Dan Green

Owner 

A city boy for most of his life, Dan knew that he needed to get his hands dirty to truly learn the art of winemaking. In 2010 he moved his young family to Fresno and enrolled in Cal State’s Enology program.  After working his way through harvests up and down California, Dan’s journey ultimately led him to Jaffurs.  In 2016 he took over the business from Craig, rounding out his hands-on education.  Dan’s passion for wine began at the dinner table where he learned to appreciate varietals from around the world.  Today, he still believes that wine’s true value is that it brings people together, and is always better when shared.  At Jaffurs he and his wife Janelle continue the tradition of family wine-making started by the Jaffurs family over two decades ago.
Contact: dan@jaffurswine.com

Janelle Green

Owner

A honeymoon to Burgundy, a dinner with aged Bordeaux, and a summer living on a vineyard with a newborn, Janelle fell in love with wine as she fell in love with her family. Fully committed to both motherhood and the wine industry, she performs many of the day-day management tasks of the business and is a critical voice leading Jaffurs moving forward.  Her discerning white-wine palate often serves as a tough test for her husband’s winemaking.
 

Stephen Searle

Head Winemaker 

Stephen’s wine journey began in Boston, waiting tables in the city’s vibrant restaurant scene while studying music. He quickly discovered a strong affinity for wine, and traded one passion for another, transferring into the Enology program at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. After several years in the California wine industry, and many wine trips throughout Europe and the Southern Hemisphere, Stephen settled in Santa Barbara, inspired by nuanced, cool-climate winemaking styles. With Jaffurs since 2012, he now leads the production team as our Winemaker with a quiet confidence and clear vision. Through diligence in the vineyard, harvesting at optimal balance of ripeness and minimal handling in the cellar, Stephen strives to produce wines of both power and clarity, allowing the complexities of each vineyard and vintage to shine over the hand of the winemaker.  Contact: stephen@jaffurswine.com

 

Nancy Vergara

Wine Club Coordinator

Nancy runs the Jaffurs wine club with exceptional attention to detail and impeccable hospitality.  Once a long-time editor for a local publishing house, Nancy has brought her editing skills to the winery, overseeing our customer correspondence and quarterly newsletter publications.  She is a quiet, reassuring presence guiding our customers through the Jaffurs experience and acting as a personal concierge to our club members.
Contact: nancy@jaffurswine.com

Craig Jaffurs

Founder

Regarded as a trailblazer for making Rhône varietal wines in Santa Barbara, Craig released his first commercial wine in 1994.  He won high praise on this very first vintage from Robert Parker and Wine Spectator.  Since then, he has earned widespread recognition for his wines, most notably Syrah, Grenache and Petite Sirah. In the industry Craig is known as a winemaker of integrity, humility and a master in the vineyard.  Recently retired, he continues to support Jaffurs as a member of the Advisory Board. 

 

 

Marrissa Schoonover  

Assistant Winemaker  

Marrissa started with Jaffurs in 2018 and has become an integral part of our daily operations. After graduating from UC Irvine with a degree in Biological Anthropology, a passion for wine (and Syrah in particular) brought her to Santa Barbara with a determination to break into the industry. She soon landed at Jaffurs, taking a position in the tasting room. Marrissa’s inquisitive mind and eagerness to get her hands dirty led to her becoming increasingly more involved in the winemaking, and she was named Cellar Master after a couple short years. With an infectious sense of joy and enthusiasm, you may find her pouring wine in the tasting room, topping barrels in the cellar or stomping grapes during harvest.  Marrissa is currently working towards a Winemaking Certificate through UC Davis.  

Contact: marrissa@jaffurswine.com