E. & J. Gallo Winery 401(k) Review & Grade
E. & J. Gallo Winery Union Retirement Plan
Modesto, CAManufacturing2,446 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,556Employer $ per active participant
$5,418Employee $ saved per active participant
0.12%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$301.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$103,209Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity34.6 / 5069th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost17.5 / 2570th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving8.6 / 1557th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score68 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 69th |
| Lower admin cost | 70th |
| Employee saving | 57th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $3,992 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- E. & J. Gallo Winery put in about $3,556 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,320). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $8,699,075 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $13,255,243 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $97,496 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $334,132 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $188,563 |
| Benefits paid out | $20,528,897 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $269.6M / $301.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,497 / 2,396 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,925 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Barbich Hooper King Dill Hoffmanllp |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Vanguard Advisers Inc. | $188,563 reported compensation |
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | $171,620 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250922115920NAL0005610528001, received 2025-09-22, EIN 94-1009696, plan #015, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.