Virginia Foxx: “Today we honor the lifetime achievements of Ernest Gallo, one of the most celebrated American winemakers of the last…”

“Today we honor the lifetime achievements of Ernest Gallo, one of the most celebrated American winemakers of the last century. Ernest Gallo was the eldest of three brothers, born in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California to Italian immigrants. He and his brothers grew up learning about vineyards and winemaking from their father. Upon their parents' untimely death in 1933, Ernest and his brother Julio took control of the family business. Learning from library-issued pamphlets on winemaking, their goal was to make their company nationally known for affordable and quality wine. They founded E. & J. Gallo Winery with a humble investment of $5,900. Over time they went on to develop one of the largest wine empires in the world, now employing 4,600 workers and selling to 90 different countries. In fact, his winery currently sells one out of every four bottles of wine that Americans now consume. Along with founding E. & J. Gallo Winery, Ernest Gallo often supported the industry through philanthropic work.”