[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8803-8805]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1500
                   HONORING THE LIFE OF ERNEST GALLO

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 88) honoring the life of Ernest 
Gallo.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 88

       Whereas Ernest Gallo was born March 18, 1909, in Jackson, 
     California, the son of Italian immigrants, graduated from 
     Modesto High School in 1927, earned a degree from Modesto 
     Junior College, and married Amelia Franzia, daughter of the 
     founders of Franzia Winery in 1931;
       Whereas Ernest Gallo, with his brother Julio Gallo, founded 
     E. & J. Gallo Winery at the end of the Prohibition Era in 
     1933, beginning with only $5,900 in savings and a winemaking 
     pamphlet from the Modesto Public Library to make their first 
     batch, growing their small family-owned winery into the 
     world's second largest by volume, and selling an estimated 
     75,000,000 cases a year worldwide under approximately 100 
     different labels;
       Whereas Ernest Gallo began his illustrious career at a 
     young age, working in his parents' vineyard while attending 
     Modesto High School and demonstrating his entrepreneurial 
     spirit early in life by traveling at the age of 17 to 
     complete his first business deal;
       Whereas Ernest Gallo, demonstrating great vision, 
     anticipated the growth of the wine industry and developed the 
     first-of-its kind vertically integrated company, with 
     vineyards stretching across California, an on-site bottling 
     plant, and an art department to design bottles and labels, 
     changing the face of California's wine industry;
       Whereas the Gallo Winery employs 4,600 people in the State 
     of California, providing critical highly-skilled employment 
     opportunities in the San Joaquin Valley and greatly 
     contributing to the economic strength of the State;
       Whereas Ernest Gallo and the Gallo Winery were bestowed 
     countless awards for achievement in winemaking, including the 
     American Society of Enologists Merit Award, the wine 
     industry's highest honor, in 1964 for outstanding leadership 
     in the wine industry, the Gold Vine Award from the 
     Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine wine fraternity, the 
     1983 Distinguished Service Award from The Wine Spectator, and 
     the Winery of the Year Award in both 1996 and 1998 by the San 
     Francisco International Wine Competition; and
       Whereas Ernest Gallo was widely known for his generous 
     philanthropic work in the City of Modesto and throughout the 
     state of California, including an endowment for the Gallo 
     Center for the Arts in Modesto, the establishment of the 
     Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of 
     California at San Francisco for research into genetic, 
     biochemical, and neurobiological aspects of alcohol abuse, 
     and countless other healthcare and educational endeavors: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress honors the life of Ernest Gallo, a 
     pioneer in the field of winemaking, dedicated philanthropist, 
     and community leader.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Watson) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. 
Foxx) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

[[Page 8804]]

  Ernest Gallo, who learned his craft of winemaking from a recipe in 
the basement of the Modesto public library with his brother Julio and 
with $5,900 of borrowed money, developed one of the largest wine 
empires in the world. They founded the E. & J. Gallo Winery in 1933 at 
the end of Prohibition. The Gallos rented a building and made an 
ordinary wine for 50 cents a gallon. They made $30,000 their first year 
of business. Mr. Ernest Gallo was an aggressive business leader who 
worked long hours and then went home and worked some more. His company 
made wines under more than 40 labels and employed 4,600 workers with 
wine sales in over 90 countries.
  For decades the name ``Gallo'' was synonymous with inexpensive 
California wine. Mr. Gallo battled that image with advertisement; with 
humor; and to a large extent, by buying up wineries with more exclusive 
labels than his own company.
  Robert Mondavi of Napa Valley, and a friend, said, ``Ernest was a 
visionary. He was committed to making America a wine-drinking 
country.''
  Mr. Gallo lived and breathed wine. He aired wine commercials on TV 
and participated on wine promotion boards. He chaired the Wine 
Institute and mentored generations of winemakers. He erected wine 
billboards and traveled the country checking on wine displays in 
supermarkets. He enjoyed drinking his own wines, particularly a product 
that morphed over years from ``red table wine'' to ``Cabernet 
Sauvignon.''
  Mr. Gallo had an uncanny talent for tapping into consumer tastes with 
sweet products such as Boone's Farm, which was so popular in the 1970s, 
which caused a worldwide shortage in the apple concentrate it was made 
from, and other products like Ripple and Thunderbird.
  He moved upscale in 1974, introducing high-quality, cork-finished 
varietal wines, but the venture failed. He also developed E. & J. 
brandy and Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers. Additionally, Mr. Gallo 
developed its Gallo of Sonoma line and began buying upscale 
competitors, including the Mirassou and Louis M. Martini labels, and 
introducing foreign brands Ecco and other types of wine.
  Mr. Gallo died unexpectedly in his Modesto home on March 6 of this 
year. He lived to the ripe old age of 97. And his brother Julio Gallo 
passed in 1993.
  I commend the gentleman from California (Mr. Cardoza) for introducing 
H. Con. Res. 88, honoring the life of Ernest Gallo, and I urge its 
swift passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  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. He founded the Gallo 
Center for the Arts in Modesto. He established the Ernest Gallo Clinic 
and Research Center at the University of California at San Francisco, 
which conducts numerous studies and research for genetic, biochemical, 
and neurobiological aspects of alcohol abuse, as well as health care 
and education related to alcohol use.
  Along with great financial success, Ernest Gallo and his winery won 
numerous prestigious awards, including the wine industry's highest 
honor, the American Society of Enologists Merit Award, in 1964 for 
outstanding leadership in the industry. They won the Gold Vine Award, 
the 1983 Distinguished Service Award from Wine Spectator, and the 
Winery of the Year Award in both 1996 and 1998 from the San Francisco 
International Wine Competition.
  After a long and successful career as a winemaker, businessman, and 
philanthropist, Gallo passed away on March 6 at the age of 97 at his 
home in Modesto, California. His many distinguished accomplishments in 
the wine industry and his strong community involvement deserve to be 
recognized and honored by the Congress.
  I urge all Members to support H. Con. Res. 88.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
Representative Dennis A. Cardoza of California.
  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of House Concurrent 
Resolution 88, honoring the life and many achievements of Ernest Gallo.
  I am proud to say that Ernest Gallo was not only a constituent of 
mine but he was also a dear friend. Over the years I served in the 
California State legislature and here in Congress, Ernest's deep 
commitment to California and to winemaking was a constant presence that 
guided many of my legislative efforts.
  Decades ago Ernest Gallo, along with his brother Julio, recognized 
the great potential of the San Joaquin Valley, with its temperate 
weather and its extraordinary fertile soil, to foster the growth of a 
strong domestic wine industry. They cultivated the Gallo Winery from a 
small plot of land with just a few grape varieties to a multinational 
beverage company that ranks as the second largest in the world.
  My district, California's 18th Congressional District, grows nearly 
250 different crops, from asparagus to sweet potatoes, and is home to a 
number of agricultural businesses, some small and some quite large. But 
not one business has had more impact on the rich tapestry of the valley 
than Gallo Winery.
  The Gallo Winery provides hundreds of my constituents with high-skill 
employment opportunities and serves as a solid foundation for continued 
growth in the region. The Gallo family has contributed to countless 
community projects throughout the valley and to medical research 
projects devoted to curbing alcoholism.
  Ernest Gallo and the Gallo Winery revolutionized the U.S. wine 
industry. But what was once a boutique industry reserved for the upper 
crust of society is now a billion dollar business that equalizes social 
classes by allowing the masses to participate in wine drinking and 
winemaking.
  In his youth, Ernest and his brother Julio recognized an unmet need 
in the wine industry. Demonstrating his acute business skills, Ernest 
quickly capitalized on the market gap and set about to create 
inexpensive wines for the enjoyment of all citizens. The trend of 
affordable wines caught on, and quickly Gallo Winery became one of the 
most respected companies in the business.
  For agriculture, the impact has been just as immense. The success of 
the Gallo Winery was one of the catalysts to bringing much-needed 
attention to the other side of American agriculture, that which was 
taking place outside of the traditional farming that was done in the 
Midwest.
  Furthermore, Gallo's commitment to environmentally sustainable 
farming permeates the wine grape growing industry even today and will 
surely be the standard for years to come.
  Ernest and the entire Gallo family have long partnered with the 
surrounding community, especially with the city of Modesto, to give 
back in a number of generous ways. For instance, the Gallo Arts Center 
in Modesto, which is under construction now, once completed will 
attract quality arts and entertainment performances where there had 
been virtually none before. For the first time, valley

[[Page 8805]]

residents can participate in the cultural experiences on par with our 
urban neighbors.
  However, above all, beyond Ernest's commitments and achievements in 
his professional life, he must also be lauded for his personal story. 
He was the son of Italian immigrants who started out with nothing and, 
armed with little else than a brochure in winemaking from the local 
library, he grew the Gallo Winery empire.
  Ernest Gallo is one of the finest examples of an American success 
story. Our culture praises individuals like Ernest, and rightly so. It 
is what we teach our children and our children's children, that you can 
take nothing for granted, that you always must take what you are given, 
and in Ernest's case it was his keen business sense, and turn that gift 
into something substantial.
  I am proud to have represented Ernest Gallo all these years and even 
more proud to have called him my friend. He will be remembered fondly 
for his contributions to the industry, to agriculture, and to the 
community.
  I thank my colleagues for their consideration.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a distinguished 
Californian, a great American, and a dear friend--Ernest Gallo, the 
patriarch of the family-owned E&J Gallo Winery. After 97 full years, 
Ernest Gallo passed away on March 6.
  Ernest and his brothers grew up growing grapes in the vineyard of 
their father, an Italian immigrant. With the repeal of Prohibition in 
1933, the Gallo brothers saw an opportunity to expand the family 
business. With just $900 in savings, a $5000 loan, and a wine recipe 
from the Modesto Public Library, Ernest and Julio began to build what 
would become the world's largest winemaking empire.
  Ernest became the head of the family and the head of the business; he 
ran the business and Julio produced the wine. They worked throughout 
their lives to improve the quality of American grapes and deserve much 
of the credit for turning America into a wine-drinking country.
  Their success resulted from passion and hard work. Ernest's 
entrepreneurial skills, instinctive business sense, and marketing ideas 
were extraordinary. He was as innovative, as he was visionary.
  Ernest Gallo was also deeply generous--a patron of many charities, 
education and political campaigns. He funded the Ernest Gallo Clinic 
and Research Center at UCSF, one of world's preeminent academic centers 
for the study of the biological basis of alcohol and substance abuse.
  Ernest deeply loved his family, especially his wife Amelia and his 
son David, who both preceded him in death, his son Joseph, and his four 
grandchildren. I extend my deepest sympathies to them all today.
  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I am proud that the House of Representatives 
is considering H. Con. Res. 88, a resolution honoring the life of 
Ernest Gallo. I am an original cosponsor of this resolution and a long-
time admirer of Ernest Gallo, who sadly passed away on March 6.
  Ernest Gallo was a pioneer in the field of winemaking and a generous 
philanthropist. He was also a friend to me and my late husband, 
Congressman Robert Matsui. His story is remarkable and exemplifies the 
American dream. Born to Italian immigrants, Ernest and his brother 
Julio, took just $5,900 in savings and a winemaking pamphlet from the 
Modesto Public Library, and from this modest start built the world's 
second-largest winery. He foresaw the potential for the California wine 
industry and relied upon smart ideas and hard work to build an 
incredibly successful business that today serves as an industry model. 
Today, the Gallo Winery is an important driver of northern California's 
regional economy, providing good jobs for 4,600 families.
  But Ernest's lifetime contribution to California and the Nation went 
beyond his business achievements. As he became more successful, Ernest 
gave back to the community where he grew up. Ernest Gallo's personal 
generosity is demonstrated by such endeavors as the Gallo Center for 
the Arts in Modesto and the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at 
the University of California, San Francisco. These important 
institutions stand as a reminder of Ernest Gallo's life and his spirit.
  I hope all of my colleagues will join me in supporting this 
resolution and honoring the life and memory of Ernest Gallo.
  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, the House voted to honor Mr. Ernest Gallo, a 
pioneer and innovator in winemaking and exceptional example of the 
American entrepreneurial spirit. Born on March 18, 1909 near Modesto, 
California, Ernest Gallo grew up working with his brother, Julio, in a 
vineyard owned by their immigrant father. With less than $6,000 and a 
pamphlet from the Modesto Public Library, the brothers founded E & J 
Gallo Winery in 1933. From these humble beginnings, Ernest and his 
brother built a wine empire, bringing a love of wine to the U.S. 
customer and permanently establishing California as the epicenter of 
America's wine industry. Today, E & J Gallo Winery produces 
approximately 900 million bottles annually, selling them under 40 
different labels and distributing to 90 different countries. Throughout 
the years, Gallo received honors for his achievements in winemaking by 
a host of organizations ranging from the American Society of Enologists 
Merit Award for outstanding leadership in the wine industry to the Gold 
Vine Award from the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine wine 
fraternity and the 1983 Distinguished Service Award from The Wine 
Spectator. In recent years, Gallo Winery has continued this trend of 
excellence, being named Winery of the Year in 1996 and 1998 by the San 
Francisco International Wine Competition and being named ``Wine of the 
Century'' at the Los Angeles County Fair wine competition. These honors 
are owed in no small part to the passion and innovation of Ernest 
Gallo. In his passing, we have lost an American legend and a dear 
friend.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res 88.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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