Rangeland News March 2025

It's been a mild winter here in Paso Robles, but enough rain has fallen and the abundant sunshine has springtime in full swing, with green grass, budding oak trees, a full lake and the vines all pruned for the season.

That means it's time for our Rangeland spring wine club. This is the third shipment since we closed our tasting room in 2023. We think the wines are tasting as good as ever. Although we miss seeing our friendly customers, we are enjoying our transition to retirement. We'd like to thank our wine club members for their loyalty and great feedback. We expect to continue with two club shipments (spring and fall) at least through 2025. We also plan to offer our beautiful wines at discounted special prices from time to time, while they last. Here is a summary of our Sunset club discount rates, all of which include shipping for 4 bottles or more:

• Intro Club (4 bottles per shipment), 25% off list price
• Estate Club (6 bottles), 30% off
• Case Club (12 bottles), 35% off

Here's our spring wine club selection (*denotes our 4 bottle Intro Club selection):

• 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2021 Shepherd*
• 2021 Reserve Syrah*
• 2021 Petite Sirah*
• 2021 Zinfandel*   
• 2020 Ultramafic

As usual, we are making our Doppel Club offer. If you are a 6 or 12 bottle member, you can double your order for an additional 10% discount. For example, a 6 bottle, 30% off Estate Club member would get a full case of wine at 40% off, or more than $200 in savings from list prices. If you'd like to take advantage of this wunderbar offer, please email us.

We will begin billing the wine club March 24 and will ship it the week of April 7.  Please let us know by email if you'd like to customize your shipment. All available wines are listed here. If you need to update your credit card or shipping information, you can log in to www.rangelandwines.com, and use your email address to retrieve your password.

Mar 12, 2025 at 3:35 PM Permalink

Rangeland News February 2025

Contents: Arrow Passes, Ranch Conserved, Wine Special: Petite Sirah

It has been a few months since our last newsletter and even longer since we shared any family news. After an entirely dry January, the Pacific storm door opened and delivered 10 inches of rain in the last two weeks, including 5 inches on February 13. Each year in the golden heat of summer, it is hard to believe it will ever rain agan. Then, storm soaked with the creeks running, it is hard to imagine the dusty extremes of summer and the sear, dry weather of fall. 

Arrow!

Our good dog Arrow left us recently, passing on at 14 years of age--about 80 dog years. That beautiful pup had many hard ranch miles on him. He soared into and out of my pickup a thousand times. He'd go racing over the hills after squirrels and even, occasionally, sheep and cattle. Many of you remember his eager attentions while visiting our ranch or the tasting room. He especially entertained children, but he brought out the kid in all of us. With just a slobbery ball or stick to work his magic, he was always crouched, focused over his parallel paws and ready to go. My wife Lisa said simply, "He made a lot of people happy." Running into customers over the years, the single most common question I heard was, "How is Arrow?" Well, he is doing fine, taking the long rest under a shady oak tree. 

Adelaida Springs Ranch Conservation Easement

I am gratified to announce that we have secured a conservation easement on our ranch, in partnership with the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo. That means our 890 acres will be held together, in perpetuity, as agricultural and mostly wild open space. We continue to live here, own and operate the ranch, as before, running cattle and farming wine grapes.  As many of you know, Lisa and I have been tree huggers since our childhood days hiking the coastal mountain parks of California. Atter a life of small scale business toil and achievement, it is very gratifying to participate in the permanent conservation of such a bountiful and charming piece of the world. 

A New Release of My Old Friend "Pete" Sirah

One of the quiet heroes of the Paso wine scene is Petite Sirah. This typically dark, dense wine has emboldened many a Cabernet or Syrah as a blending component. On its own, it delivers dark power but also, in the best coastal mountain sites, surprising finesse. Our 2021 estate Petite Sirah may be our finest yet. It offers aromas of cedar and cranberries that evolve into a dense palate of black cherry, cardamom, and mocha. Vivid acidity balances the wine and suits it for the dinner table. 

We are offering this wine at a special price of $399 for a 12 bottle case, just $33.25 per bottle before your considerable club discount, shipping included. Or order 6 bottles for $240, $40 per bottle, before club discounts. Order here.

Mar 10, 2025 at 12:10 PM Permalink

Holiday Wine Specials

It's the time of year for lighting a fire, giving thanks and spending time with your friends and family. Nestle in with a glass of good wine and enjoy!

Mistletoe Case Sale

Great for holiday gifts or for your wine fridge.  A 12 bottle case of our 2021 Mistletoe for just $299 or $24.91 per bottle ($35 list price), plus your sunset club discount (extra 10%) and shipping is included! Our eclectic red (44% Petit Verdot, 25% Syrah, 13% Merlot, 8% Mourvedre, 7% Malbec, 3% Grenache) offers a sassy bouquet of basil, black currants, and eucalyptus bark. Flavors of cassis and cherry combine with characteristically fresh Rangeland acidity.  Order here. 

Cabernet for Christmas

For the really special people on your Christmas list (including yourself), why not send six bottles of our 2021 Cabernet for $220? That's just $36.67 per bottle ($45 list price) before your sunset (extra 10%) club discount, shipping included. Rangeland 2021 Cabernet features complex aromas of oolong tea, wild sage and dried cherry, which precede a rich palate laced with dark fruit, black pepper and nutmeg. Order early to ensure timely delivery.

Nov 22, 2024 at 8:25 AM Permalink

Rangeland Wines News October 2024: Fall Wine Club

It's time for our Rangeland fall wine club. This is the second shipment since we closed the tasting room last December. We think the wines are tasting better than ever. We'd like to thank the many loyal customers who are still in the wine club and giving us great feedback. We expect to continue with two club shipments (spring and fall) at least through 2025. We also plan to offer our beautiful wines at discounted special prices from time to time, while they last. Here is a summary of our Sunset club discount rates, all of which include shipping for 4 bottles or more:

• Intro Club (4 bottles per shipment), 25% off list price
• Estate Club (6 bottles), 30% off
• Case Club (12 bottles), 35% off

Here's our fall wine club selection (*denotes our 4 bottle Intro Club selection):

• 2021 Cabernet* x 2 
• 2021 Shepherd*, Syrah blend
• 2021 Mistletoe Blend
• 2020 Petite Sirah*
• 2021 Zinfandel*

As usual, we are making our Doppel Club offer. If you are a 6 or12 bottle member, you can double your order for an additional 10% discount. For example, a 6 bottle, 30% off Estate Club member would get a full case of wine at 40% off, or more than $200 in savings from list prices. If you'd like to take advantage of this zuper offer to stockpile some wine for the holidays, please email us.

We will begin billing the wine club October 21 and will ship it the week of November 4.  Please let us know by email if you'd like to customize your fall shipment. All available wines are listed here. If you need to update your credit card or shipping information, you can log in to www.rangelandwines.com, and use your email address to retrieve your password.

Oct 18, 2024 at 9:53 AM Permalink

Rangeland Wines September News: Petit Verdot Release Special

2021 Petit Verdot Release Special

After almost 2 years aging in barrel and another year in the bottle, our 2021 single varietal Petit Verdot is ready to step out and show its stuff. Petit Verdot is usually a supporting variety in the Bordeaux cast of players. It adds lushness, suavity and dark fruit to the traditional Cabernet blends of France and California, but is rarely bottled alone. In our vineyard, Petit Verdot is planted in tough, gravelly ground on a toe of our coastal mountain slope, but this vigorous grower still carries abundant fruit featuring small berries in small clusters. Our PV yields a dark but nuanced wine with lower acids than our Cabernet. This is the final vintage of our Petit Verdot, so if you have a hankering for PV, get yours while you can.  Here are the tasting notes:

Heady aromas of dark fruit, mocha and sage introduce this complex, yet seamless wine. The palate contains lingering notes of sandalwood, cedar, blackberry compote, and baked scone. Pairs wonderfully with prime rib and roasted potatoes. 

Order now at the following very special prices:

• 6 bottles of 2021 Petit Verdot for $240, shipping included, before club discount.
  Order here.
• 12 bottles of 2021 Petit Verdot for $399, shipping included, before club discount. 
  Order here.

Sep 20, 2024 at 7:28 AM Permalink

Rangeland 2021 Mistletoe Release: Christmas in July (and August!)

Our Rangeland Mistletoe is an untraditional  "kitchen-sink" blend that features robust, ripe fruit with enough acidity to make it a nice food wine. The Mistletoe name makes it a great holiday gift, conveying smoochie appreciation to loved ones and friends.  I make no further claims as to its aphrodisiacacle qualities. BTW, that non-word is pronounced "Afro-deezy-aka-cal." The correct spelling is "aphrodisiacal" but I kind of like the extra "cackle" at the end of my version.

Anyway, our 2021 Mistletoe is an eclectic red blend with a sassy bouquet of basil, black currants, and eucalyptus bark. Flavors of cassis, bilberry, and cherry combine with characteristically fresh Rangeland acidity. Pair with beef, lamb, or portabella mushroom burgers or whatever suits your fancy.

The implausible blend is: 44% Petit Verdot, 25% Syrah, 13% Merlot, 8% Mourvedre, 7% Malbec, 3% Grenache. Aged 19 months in neutral French oak.

This is your prime opportunity to stock up on this affordable, delicious table wine. Order now through August 31 at the following special price and we will ship your wine with ice packs to beat the summer weather.

2021 Mistletoe Case special: 12 bottle case for $349, shipping included, before club disount.
Order here.

Jul 28, 2024 at 12:35 PM Permalink

Rangeland News June 2024

2021 Cabernet Release Special

After another wet winter and a long cool spring, summer is upon us. Mild weather still prevails in Paso Robles. It's nice on the patio in the evening, when the family grill and smoker are frequently in use. While enjoying some barbeque, few wines pair and satisfy like king Cabernet Sauvignon. Our Adelaida Springs Ranch vineyard has been Cabernet-focused since we planted it in 2001. Our fruit has been featured or hidden in many famous, critically acclaimed bottlings from luxury wine labels. Now, we are releasing our 2021 Rangeland Cabernet Sauvignon--the last vintage in this long line of fine wines. Here are the tasting notes: 

Complex aromas of oolong tea, wild sage and dried cherry precede a rich palate. Dark fruit, black pepper and nutmeg lace this full-bodied wine. If you remember our 2020 Sandstone Cabernet fondly, this lush wine is for you.  Pairs nicely with a grilled beef steak or stands by itself for pure sipping enjoyment. 

If you are thinking you might someday miss having some Rangeland in your cellar, this is the one you will want to have an extra case or two of for the long run. Order now at the following special prices and we will ship your wine with ice packs to beat the summer weather:

• 6 bottles of 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon for $240, shipping included, before club discount.
  Order here.
• 12 bottles of 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon for $399, shipping included, before club disount. 
  Order here.

Jun 25, 2024 at 9:52 AM Permalink

Rangeland News May 2024

Winemaking, like many agricultural pursuits, does not always go to plan. Our Shepherd blend typically comprises our best lots of Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache. Sometimes we include Petite Sirah for a little power boost. We had very high hopes for the 2020 vintage of the Shepherd, and many of those are realized in a wine that exudes a stylish balance between both fresh fruit and savory complexity, but sometimes also a touch of nature's wicked kiss: smoke. Although there were no local fires in Paso Robles in 2020, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Napa and Sonoma counties were all swept by wildfires from August to October. The smoke drifted southward down the coast and had an unexpectedly signficant impact on Paso Robles just as the grapes were ripening and softening for harvest. Not all varieties or vineyards were affected. Our Adelaida Springs Ranch estate vineyard seemed largely unaffected at crush time, during barrel aging and even at bottling time. But after 12 months of bottle aging, we were suprised to discover some intermittent (not every bottle, not for every taster) smokey flavors and aromas in our Shepherd blend. Here are the tasting notes: 

An exotic and floral nose of lupine,  petrichor, and ocean breeze precede a juicy palate. Flavors of blueberries, cinnamon, and chaparral fill out a rich finish. Some tasters detect a hint of smoke on the palate and finish from the 2020 wildfires. Pair with a roast chicken and grilled veggies. 

We had planned to offer this fine Rhone blend for $55 per bottle, but considering the flaw (or is it a feature?), we are offering these outstanding special prices:

• 6 bottles of 2020 Shepherd for $175, shipping included, before club discount. Order here.
• 12 bottles of 2020 Shepherd for $299, shipping included, before club disount. Order here.

As a reminder, here are current "sunset" club discount rates and shipping is always included:

• 4 bottle Intro Club members receive a 25% discount
• 6 bottle Estate Club members get 30% off
• 12 bottle Case Club members get 35% off

May 6, 2024 at 12:49 PM Permalink

Rangeland News March 2024

Spring Wine Club: Better Than Ever

Although we are in the twilight phase of our wine production here at Rangeland,  I am impressed with the wines that we've bottled over the last few years. They just keep getting more expressive and refined. This spring's wine club lineup is the finest we have ever offered. Here is the wine club selection: 

• 2021 Limestone Reserve Cabernet*, new release
• 2021 Watershed blend*, new release
• 2021 Reserve Syrah*, new release
• 2021 Zinfandel*, new release
• 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2020 Petit Verdot 

*denotes 4-bottle Intro Club selection

As you may recall from our announcement last year, shipping is now included with your wine club without charge. Continuing a Rangeland tradition, we are offering our Doppel Club incentive. If you are a 6 or 12 bottle club member, you can double your order for an additional 10% off.  For example, a 6-bottle Estate Club member, normally 30% off, would get a full case at 40% off. If you would like to take advantage of this zuper opportunity to bolster your cellar with the good stuff, please email us. 

Some key dates to remember:

• Before March 25: If you'd like to customize your spring shipment, please let us know by email. All the available wines are listed here.
• March 25: We will start billling the wine club.
• April 8: We will begin to ship your wine club. Please update your credit card and shipping information, if necessary, at www.RangelandWines.com. You can use your email address to retrieve your login password. 
• April 8 and after, orders can be picked up at Paso Wine Storage (1605 Commerce Way, Paso Robles) Monday to Friday, 8am to 4:30pm. Please call first: (805) 369-1191.

Adelaida Springs Ranch Aerial View

Mar 16, 2024 at 11:21 AM Permalink

Rangeland News February 2024

Contents: Petite Sirah and Ultramafic Wine Specials, Winter Sights and Hints of Spring

Rugged Pleaser: Petite Sirah 

Petite Sirah has been planted in the fields and hillsides of California for over 130 years. It is a key ingredient in the rustic jug wine of "old" California, as well as the hidden kicker in luxurious dark, modern Cabernets that draw fantastic price premiums. The wonderful thing about our Adelaida Springs Ranch estate vineyard Petite is that it combines the dark textural power of the variety with an energetic acidity imparted by limestone soils. Rangeland 2020 Petite Sirah offers savory aromas of walnut wood and mocha followed by a powerful and brawny palate of plums and wild blackberries. Fresh acidity makes it a good "food wine" too. Pair it with lamb shanks, braised in an au jus gravy, enriched with carmelized onions.  Purchase 6 bottles for just $199, shipping included. That's just $33.16 per bottle, before your club discount. Order here. 

Merlot: a Noble Wine Tortoise

Whether it's the latest in coastal Pinot Noir, an expensive mountain Cab or a north slope organic Grenache from a geeky savant winemaker, the wine world always has a trendy favorite. Meanwhile, Merlot occupies the wine slow lane, producing distinctive, subtle bottlings that achieve nobility when grown on the right spot and handled with care. Our estate 2020 Ultramafic Merlot is another in a long string of complex, drinkable beauties. Its evocative aromas include bay leaves, acai berries, and ancho chile. The palate is round with silky tannins and notes of vanilla, nectarines, and wild raspberries. Pair with a savory dish like mushroom pizza or cured meats. Purchase 6 bottles for just $199, shipping included. That's just $33.16 per bottle, before club discount. Order here. 

Transitions and Reflections 

Spring starts early in most of California. Green carpets the hills in January, below the snowy ridges. Horses and cows lower their heads and nosh the juicy stems with relish. Exotic acacia trees show their copious canopies of yellow blossoms first, in February. Then the almond trees start to bloom, turning orchards into dream fields or punctuating a dormant hillside with pink. Sour grass buttercups pop up in vacant lots and roadsides. I remember tasting those lemony stalks at the edge of the ballfield as a boy. Often we couldn't wait for real spring to arrive, so we'd break out the baseball mitts and practice in the puddly grass, the leather ball soaked slippery and heavy.

But in many years, like this one, wintery weather still overlays the promise of spring. Storm after storm darkens the horizon. Mountain passes are closed and winds whistle around the chimney. The rainfall total here on the ranch is approacing 30 inches. We're ready for spring, but winter won't let us go. 

We spend a lot of our lives in transition. We think expectantly of the next season. We savor the next challenge or the next trip, ready to move on from the present. But sometimes it's best to settle into the now, build a fire and sip on a glass of wine. Give yourself time to reflect a little on the past, on the time and place and effort that brought you these gifts. 

Feb 21, 2024 at 8:49 PM Permalink