Beltane Ranch Wine Club: Member's Update

Sneak peek... Dennis Ziemiensky's painting for Beltane Ranch wine label

With artist Dennis Ziemienski and the new paiting at the ranch

Dennis Ziemiensky has completed an oil painting of Beltane that will grace the label of our first vintage. The painting, done in a 1930's California block-print style, will hang in the bed and breakfast. We love how well he captured the late afternoon sun on the hills and the oaks that shade the ranch house.

The first vintage: Sauvignon Blanc Beltane Ranch new french oak barrel

The 2009 vintage is aging in a combination of new and neutral French oak barrels. We're quite pleased with the progress of the wine. A taste from the barrels reveals that it is bright, lively and full-bodied. Next week after the wine from the new French oak is blended with the wine from the neutral oak barrels it will be placed in cold stabilization and then bottled at the end of February. After sufficient time in the bottle, it will be available to our wine club members first, this spring.
Winemaker Kevin Holt blending a barrel taste

Winemaker Kevin Holt blending a barrel taste

The Ranch.. Water going over the dam at Beltane

Looks like the drought is over! A string of heavy winter storms has filled reservoirs and rivers and given the wildflowers a big boost. We are enjoying wild miner's lettuce (pictured below) Swiss chard, kale, green onions, arugula, broccoli, Meyer lemons and grapefruit. A big crop of asparagus, the ultimate proof that its spring, should be peeking through in a couple of weeks.

We're excited to have you as a member in the Beltane Ranch Wine Club.
Stay tuned for more updates on Beltane Wine. We're on schedule for a late spring 2010 release and looking forward to celebrating with our founding members!

Thank you, Beltane Draft Horses

We hope to see you at the ranch soon!

The Beltane Ranch Family
www.beltaneranch.com

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