Episode 107: From Prohibition to Paris: The Gemello Winery Story

When Mario Gemello’s father left Piedmont, Italy, for California in 1912, he carried a dream of opening his own winery. But before that dream could become a reality, Prohibition forced him to find another way to support his family.

In Episode 107, Stephanie is joined by writer, journalist, and family historian Kevin Ferguson to explore the story of Gemello Winery in Mountain View, California. Kevin shares how an old cassette recording helped preserve his family’s immigration story, how the Gemellos built their winery during Prohibition and the Great Depression, and how a forgotten bottle of 1970 Gemello Cabernet became the surprise winner of a blind tasting held for the 25th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris.

Kevin is currently working on his forthcoming book, Rain on the Monte Bello Ridge, a memoir about health, aging, and winemaking.

Follow Kevin’s work:

Substack: ⁠https://gemello.substack.com⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/gemellowinery⁠

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