Improvements and Inventions at Rusack Winery

There’s something for wine fans of all types to dig into at Rusack Winery right now. For those simply looking to enjoy good company in a great setting over excellent sips, the winery just redeveloped its tasting experience to fully embrace the bucolic scenes of Ballard Canyon, offering oak-shaded views of vines, rolling hills, grazing livestock, and roaming wildlife. For those ready to geek out on winemaking techniques, viticultural experiments, and even the promise of brand-new grape varieties, Rusack is ripe for a return as well. 

Let’s start at the beginning, which these days involves confirming your reservation at the gate, pulling into a welcome glass of rosé, and settling into your private table on the terrace or deck. This is a stark change from what the visitor experience had become over the 27 years since Geoff and Alison Rusack founded the brand. Like many Santa Ynez Valley wineries that came of age during the 1990s, the tasting room had morphed into more of a tavern-like experience, with folks standing three deep at the bar, angling for their next sip. 

“This deck is the coolest deck in Ballard Canyon, and let’s make it feel that way for everybody,” explains winemaker Steve Gerbac, who’s been with the Rusacks since 2003 and guided the redesign. “Let’s connect people to the vineyard. That’s why we’re here.”