets : Today, They Produce 25% Of The Wine Sold In This Country. But The Gallos' Climb To The Top Was Anything But Smooth. Their History Includes Allegations Of Bootlegging, Family Violence And A Bitter Fight Over Assets Los Angeles Times 1993-02-28
  3. ^ a b Kim Kowsky, Winemaker Julio Gallo Dies in Car Crash, Latimes.com, 3 May 1993