President Barack Obama got a little taste of Morgan Hill during a May 8 Democratic National Committee fundraiser at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose.
That’s when the Commander in Chief was treated to the locally grown and produced wine from Morgan Hill-based Guglielmo Winery.
The President and his honored guests were served the Guglielmo 2012 Private Reserve Pinot Grigio and the 2010 Private Reserve Pinot Noir. Several of the winery’s TRE label wins were offered as well.
George Patton, Food and Beverage Manager at the Fairmont, is responsible for making the presidential tasting occur, according to Gene Guglielmo, Director of Sales and co-owner of Guglielmo Winery.
“Patton told me he needed some special wines for an exclusive dinner with a group of VIPs. Oh, and one of them is the President of the United States,” Guglielmo said. “That was a great phone call to receive. We have a very successful long-term relationship with the Fairmont, and this is certainly recognition of the quality of our locally grown and produced wines. We are very honored by the request.”
The Guglielmo brothers, Gene, George and Gary, consider this a high honor and an acknowledgment of the long-standing agricultural and economic contribution on the part of the family and the important community partnerships they have maintained for three generations. The Guglielmo Winery is the oldest continuously family owned and operated winery in the Santa Clara Valley, since 1925.
Gene Guglielmo was invited to the dinner, but at $32,400 a plate, he politely declined.
“The Guglielmo family invites all wine lovers who are curious to taste the wines served at the presidential dinner to come visit the tasting room in Morgan Hill and sample the wines the president himself enjoyed,” the May 9 press release reads.
Guglielmo Winery is located at 1480 East Main Street and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
