Santa Rosa, CA – (February 1, 2024) – Balletto Vineyards, a family-owned winery producing 100% estate grown and bottled wines in the Russian River Valley, has officially announced the promotion of Andre Swart to the position of Assistant Winemaker.
Swart, who brings experience focused on enology in education and in his work with world-renowned wineries known for their exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wine grapes, is a highly valued addition to the Balletto winemaking team.
“Andre established himself as an integral part of our winemaking team from his first day on the job,” said Anthony Beckman, VP & Winemaker for Balletto. “Within one month, it was obvious to me that he would quickly step out of the wine laboratory and into a serious winemaking position at Balletto. He has a strong palate, is hardworking and beyond smart. It’s been a pleasure to work with him and be able to promote him to a position that plays into his strengths.”
Before joining Balletto Vineyards, Swart amassed a wealth of experience at award-winning wineries spanning the globe. His journey in the wine industry includes internships at William Hill Estate in Napa, CA, Sierra Vista Winery in Placerville, CA, Red Tail Ridge Winery in Penn Yan, NY, Luna Estate in Martinborough, New Zealand, and Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Alsace, France. He also held the position of Cellar Master/Assistant Winemaker at Armida Winery in Healdsburg, CA. In addition to his practical experience, Swart’s academic credentials include a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an M.S. in Viticulture & Enology, both from UC Davis.
“Since joining Balletto Vineyards a year and a half ago, I have been excited to work with such a talented team,” Swart reflected. “Working with our estate vineyards and crafting wines that express these sites alongside long-standing winemaker Anthony Beckman has been an incredible learning experience. I am thrilled by the opportunity to continue growing as a winemaker at Balletto Vineyards.“
For more information about Balletto Vineyards, please visit www.ballettovineyards.com.
About Balletto Vineyards
With a focus on single vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Balletto Vineyards is an estate winery in the famed Russian River Valley appellation of Sonoma County, California. Owner John Balletto and his wife, Terri, started in the vegetable farming business, growing into the largest vegetable farm in Northern California. Seeing a bright future for wine grape growing in Russian River Valley, John and Terri transitioned to grape growing in 1995. In 2001, they created the first vintage of Balletto Vineyards estate wine from Russian River Valley and as of 2022, they are proud to say they are fully solar powered in all operations.
