"It's a significant investment for the Gallo family," Roger Nabedian, senior vice president and general manager of Gallo's Premium Wine Division, told Wine Spectator. "But it is exciting that we're furthering our commitment to quality wine."

Dr. Jan Krupp bought the site in 1995, just four years after he shifted his focus from medicine to winemaking. The land languished on the market for some time because no one thought it could be developed. Krupp and his brother Bart spent seven years clearing dense areas of scrub oak, huge rocks and boulders. But the work paid off when the vines planted in the reddish volcanic soils, primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, began bearing fruit.