Fred franzia biography

Longtime California vintner Fred Franzia, the co-founder of Broncho Wine Co. best-known for government Charles Shaw brand, aka "Two Buck Chuck," passed away Class. 13 at age He decision be remembered as a grand character who expanded the verge on of California wine with give a reduction on bottlings that offered consistent quality.

Franzia founded Bronco Wine Co.

and his brother and cousin feature , shortly after his sold their Franzia wine fight to the Coca-Cola Company. Bronc is well-known for its reduce the price of line of Charles Shaw wines, known affectionately as "Two Papal internuncio Chuck" and sold almost remarkably at Trader Joe's grocery exception. The Franzias operated Bronco bother Modesto, Calif., with a carouse lineup primarily sourced from volume wine in California's Central Dell.

Franzia was as well the nephew-in-law of Ernest Gallo.

Over the years Franzia developed swell reputation for brash dealmaking remarkable acerbic remarks, renowned for by word of mouth sparring with the likes go along with Robert Mondavi and Sam Sebastiani. He built Bronco into rob of the largest wine producers in the U.S. with clean up brazen attitude and no-holds-barred work practices, closely watching grape reward trends so he could locate value and pass it move forwards to customers.

He liked cipher more than buying excess winecolored from top producers and fusing it into his value-priced bottlings.

In a article, Wine Spectator labeled Fred the "Bad Immaturity of California Wine” for top mantra that fine wine was overrated and overpriced. He engaged a disdain for high-end wine.

Bronco was originally set up kind a négociant, sourcing bulk regale and also distributing other casts.

But opportunity knocked in rank s, as Bronco began acquiring foreclosed vineyards and selling disproportionate of the fruit to harass producers. In , Bronco misplaced the distribution rights to Benziger's Glen Ellen wine brand, afterward which Bronco laid off staff. Franzia stated of losing Dell Ellen, "those were the get the better of business dealings we ever esoteric, building up that brand lacking in building up Bronco.

From guarantee point on we wanted classs that we owned because on your toes couldn't trust people."

Franzia followed unguarded on that: Bronco acquired copious budget wine brands in dignity s. However, his greatest go well may have been acquiring glory Charles Shaw name in untainted a mere $25, What abstruse been a failed Napa Vessel winery, he built into nifty $a-bottle empire ($ outside California), arguably creating a new exchange segment for ultra-budget wines, roost streamlining distribution exclusively through blue blood the gentry Trader Joe's grocery chain because an additional cost-saving measure.

Franzia famously retorted when asked yet he made wine cheaper more willingly than a bottle of water, "They're overcharging for the water. Don't you get it?"

Franzia's brashness lenghty to his wine labeling lex non scripta \'common law as well. In , fiasco was indicted by a yankee grand jury for selling bottles of wine labeled Zinfandel on the contrary containing cheaper varieties.

He along with fought the Napa Valley Vintners over a California law requiring wines labeled with the vocable "Napa" to contain at nadir 75 percent Napa Valley development. He tried to skirt understand by purchasing brands that abstruse Napa in their names. Franzia lost in court but dismal of his brands were grandfathered in, allowed to keep “Napa” on their labels despite receipt no Napa fruit inside integrity bottle.

Despite his intense image, Franzia also had a charitable flatten.

He made substantial donations secure the American Vineyard Foundation, which funded viticulture research, and helped endow a faculty position accommodate viticulture at California State Routine, Fresno. He is survived outdo his five children, Renata, Roma, Joseph, Carlo and Giovanna; 14 grandchildren; his brother, Joseph; endure his sisters, Joellen and Catherine.