Life happens over a bottle of wine: you fall in love, celebrate a birth, mourn someone’s passing, begin, end, plan, listen… dream. Transcendence celebrates the journey you take with a great bottle of wine.

Transcendence Wines was our dream. We are a small, husband-and-wife run winery dedicated to making exceptional cool-climate Syrah, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from some of the finest vineyards in Santa Barbara County’s acclaimed Santa Ynez Valley and Sta. Rita Hills winegrowing regions. We make our wines with care and integrity, in small lots and limited quantities, and in a style that embodies what we love about these grapes—their capacity for structure, nuance, complexity, elegance and ageing potential.

We are also a winery with a purpose. Because we believe that wine has the potential to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, we support the efforts of several wonderful non-profit organizations by donating a percentage of our direct sales and an additional percentage of our annual wine production to these worthwhile agencies.

— Sara & Joey Gummere

Kenneth “Joey” Gummere

I have been honing my craft as a Santa Barbara County winemaker since 1997. Working alongside some of the area’s most renowned vineyard managers and winemakers, I have gained an intimate understanding of this singular winegrowing region and its capacity to produce cool-climate wines of depth and distinction.

In 1999, I joined the team of Santa Barbara County winemaking legend, Bryan Babcock, at Babcock Winery & Vineyards. Working under Bryan, I developed a philosophical and stylistic appreciation for cool-climate wines, in particular the complex beauty that can be achieved in great Syrahs from this area. The following year, I founded my own winery, Kenneth-Crawford, in partnership with fellow winemaker Mark Horvath. My journey as a winemaker also took me to Santa Barbara Winery and Lafond Winery & Vineyards, where I had the great pleasure of learning from noted winemaker Bruce McGuire as his assistant winemaker.

Transcendence is the culmination of my experiences as a winemaker. Crafted in micro-lots and produced in limited quantities, these wines are deeply personal. Whether it is the aromatic, cool-climate complexity of Transcendence Syrah, the graceful sophistication of our Pinot Noir, or the focused crispness of our stainless steel fermented Chardonnay, these wines offer what I love most about these varietals. I hope that you enjoy them.

Sara Gummere

Some ideas form a thread throughout our lives. When I was at Berkeley earning my degree in peace and conflict studies I developed a thesis on transcendent communications. This idea of transcendent communications, and transcendence in general, stayed with me throughout the years. It helped to form the basis for the kind of work and purpose I aspired to in my life. It took me to Europe, where I put together symposiums on international conflict resolution, and to Asia, where I worked with the Japanese government on programs to help the people of Japan understand other cultures. Finally, it brought me back home, where I partnered with the Santa Barbara County court system to offer mediation programs outside the courts.

In the years since, I have been actively involved in several non-profit organizations, including Hope Through Opportunity, which helped send 40 foot container containing medical daily living supplies to Tanzania, the Fallbrook Healthcare Foundation, which offers support and healthcare services to seniors, and Project Transcend, an organization that works to empower and educate people living in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. As a part of a belief in living a life that balances family, non-profit work and business, I am also the founder of Transcend Resources, a consulting firm in the healthcare industry that specializes in Healthcare IT and services hospitals and consulting firms across the country.

As it is for Joey, Transcendence Wines is also a culmination of my passions and life experiences—and the idea that our work can have meaning, and make a positive impact in lives.

Our Inspiration

As a couple, my wife, Sara, and I have always been committed to nurturing and supporting each other’s passions and ideals. For me, the goal has always been to make exceptional wines, which is something I have strived to do for almost 15 years now. Since university, Sara has aspired to make a difference by doing meaningful work, both in her community and around the world. When we were married, we made a promise to support these dreams in our vows.

In 2006, when a close friend became very ill, we made a special wine for her and her family. It was made with love and a sense of purpose, with the simple goal of bringing joy in a difficult time. It was our first bottling and the inspiration for Transcendence Wines. From this deeply personal starting point, we have expanded the mission of Transcendence Wines to support the important work of a handful of carefully chosen non-profit organizations. In this way, we try to make wines that make a difference.

At the same time, we know that our success in this endeavor will come from making great wines, not just having good intentions. As the winemaker for Transcendence Wines, I oversee every step of the wine making process, from the careful selection of our vineyard partners to the decision of when to pick. In the winery, each wine is gently made by my own hand, with an attention to the small details that elevate quality and honor the provenance of the outstanding fruit we are fortunate to work with. Whether it’s our Syrah made from Ballard Canyon grapes, or our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Sta. Rita Hills, these elegant and expressive cool-climate wines are rooted in the soils of Santa Barbara County where our family makes its home.

We invite you to discover Transcendence Wines.

Joey Gummere, Winemaker