View of the Gainey vineyard from a drone

About Us

A black and white photo of Dan J Gainey standing in front of the Gainey sign

Gainey wines are the culmination of a family heritage that runs deep in the Santa Barbara wine country.

Our wines reflect not only an expertise handed down through the generations but also a thirst for innovation that motivates us.

* In the photoDan J. Gainey

Our story in the Santa Ynez Valley begins more than 60 years ago when my grandfather and father, Dan J. Gainey, acquired 1,800 acres of undeveloped land. Here, on what we call the “Home Ranch,” they ran cattle and horses while growing 600 acres of fruit, vegetables, flowers and hay. In 1984, my father converted 50 acres to grapevines and Gainey Vineyard was born. I joined the winery a year later. My father would ultimately prove to be one of our region’s early winemaking visionaries.

Ever since, we have built upon this legacy while planting two additional estate vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills. My wife Diane and I can now proudly say that our children make Gainey Vineyard a fourth-generation enterprise. We gladly welcome you into our family journey.

Gainey Cabernet and Chardonnay Limited Selection bottles on a table

OurTeam

Jeff LeBard
Winemaker
As Gainey Vineyard’s winemaker for the past 14 years, Jeff LeBard brings a consistency of vision, style and quality to our wines. Jeff is also an ardent student of his craft, always seeking new information in the pursuit of incremental innovation. He is particularly fascinated by the juxtaposition of art and science, and how both disciplines can be mastered to create wines of significance. “My goal is to find a place where beauty, elegance and nuance exist while retaining proper scientific boundaries to ensure that the art lives on inside the bottle,” he says. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys mountain biking and grabbing a pint at the local brewery.
Meryl Capone
Tasting Room Manager
Meryl has been with us for 26 years and is an important part of our team. She loves many things about her job, but says the highlights are working for the Gaineys and having her employees become like family. She loves helping customers because each day you meet new people which keeps it fresh and interesting. She also likes that the Gainey team is always open to new ideas and trying to improve as an organization. Before she came to work with us, she was an interior designer in New York. Without hesitation, her favorite Gainey wine is the Limited Selection Pinot Noir. When she’s not working, you can find her at home whipping up an incredible Italian meal.
Lisa Briley
Wine Club Manager
Lisa has been our wine club manager since 2010—but to some members, she’s still the new kid on the block. “We have members dating back 20 and even 30 years,” Lisa marvels. While Lisa spends considerable time on database management, order processing and preparing club shipments, she prides herself on the personal touch. “It’s what I like most about my job, forming relationships with our members and being able to make them happy year after year,” she says. Lisa is a fourth-generation native of the Santa Ynez Valley. In her free time, she enjoys helping her son and daughter raise animals for 4-H, and taking family trips to national parks around the west.
Sunny Ramirez
Events Manager
Sunny oversees our multifaceted public and private events at Gainey Vineyard. Prior to joining the winery in 2016, she was an executive manager in the gift manufacturing industry, where she developed organizational skills that applied seamlessly to event management. But what really clicked was something more than just her skill set: “I love the family atmosphere at Gainey,” Sunny says. “On top of that, I’ve really enjoyed expanding my knowledge of the variety of wines we make at Gainey Vineyard.” On her off time, Sunny and her husband maintain a busy schedule with their four children. You’ll find them shuttling around to a variety of youth sports events, traveling to Mammoth for family snowboarding trips or getting away to Mexico.
Manuel Guzman
Vineyard Manager
Manuel oversees the farming operations for all our Estate Vineyards including the Home Ranch in Santa Ynez and Evan's Ranch and Rancho Esperanza in the Sta. Rita Hills.