Gustavo Brambila began work as cellar master at Chateau Montelena Winery just three weeks before the Paris results were announced.
Gustavo Wine
The Connection: Gustavo Brambila began work as cellar master at Chateau Montelena Winery just three weeks before the Paris results were announced. A lead character in Bottle Shock, the 2008 film about the tasting, is based on his experiences.
The son of an immigrant vineyard worker from Mexico, Brambila was one of the first Latino graduates from the oenology program at UC-Davis. He worked with Mike Grgich at Grgich Hills for 23 years before starting his own brand in 1999. Brambila makes a wide range of wines, but the Chardonnay remains closest to his heart. “For me, it’s all about making a wine that takes you back to a memory of each vintage.”