Published in the April 29 – May 12, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Cindy Adams
Cindy Adams
Morgan Hill Life file photo
From left, Gary, George and Gene Guglielmo with Chamber of Commerce CEO and President John Horner, City Councilwoman Marilyn Librers and Santa Clara County Supervisor Mike Wasserman during last August’s ribbon cutting for the Wine Trail.
In 1925 the telephone was a new invention, automobiles were not yet the accepted mode of transportation, and the United States hadn’t even experienced the first financial recession. But that year, a young Italian immigrant couple who had been making small batches of wine for their friends in their San Francisco home found a small piece of land about 60 miles south of the city. This 15-acre parcel already had some vineyards on it and plenty of room for expansion. The parcel also had a small farmhouse where the couple could stay on the weekends when they would make the journey from San Francisco.
Fast forward to 2015. This plot of land, located in the northeastern area of Morgan Hill, has grown to 82 acres, most of which are lush vineyards. The small farmhouse, which was the residence of the Guglielmo family for three generations, is now converted to offices and a conference room.
Additions to the property have included a streamlined winemaking facility, including a state-of-the-art bottling line, a tasting room, gift shop and meeting rooms, and also a huge event center, including a 400-plus person capacity tent, large stage and dance floor.
The 15 acres purchased by Emilio and Emilia Guglielmo in 1925 has grown into one of the largest wineries in Santa Clara Valley and has remained in full control of the Guglielmo family for three generations.
There are many stories that the family has about the growth and development of this family winery. One of the earliest recounts how Emilio managed to produce wine during the middle of Prohibition. When he and Emilia would come on the weekends, one of his first tasks was to build redwood tanks in a place that couldn’t easily be detected. He moved their bed aside, dug up the floor of their bedroom and excavated a small cellar where he was able to build a few large redwood casks. When Prohibition ended in 1933, he expanded the cellar to include the entire base of the house. Although Guglielmo Winery now has a large aging area, this cellar is still used and, if you walk clear to the back, you can still see those original three redwood casks.
In 1923, Emilio and Emilia had a son — the first member of the Guglielmo family to be born on American soil. He was born on George Washington’s birthday, Feb. 22, so, yes, they named him George Washington Guglielmo. He came into the family business, helping his parents and, when he completed his service in World War II, he married Madeline Sordello and the two of them took over the operation of Guglielmo Winery, growing it with their hard work and warm hospitality.
George W. and Madeline were blessed with three sons: George Emilio, Gene and Gary. George E. learned winemaking from his father and grandfather and always knew he would go into the family business. He attended Fresno State University where he earned a degree in oenology and, over time, became the winemaker at Guglielmo Winery — a position he still holds today. Gene was a sportsman, excelling in basketball and football, and graduated from Santa Clara University with a degree in marketing. Today, Gene manages the wholesale sales area of the winery, and is the “goodwill ambassador” for Guglielmo Winery. Gary, the youngest, was always interested in the business operations side of things so, between competing in extreme sports, he received his degree from the University of Nevada, Reno and now is Guglielmo Winery’s general manager.
The family is thrilled to be celebrating the 90th anniversary of the winery this year.
In addition to monthly wine specials and other fun commemorations, there is a black-tie gala planned for Sept. 12 to celebrate a great family, great wines, and great friends. For information on upcoming anniversary events, visit www.guglielmowinery.com.
Cindy Adams, CS, CSW, is the director of retail operations at Guglielmo Winery.
