E&J Gallo boost wine portfolio with acquisition of Denner Estate

Californian wine giant E&J Gallo has snapped up Denner Vineyards  for an undislosesd sum, making it the latest winery to join the company’s burgeoning portfolio.  

The sale of the Paso Robles based winery includes the brand, the winery and all 52 hectares of the estate’s vineyards.  Best known for its premium Rhône and Bordeaux-style wines, Denner’s sustainability strategy is closely aligned with that of E&J Gallo’s green approach.

“For 20 years, Ron Denner has stayed true to the land and his vision to produce great wines from the acclaimed Paso Robles region, cultivating an authentic, diverse portfolio,” said Joseph C. Gallo, the vice president and general manager.

Ron Denner, the former owner said: “Gallo is a family company with a commitment to quality. I have no doubt they will be good stewards of the land and preserve our legacy of creating sought-after wines and offering best-in-class winery experiences.”

The estate sits inside the Templeton Gap where the sea breeze flow into the inland valleys, resulting in large diurnal swings in the vineyard, without high moisture pressure, which according to the  winery “gives a near perfect growing climate”.

Winemaker Anthony Yount has previously described Denner’s approach to winemaking as “making sure that we are being true to the place and the time in which our grapes were grown. If we’re adding commercial yeast, or enzymes, or any other newfound winemaking products then you’re blurring the lines of what this vineyard has to say.”

This minimal intervention in the winery, he claims, allows the team to blend wines “with great textural presence with those that are a little more polished, as well as single-varietal Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache.

Gallo’s stable of  other wine brands includes Apothic, Barefoot Wine, Black Box, La Marca Prosecco and RumChata.