Many years ago I was brought into the world of wine through my photography with a microscope. As artist-in-residence for Sterling Vineyards I had the amazing opportunity to work with the winemakers as they asked questions like – do wines look different when grapes grow on a mountain top vs the valley floor, what about fining, what changes do we see during fermentation. About wine I knew nothing yet the questions intrigued me, could we SEE expressions of wine change with how they grew.
Next the vineyard manager took me around the many vineyards and I was more intrigued, I was seduced by the grapevine. I always find peace in a vineyard, something I still don’t understand.
My passion for the inner grape inspired me to write and illustrate a book – Wine’s Hidden Beauty. And when I couldn’t find a publisher for this expensive full color book, friends and family contributed to make it happen.
Yet like many love affairs, my passion waned when I got busy with other things, other books, other interests. And yet suddenly I am back in love remembering the incredible beauty and stories revealed by the invisible expressions of wine. Sometimes likened to Emoto’s water crystals, I tell people that wine is so much more interesting, after all its alive. So alive you can see vitality and life and death inside a drop of wine.
I created the above collage that expresses the joy I have felt being in relationship with wine. Wine brings together not only art and science, it brings people together in the growing and creating of it and of course, in sharing it. For all of that I am incredible grateful for falling in love with the grape.
And so may we toast in appreciation of the many gifts wine provides.