HR1048 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1048 LRB094 19978 HSS 57391 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois offer our sincere congratulations to Anthony Terlato, the recipient of the 2006 Horatio Alger Award; and

WHEREAS, Anthony J. Terlato is a true visionary who has made a lifetime commitment to fine wine and has been at the forefront of the evolution of the fine wine industry for the last half-century; and

WHEREAS, From retailer to distributor, importer, marketer, winery owner, and vineyard owner, Mr. Terlato is the only individual to make his mark in every sector of the wine industry; and

WHEREAS, He serves as Chairman of the Terlato Wine Group (TWG), the parent company of several independent businesses specializing in the marketing and production of exceptional wines; and

WHEREAS, In 1955, he began his career at his father's Chicago retail wine and spirits store; and

WHEREAS, He married Josephine Paterno in 1956 and joined his father-in-law's wine bottling firm, Pacific Wine Company; and

WHEREAS, He was instrumental in transitioning the bottling company to a solid distributor of fine wines; and

WHEREAS, By the age of 29, Mr. Terlato was named President of Pacific Wine Company, which is now a prominent name in the wine industry; and

WHEREAS, In the late 1960s, using the family's Paterno Imports (Olive Oil Importing), Mr. Terlato embarked on the journey of searching for exceptional wines on the Italian peninsula and assembled a collection of some of the finest producers of Italian wines; and

WHEREAS, By the mid-1980s, Paterno Imports was considered the premier importer of Italian wines in the United States due to Mr. Terlato's efforts and talent; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Terlato earned the title of "Father of Pinot Grigio" when he introduced Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio to America in 1979, and today, pinot grigio is the most popular imported varietal, and Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is the most popular luxury wine in U.S. history; and

WHEREAS, For his leadership in introducing fine Italian wines to America, Mr. Terlato was conferred the decoration of Cavaliere Ufficiale, Motu Proprio, in 1984, by the President of the Italian Republic, Sandro Pertini, and was the first American in the wine industry to receive this decoration; and

WHEREAS, Today, Paterno Wines International, the flagship company of the Terlato Wine Group, is run by Mr. Terlato, with his sons, William and John, and has become the leading marketer of luxury wines in the United States; and

WHEREAS, One out of every eight bottles of wine over $14 sold in America comes from the Paterno portfolio; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Terlato's influence on the wine industry was immediate due to the family's core philosophy of always placing quality first, and today Terlato Wine Group includes the family's investments in vineyards, wine production joint ventures, and wineries in some of the world's most esteemed wine regions, including: Napa Valley; Sonoma County; Santa Barbara County; Victoria, Australia; and the Rhone Valley; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Terlato was honored as Wine Enthusiast Magazine's "Man of the Year" in 2003, its most prestigious award, and the Wine Enthusiast editorial staff credited him with "changing the way Americans drink" by bringing quality Italian wines to the United States; and

WHEREAS, In July 2003, he was recognized as the Honored Guest of l'Ete du Vin, one of the top five wine auctions in America, and at the event he was awarded the Norman M. Lipman Award for his efforts in promoting fine quality wines in America; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Terlato received the Distinguished Service Award from Wine Spectator Magazine in 2004; and

WHEREAS, He is an active participant in many organizations dedicated to the knowledge and propagation of fine wine; he founded The Renaissance Club, dedicated to the celebration and exploration of the classic foods and fine wines of Italy; and

WHEREAS, He is also a member of the French wine societies Commanderie de Bordeaux and Confrerie du Tastevin; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Terlato was selected as Man of the Year for the City of Hope, and in 2002 he was elected to the Board of Trustees of COPIA, the American Center for Food, Wine, and the Arts; and

WHEREAS, He is a longtime Board member of Chicago's Lyric Opera and a Governing Member of the Orchestral Association of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; and

WHEREAS, Anthony and Josephine have two sons, William and John, and five grandchildren Jojo, Tony, Elise, Jack, and Cutler; and

WHEREAS, Anthony Terlatos' dedication to the wine industry has led to the evolution of wine in America; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we do hereby offer our congratulations to Anthony Terlato on receiving the 2006 Horatio Alger Award; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Anthony Terlato and his family.