Gallo

US vintners. The sons of an immigrant Italian grape grower, born near Modesto, California, Ernest and Julio Gallo took over the family's Modesto vineyards in 1933. With Julio installed as president and Ernest as chairman, E and J Gallo Winery became the world's largest winery.

The winery gained success through vertical integration and aggressive marketing, gradually upscaling its image, as its Thunderbird fortified wine of the 1950s gave way to Bartles and Jaymes wine coolers in the 1980s, and its ‘jug wines’ were supplemented by vintage varietals. The Gallos are generally credited with improving the quality of American table wine.