Agostino Gamba

Agostino “Gus” Gamba’s life-long dream of becoming a winemaker began by a carefully guided apprenticeship with his father at an early age. It was the late 1960’s to early 1970’s when Gamba Sr. first focused his son’s attention from the beginning in the vineyards, cultivating the vines, and later, to the fine artisan skills of winemaking, passing his lifelong knowledge and experience to his young son to produce the highest quality grapes, and later, the finest resulting wines from their historic vineyards in Sonoma County. 

In the mid 1980’s, Gus Gamba’s scholastic achievements led him to the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he majored in Business Economics. In the 1990’s, he returned to Northern California, enrolling in Viticulture and Enology programs at UC Davis. His interest in business grew and dove-tailed with his passion for wine grape growing and enology. Gamba worked his way through school gaining valuable experience in the ranks of notable wineries during his early years in the business. Working for some of the premier wineries in Sonoma County, Gus ascended to a director position responsible for creative and innovative marketing, business development, and strategic planning for growing winery revenues. With a career in winery management at its peak, Gamba looked to the future and the next logical stepping stone. He began Gamba Vineyards and Winery in earnest with his wife, Paulette, in 2000, the century age mark of the historic Gamba Estate Vineyard. Today, as the seventh generation enters the family business, Gamba Vineyards and Winery carries forward their solid belief in the philosophy that great wines are first made in the vineyard.

Over the years, Gamba Vineyards and Winery limited production wines have garnered a multitude of praise, scores, awards, and accolades. Notably, Robert Parker Jr. of the Wine Advocate, has honored Gamba consistently with exceptionally high scores and critical acclaim, and is quoted regarding Gamba Zinfandel as “Among the best...” and as one of the “…Stars of Sonoma.” The definitive wine atlas, Opus Vino, by Jim Gordon, states “Gamba Zinfandels are highly sought after… as one of the best in Sonoma County.” The next generation has now joined the team, building on the experience Gamba enjoyed in his youth decades before.

With over 70 years of wine grape growing experience in the Russian River Valley, and six generations of winemaking behind them, the Gamba family story truly embodies the history of wine grape growing and fine winemaking in Sonoma County, California. 

Meet Gus at these Festival Events:

Gamba Vineyards & Winery Wine Dinner at Wild Olives presented by Carol & Carter Zorn: 10.17.24
Harvest After Dark: 10.18.24
Grand Tasting VIP presented by Emerald Coast Magazine and Brad Dahler of Scenic Sotheby's: 10.19.24

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