There are a few things that make Gelson’s private label wines special. Our wine folks have been drinking and selling wine for a long time: they know a lot about wine, they’re passionate about it, and they’ve built great relationships in the industry. That means we’re able to work with some of California’s award-winning winemakers, and to make outstanding wines that we know our customers will want to drink.

In other words, we don’t buy wine and put our label on it. We collaborate with the winemakers to create exclusive wines that you can’t get anywhere else — wines that pair beautifully with food. And, because we’re working directly with the winemakers, we’re able to bring them to you at a great value.

In this short video, John Bagan, Gelson's Chief Merchandising Officer, talks about how we create our wines. He also introduces Doug Margerum, the award-winning Santa Barbara winemaker who created our Pinot Noir, Grenache, Syrah, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, and Mayfair blend. Here he talks about what makes Santa Barbara such a great place for growing grapes — and making wines that pair particularly well with food.