Present-day

Donald Galleano

The Galleano history in the United States began in 1913 when a young Domenico Galleano immigrated from the Piedmont region of Italy. For fourteen years he worked and saved his money looking for the land he saw in his mind, not willing to settle for anything less. In 1927 Domenico purchased the Cantu Ranch which consisted of a two-story house built sometime between 1895 and 1910, a barn and several outbuildings that remain largely in their original condition. He was however much more excited by the sandy soil of the valley and knew that it was exactly what he had been looking for. He was ready to plant his vineyards, ready to make his dream a reality. That reality has lasted 5 generations. As Domenicoís son Bernard (affectionately called Nino) grew, so did his responsibilities at the ranch and under his leadership the winery outgrew the cellar of the house and was expanded. After WWII, winery operations moved across Wineville Road to the existing site.

Donald, Ninoís son, worked with his grandfather and father until 1983 when it was time for him to assume leadership. Today he farms 400 acres of winegrapes and is the Cucamonga Valleyís largest producer of wine and largest shipper of winegrapes in Southern California. Each year thousands of tons of Cucamonga Valley winegrapes are sold to other wineries throughout California. Galleano Winery practices traditional farming methods, which means dry farming and head-pruned vines. ìThis makes for good photosynthesis and gives the grapes intense flavor characteristics, though the yield is low compared to other methods,î says Donald. The vineyards of the Cucamonga Wine District, Californiaís oldest wine growing region, produce grapes that are in high demand because of their intense varietal characteristics and unique qualities.

The wine Donald calls ìour local Zinfandelî had its beginnings in Domenicoís time. Deep raspberry in color, this Zinfandel is full of character with a nice fruit flavor and a hint of currant. Besides being Donaldís daily wine of choice, Galleano Wineryís Zinfandel symbolizes the valleyís history. During Prohibition, heads of households throughout the country were permitted to make up to 200 gallons of wine for personal use. Cucamonga Valley supplied Zinfandel grapes by the trainload. ìPeople tell me of their fond memories of the grape trains and the ritual of winemaking,î says Donald.

As a young man, Donald knew that the family business, as well as the regionís vanishing wine industry, must be preserved. He has succeeded at both endeavors. Donald and his family are determined to continue the tradition begun by Domenico Galleano 76 years ago. Through the hard work of Domenico, Nino and Donald, the winery has survived the Great Depression, Prohibition, the Recession and encroachment from development. The winery is a living museum, with a rich history and a proud past.

Galleano Enterprises is the largest shipper of grapes in Southern California.

From the Vineyards to the Winery

Donald still actively farms over 400 acres of grapes unique to the Cucamonga Valley. Galleano Enterprises is the largest shipper of grapes in Southern California, moving products to other wineries throughout California. The Rhone varieties, such as Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignane, and Cinsault, are in high demand by wineries and consumers alike as their outstanding qualities cannot be duplicated anywhere else in California. Cucamonga Valley Zinfandel grapes are sought after by some of the largest wineries in California.

Galleano Winery uses traditional European techniques in harvesting and producing wine. The majority of our vineyards are head pruned (free standing) and are free from herbicides and pesticides (certified organically grown). More importantly to our winemaker is the fact that these grapes are non-irrigated, a practice used to extract all of the essence from the fruit, giving these grapes their intense varietal characteristics. The grapes are hand-picked and quickly transported to the winery where they are crushed. The wine is fermented on the skins, using the natural yeast from the grape, which infuses the beautiful red color and tannins. After fermenting for about 10 days at temperature from 75 to 80 degrees, the free run wine is drawn off. The pressed wine is then distilled into brandy which is used for dessert wines.

 

Still Making History

Galleano Wines continue to win numerous awards at international wine competitions, including the Sweepstakes Award at the LA County Fair. Today Galleano Winery is Riverside Countyís oldest winery. In 1993 it was designated as a County Historical Landmark and a State of California Point of Historical Interest, and in September 2003 was named to the National Register of Historic Places and the California Register of Historic Places (read more).