ROSARIO, THE MAN AND HIS PASSION

His goal has been to provide an approachable tasting experience with the fruit of the family

labors in a relaxing atmosphere.

Rosario has been making wine for over 40 years. It all started when a couple of friends from Italy were making wine in the cellar of their Chicago home and invited Rosario to help them. They taught him how to combine old world Italian techniques with modern day ideas. As he took the first sip of the fruit of his labor he was hooked…HE HAD FOUND HIS PASSION.

He worked with them over 5 years getting his winemaking education and developing his own style. They used California grapes that they would purchase right off the boxcars at the train yards near Chicago’s famous Taylor Street. Trains would roll into “The California Yard” loaded with varieties of vine ripened grapes. The search was on to find just the right grape to make their wine. They went from boxcar to boxcar sampling the grapes until the right ones were found. Haggling for the best price ensued.

It was always a fun experience, buying the grapes. The day started off very early with a stop at a local Italian deli to pick up some salami, prosciutto, and a good Italian bread. They ended with Rosario and his buddies leaving the train yard with big smiles assured they had negotiated the best price for the best grapes.

In 1963 Rosario started his own electrical contracting company, Preferred Electric. For 35 years he worked hard with his partner, Dennis, to build a very successful business. Then in 1998 the itch grew stronger. He knew he needed to get serious about his wine making. He sold his share of the business and began his hunt for the perfect place to plant his vineyard. He would follow his dream.

In 1999 the Italian Club, a charitable organization, of which he is still a member awarded him the honor of “Man of the Year”.  During his acceptance speech his heritage popped out often with the use of the words “Fergedaboudit”. His friends joke with him about his use of the phrase. When trying to find the right name for the vineyard nothing seemed right. His wife told him to just sit back relax and forget about it. That’s when the lightbulb came on and the vineyard got its name. Fergedaboudit…after all, it’s a name you can’t forget!

ROSARIO’S ROOTS

Rosario was born in Chicago in 1939. Around the turn of the century his grandfather, Rosario, migrated from an area in Sicily, Italy that was known for its sulfur mines. The people of this area came to Pennsylvania because of its mines. Most of the towns people were miners but, Rosario’s grandfather was a barber. He passed his trade on to his son, Joseph. At 18 Joseph decided he had other ideas. He left home and moved to Chicago where he became a boxer. The Irish pretty much ran the city and the boxing industry in those days. To get into the ring he change his name to Jack Conway and for a time he fought as an Irishman. Being fair complexed, light hair and blue-eyed he got away with it. He won the Golden Gloves as a light/middleweight boxer. It lasted for a few years until he was knocked out. He gave up boxing, changed his name back to Joe Bruno, and went to work at International Harvester. Somewhere around 1926 Joe’s father and the rest of his family reunited with him in Chicago. They settled in the Italian neighborhoods of Taylor Street and Racine Avenue.

ROSARIO or RON?

When Joseph’s mother passed away he took his father, Rosario, into live with him and his wife, Anna. He was a tough old guy who “ruled the roost” and was a stickler for old Italian traditions. One of those traditions mandated the first born son be named after the grandfather. Anna didn’t like the name Rosario but, being Italian she felt she couldn’t break tradition. She agreed to name her boy Rosario Ronald Bruno but, never referred to him as Rosario. In the family he was known as Ron. In 1962 Ron was drafted into the Army. On day one, when they called out "Rosario Bruno” he didn’t realize they were calling him. He served as his unit company as Rosario Bruno. he was stationed in Fort Lewis Washington. When he returned home he was back to being called Ron.

LIFE and WORK

Rosario learned about life and achieving goals at the tender age of 12 when he sold newspapers at the LaSalle Street train station in the heart of Downtown Chicago. He also shined shoes there. On his way home there were some times older kids would rough him up demanding his money he’d earn that day. He hid the money in his shoes and told the kids he didn’t have any. It was a bad day for business. At this young age he was already showing his entrepreneurial spirit and innovative business thinking. He has had to work hard for everything he ever wanted in life. His philosophy of life and work, “You work hard for what you want. It’s there for you to achieve. It won’t just come to you. You’ve got to see eye to eye with your goals and you’ve “gotta” be  honest with yourself and other people in order to reach those goals.” Rosario has lived a great life and achieved his goals through hard work and the help of family and friends. He continues to work hard into his “retirement years.” He’s not working so much now for himself. He is working for the future for his children and his grandchildren. He continues to work so his dream lives on.

ROSARIO and ART

Rosario dabbles in art in his free time. The Fergedaboudit logo and the designs for the labels and some clothing sold in the tasting room gift shop are created and drawn by Rosario. He spends the winter months in Florida with his wife Sandra. With plenty of time to draw and create artwork for the next label or tee shirt until he can come home to his vineyard. Fergedaboudit has brought fun to the world of wine while preserving all the qualities of fine wine. 

“Sharing our wine and our beautiful vineyard with all who come, is my Dream Come True” Rosario Ronald Bruno