(Nomacorc) - Gina Gallo inherited more than genes from her famous family. “I am very connected to the vineyards and the land,” she says, “which I get from my grandfather Julio.”

In 1933, Julio Gallo and his brother, Ernest, started a winery in Modesto, Calif., armed with a $5,000 loan and winemaking pamphlets from the local library. In their second year they sold nearly 450,000 gallons of wine, and in the intervening decades E&J Gallo has expanded production, acquisitions, and land holdings to become the largest family-owned winery in the United States.

Today, fourteen family members work in the company, including Gina Gallo. Although she started out in sales—the dry side of the business—she was drawn to working hands-on with what the land can yield. She enrolled in extension courses in viticulture and enology at UC Davis, and in 1990 moved into production under the guidance of Gallo veteran winemaker Marcello Monticello.

In 2011, Gina launched her own line of premium wines, Gallo Signature Series, making Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel from the company’s estate vineyards in Napa, Sonoma County, and Monterey County.

Nomacorc caught up with Gina Gallo just as harvest 2016 was cranking into full gear. She told us about her palate, her winemaking style, and what’s in her way right now.