ernest gallo

He was orphaned at 24 when his father, deep in the dark days of the Depression, shot first his mother Assunta, and then himself. The same year, he borrowed the better part of $5,900 and started a winery in California with his brother Julio. By the time of his very recent death at age 97, he was producing one in four bottles of wine sold in the U.S. Today's great Italian is Ernest Gallo.