Our Story

Located in Santa Barbara County in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, set among rolling hills and an oak tree-studded vineyard, Roblar Winery & Vineyards is not simply a place you visit—it is a place you immerse yourself in. Defined by the breadth of its offerings, at its heart Roblar is a winery estate where its vineyard, farm, food, and hospitality come together seamlessly. Guests encounter estate-grown Bordeaux varieties, an organic farm that supplies the kitchen daily, an award-winning restaurant built around seasonal ingredients, and an on-site art gallery showcasing local artists. Whether through a tasting, a meal, or time spent exploring the property, each element is deeply connected, creating experiences that go well beyond a traditional winery visit.

Roblar is built on the belief that the most meaningful moments unfold naturally, grounded in place, shaped by people, and remembered long after you leave. As Proprietor Kevin Gleason puts it, “It’s not so much about the meaning of life but about the experience of living. Those experiences that resonate with the soul. That’s what gives life joy and purpose.” A true family endeavor, this philosophy is the foundation of Roblar Winery.

Under the Gleason Family Vineyards umbrella, Kevin leads Roblar Winery alongside his children, Max Gleason and Callie Gleason Bieszard, and son-in-law Matthew Bieszard. Together, they have built something that reflects not just a vision, but a shared way of thinking about the land, about wine, and about how people come together.

The story of Gleason Family Vineyards began in 2004, when Kevin combined his passion for wine with a deep love for Santa Barbara County, acquiring the land that would become Refugio Ranch Vineyard. That first step established a foundation rooted in farming, stewardship, and a belief in the region’s vast potential as a world-class wine region. But it was the 2017 acquisition of Roblar Winery that opened the door to something even more expansive.

What the family saw was not just another winery, but an opportunity to create a destination where everything could come together. Since its acquisition, every aspect of Roblar Winery has been thoughtfully refined and elevated: the vineyard, the wines, the culinary program, and the guest experience. Not to make it overly polished or pretentious, but to make it more complete, more connected to the land, and more reflective of the family that guides it.

At Roblar, the vineyard is largely planted to Bordeaux varieties, most notably Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, all ideally suited to the climate and soils of the estate. From these grapes, Roblar’s wines are made with structure and intent, but also with energy—a vision that came into even sharper focus with the arrival of Winemaker Max Marshak in 2020. 

After seven years at Jonata, which is widely regarded as one of the benchmark estates of the Central Coast, Max has emerged as one of the rising stars of Santa Barbara County winemaking. His approach is both precise and intuitive, with an emphasis on sensory analysis and small-lot winemaking. Under his direction, Roblar’s wines have taken on even greater clarity and confidence, with a growing reputation for their structure, and balance.

While the estate program is centered on Bordeaux varieties, Roblar also embraces the region’s coastal influence, making Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sourced from some of the most acclaimed vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills. These wines bring an additional dimension to the portfolio, reflecting the rich diversity of Santa Barbara County and the team’s commitment to working with exceptional sites.

If wine is one expression of Roblar, the farm is another—and in many ways, the one that ties everything together. Planted just steps from the winery, the organic farm is not a feature of the estate. It is, like the vineyard, a foundation. Rows of vegetables, herbs, and flowers shift with the seasons, supplying the kitchen daily and shaping the way the estate lives and breathes. What is harvested in the morning finds its way onto the table by afternoon. Led by Executive Chef Terri Buzzard, who works closely with Director of Farming Jorge Reyes, the culinary program combines farm-fresh seasonal ingredients with global influences to create a dynamic expression of place. As a result, Roblar’s restaurant has become one of the most celebrated in the region, including being honored in 2025 as the #1 Winery Restaurant in the United States in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

The estate also features a charming art gallery, curated by Max Gleason, showcasing local artists in rotating exhibitions and further grounding Roblar Winery in the creative culture of Santa Barbara County. As a result, visitors encounter more than a tasting room. They experience a working estate: a vineyard in motion, a farm in season, a kitchen alive with creativity, a gallery full of discoveries, and a family deeply invested in every detail.

Guests arrive for a tasting and stay for something more. A meal that lingers. A walk through the property. A sense of ease that invites you to slow down and settle in. As Max Gleason reflects, the goal is to create “a supportive and sustainable ecosystem—not just in the vineyard and on the farm, but among the people who make it all possible, and the guests we’re fortunate to share it with.” Roblar is not designed to be experienced quickly. It is meant to be lived, even if only for a few hours. This philosophy is inseparable from the idyllic setting, and it’s why guests return again and again.

Santa Barbara County has long been defined by a different kind of wine culture: less formal, more exploratory, shaped by people willing to take risks. It’s a region of trailblazers, where collaboration is genuine and community runs deep. The Gleason family has embraced this spirit fully. They believe in the future of Santa Barbara wine country and its emerging status as one of the world’s great wine regions, while celebrating the authenticity and openness that make it so special. Roblar Winery is both a reflection of this belief and the Gleason family’s contribution to it.