Press Release

Haynes Boone Represents Denner Vineyards in Sale to Gallo Winery

November 15, 2022
A Haynes Boone deal team led by Partner Megan Gess represented Denner Vineyards, a producer of critically acclaimed wines from California's Central Coast, in the sale of its business to E. & J. Gallo Winery.

The transaction was announced Nov. 10.

Located in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles, California, Denner Vineyards includes a tasting room, a gravity-flow winery designed to fit into the hillside of the surrounding vineyards, the Denner brand and the estate vineyards.

“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,” company founder Ron Denner said in a release announcing the transaction.

A partner in Haynes Boone’s Orange County, California office, Megan has extensive experience advising companies on sophisticated M&A, corporate governance, private equity and commercial transactions. She was named one of the nation’s leading female dealmakers in 2022 by the Global M&A Network, LLC.

She was assisted in the transaction by Associates Hayley Hervieux, Matthew Thompson, Maseo Brown (M&A) and a cross-practice team that included: Partner Tamara Devitt (Labor & Employment); Counsel Farr Nolen (Real Estate); Partner Randy Colson and Associate Annie Allison (Intellectual Property); Partner Mitch Miller (Trust & Estates); Partner Michael Threet (Tax); and Partner Laura Martone and Associate Robin Ladd (Finance).

Haynes Boone’s M&A Practice Group has comprehensive experience handling middle-market deals, having helped clients close more than 500 transactions in the last five years, with an aggregate value exceeding $40 billion. The firm routinely represents private equity firms, closely held corporations, founders, large financial institutions and Fortune 500 public companies. Haynes Boone has extensive experience advising food, beverage and restaurant clients to help them achieve their strategic business goals and grow their brands and companies.

Haynes Boone is an international corporate law firm with 18 offices in Texas, New York, California, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., London, Mexico City and Shanghai, providing a full spectrum of legal services in energy, technology, financial services and private equity. With 600 lawyers, Haynes Boone is ranked among the largest U.S.-based firms by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and The Lawyer. It was recognized in the BTI Consulting Group’s 2022 “A-Team” report, which identifies the law firms that in-house counsel commend for providing superior client service.