tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45141389094903321892024-02-19T12:00:51.849-06:00The Culture of WineWine ExhibitUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-85966699825656519722009-09-28T23:59:00.007-05:002009-09-30T09:48:31.233-05:00Opening Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_0tXE0JFsQ_c1Vp8f7UaVVrng2sK3qA9cQvvgngP2U6FNDLkDg9nu1t-I4M4iXmBBkmWmEjZ7mEOqMs8OLfhKLuxAbETaQ2qIrMl_-mcDpkTt5LAznti0GKCmWRvY37NaYE_hTyneoY/s1600-h/_WTZ0995re3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387112481745611650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 358px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_0tXE0JFsQ_c1Vp8f7UaVVrng2sK3qA9cQvvgngP2U6FNDLkDg9nu1t-I4M4iXmBBkmWmEjZ7mEOqMs8OLfhKLuxAbETaQ2qIrMl_-mcDpkTt5LAznti0GKCmWRvY37NaYE_hTyneoY/s400/_WTZ0995re3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4TYaxchzE1Bt2zWLRmmyZ7gisXP5RVwPK93pUKSBU8B4PBH9KnM71pJAni9V5z8B2IlRkRRdMqVAIvsP7k3qSi8zue4ka_V3svCxA7KNobjvNOWoIZjM33ekzBr4EhfDbTH8wKYroTE/s1600-h/_WTZ0995re3.jpg"></a>Well, it's finally here....opening day. After months of planning and work the gallery doors opened at 9:30AM and visitors began exploring the exhibit. We actually just wrapped up some minor tweaking of things on Sunday afternoon. I drove home for the most part feeling good about the finished product. There were still a few things that I wanted to improve on, but the library staff was satisfied and I decided that we were good to go. Sunday night back in Houston, I poured myself a glass of 2006 Corley Proprietary Red wine and enjoyed the feeling of completion. After 16 - 18 hour work days for weeks, it was good to be finished.<br /><br />Monday evening the Library invited some guests to hear a presentation by author George M. Taber. He wrote the excellent book 'Judgment of Paris' which I read about four times on flights from Houston to Oakland and back. Much of the exhibit revolves around the period of that famous 1976 event that really changed the face of the wine world. After the presentation about the Paris Tasting guests gathered in the Library rotunda for a small wine and cheese reception, Mr. Taber signed books and then people started touring through the exhibit. For the most part the feedback was very positive. People seemed to really like the realism of the artificial vineyard, crush pad and cellar...hopefully they read a few of the reader rails and maybe learned a few small things about winemaking or some points that will be beneficial down the road in the quest for expanded wine knowledge and appreciation.<br /><br />The photo at the top of the page shows a mannequin (as grape picker) carrying a 'just harvested' lug of grapes. (Photo by Wilf Thorne)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-48910382927095059622009-09-19T22:34:00.004-05:002009-09-28T09:00:09.926-05:00Some Last Minute Details...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQXK4XQegXst172V03yfspd1c78kfbYCjZKN6t7ed4ho-65NsWUfIxAiM3eQp2ohxhZke2T4Zw7E1eMWpdC1kFVBWZGBzr0xaGN9yYHw-F3vsDwnzAJOjgURuCNaKaGbDJS5-vyRdiHU/s1600-h/houdon_terra_bust.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386363911252529810" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 282px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQXK4XQegXst172V03yfspd1c78kfbYCjZKN6t7ed4ho-65NsWUfIxAiM3eQp2ohxhZke2T4Zw7E1eMWpdC1kFVBWZGBzr0xaGN9yYHw-F3vsDwnzAJOjgURuCNaKaGbDJS5-vyRdiHU/s400/houdon_terra_bust.jpg" border="0" /></a>As the installation work continues everyday at the George Bush Presidential Library, I must also finish some last minute detail work on the weekends at home. Next weekend we will all most certainly be finishing up at the Library so these are my last two days to work at home. One of the items that will be installed on the exhibit entry wall is an antique wine press (about 100 years old) that I found in a barn in Sonoma County, California. This is one of three antique basket presses that I now have for the exhibit. Another even older one that came from Placer County, California will find a temporary home in the libraries rotunda area, and a third will be used to promote the exhibit at various locations. Restoring these old presses has become a true 'labor of love' for me. As I take them apart, pressure wash, strip old paint, varnish and repaint ....or leave with a natural patina, (depending on the look I want) I can only imagine what stories they may tell. <div><div><br /><div>Another last minute detail (that I decided at the last minute to make a detail) was the decision to add some authentic 'terra cotta patina' to my replica Houdon bust of Thomas Jefferson. In reading the official Monticello website page discussing the Houdon busts of Jefferson it is mentioned that the artist Houdon always worked in terra cotta clay for the original and even after plaster of Paris casts were made for duplicates they most often were coated with a thin terra cotta layer to give it a distinct patination. Just as I decided to paint the exhibit replica of Jefferson's dining room in 'chrome yellow' paint (not wedgwood blue) because that is the color of Jefferson's dining room when he actually lived in retirement at Monticello from 1809 - 1826. </div><div></div><div></div><div>I decided that the bust must have a terra cotta patination...not the bland white as it came.</div><br /><div>The photo at the top of the page shows the replica Jefferson bust just after appling the terra cotta paint layer. The photo below shows a half of the large wooden basket of one of the antique presses after appling spar varnish but before painting the metal pieces.</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmCK_657AZNechCIKm4Gx35l0WnSbURWuQF9ZXNBPHDtbQwf5mwP6XrWPzGJQQD-pzdLHtZzEiWgJdOXrpkL9GNPAzlXmTu55OX7lV5OZGnwTzNQxzbCigT293p2J86hWFX-A0FWW2eM/s1600-h/press_basket.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386363391030433074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 323px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmCK_657AZNechCIKm4Gx35l0WnSbURWuQF9ZXNBPHDtbQwf5mwP6XrWPzGJQQD-pzdLHtZzEiWgJdOXrpkL9GNPAzlXmTu55OX7lV5OZGnwTzNQxzbCigT293p2J86hWFX-A0FWW2eM/s400/press_basket.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-4480474108671949472009-08-25T22:50:00.007-05:002009-08-25T23:31:05.528-05:00The Installation Begins<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxhz4cj9eM_BmSggu2hdRvA1gXThLbuhaEoij19_JjGICu0918U-mJvNf3y3NdtUDpADNTm4ICrlUL0VAg_tOgrHuDyo6rtBX2bIsFIOLImNHtVS3nZGAgQy1n4vmZXmzMvOdoL9auxc/s1600-h/press_2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374123275063050226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 318px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxhz4cj9eM_BmSggu2hdRvA1gXThLbuhaEoij19_JjGICu0918U-mJvNf3y3NdtUDpADNTm4ICrlUL0VAg_tOgrHuDyo6rtBX2bIsFIOLImNHtVS3nZGAgQy1n4vmZXmzMvOdoL9auxc/s400/press_2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>The past week has been filled with activity....the Nasa exhibit is now down and The Culture of Wine exhibit started installation. The outer walls of the Ansary Gallery were prepped with a layer of cintra board in the areas that would be photo murals the photo murals. Quickly a team of two young ladies from C.C. Creations in College Station began hanging the self-adhesive vinyl 4 foot x 10 foot mural panels. Before long the gallery took on a new feel. Now instead of black walls the gallery had the look of a winery crush pad and rolling vineyard setting. I was very pleased with the look of the murals. They were printed by a small family owned shop in Northwest Houston called 'Sign-Ups and Banners'. I never saw the finished mural panels at the print shop so walking into the gallery and seeing a 'very nice' finished product was great...(and a relief.)</div><br /><div>On Thursday, August 20th we moved the big Bucher press into position on the exhibits crush pad. This took some time...a very large truck, about a dozen people, (and of course a little drama.) But then how often do you move a 3800 pound wine press into a Presidential library?</div><div>After the press was in place we easily rolled in the 1969 Ford 2000 tractor and valley bin. From there exhibit specialist Jason Hancock and his team began working on wall installation and I started putting in the vineyard corner posts, stakes and trellis wire with the help of some library staff.</div><br /><div>After all the work, planning and money spent on the exhibit to this point it was great to see the installation finally begin. It's going to be a busy month....</div><br /><div>In the top photo the Bucher wine press is being pushed into the Ansary Gallery in The George Bush Presidential Library. In the photo at the bottom of the page I am tightening a vineyard trellis wire on a corner post.</div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU96C_K5AKWcVKZFsOnWCioog81TYTNsahfEiqNPct6k4LgNyWBdW5unM1A9nsury5WzrsvS0PqIPHPXzlQKLiCz2snFSqNv16YqUIh6krzofu0CeNUW68Ka69GVj8BKUnQ8jtFhnDnxg/s1600-h/TCOW_Vineyard_Installation_8252009_96ppi.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374123384611999906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 331px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU96C_K5AKWcVKZFsOnWCioog81TYTNsahfEiqNPct6k4LgNyWBdW5unM1A9nsury5WzrsvS0PqIPHPXzlQKLiCz2snFSqNv16YqUIh6krzofu0CeNUW68Ka69GVj8BKUnQ8jtFhnDnxg/s400/TCOW_Vineyard_Installation_8252009_96ppi.jpg" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-21581810242056320822009-08-12T04:17:00.016-05:002009-08-16T01:27:28.827-05:00Creating a Faux Stone Vineyard Wall<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWs8avtI5gQIg4lGjpn5DEMOe8XruPUkdN3-b9gCd8z4sssBP7M4Mc_nJMWth7kZ8zZByn0LFqN-9Aj-jS4a0Ehy42_BkMTwmOHUk7g7y7TNYOu8cIeTRHYjvOnNSR_gMCsydxNAuBQBQ/s1600-h/IMG_1410re1_96ppi_Small2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 265px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370427097365159106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWs8avtI5gQIg4lGjpn5DEMOe8XruPUkdN3-b9gCd8z4sssBP7M4Mc_nJMWth7kZ8zZByn0LFqN-9Aj-jS4a0Ehy42_BkMTwmOHUk7g7y7TNYOu8cIeTRHYjvOnNSR_gMCsydxNAuBQBQ/s400/IMG_1410re1_96ppi_Small2.jpg" /></a><br />When you drive through wine country in many parts of the world you will see vineyards edged by beautiful short stone walls. Originally built hundreds of years ago throughout much of Europe's wine growing regions, stone vineyard walls are frequently seen in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Napa</span> Valley and other parts of Northern California as well. <em>You may also think of the term '<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Clos</span>' used frequently in Burgundy that refers to an enclosed vineyard. </em><br /><br />Stone vineyard walls take on several different methods of construction. The oldest walls were simply stacked stone of various shapes and sizes that were skillfully fitted to create a solid stable wall. Over time however these would fall in spots and need repair to re-stack the rocks. The second method was similar to the loose stacked stones but a mortar was added to strengthen the wall and prevent collapse. And finally a newer more modern method seen more often in California is a flagstone and mortar technique over a cinder block base wall.<br /><br />For the wine exhibit I wanted to incorporate a little bit of that look into the exhibits vineyard area. For several weeks I contemplated the best way to build the wall and make it look authentic without weighing thousands of pounds because of my need to transport the exhibit pieces from venue to venue. After a lot of research I decided that I would construct the wall out of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">EPS</span> foam panels...(or <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">styrofoam</span>) laminated to a plywood shell. The style I decided to replicate was the flagstone and mortar look. Fortunately for me two of the major suppliers that I needed to source supplies from are located in Houston. I had custom 2" x 12" x 60" and 2" x 9.75" x 60" foam panels produced at Houston Foam Plastics. From there I went to a company down South of Houston called Industrial Polymers and purchased 4 gallons of a special product called "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">StyroSpray</span> 1000". This stuff is great! You spray or brush it in multiple coats over the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">styrofoam</span> panels and it cures to form a hard, durable shell which can be painted with just about any paint. Many people have no idea about construction with foam materials. But actually it is very popular for constructing many <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">faux</span> reproductions in theme parks and museums. For my needs, the greatest asset with the foam technique is that the end product is super light for it's size.<br /><br />The photo above shows one of the panels just after completion of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">faux</span> painting, a technique done with four or five different sponges. The photos below show <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">construction</span> of the wall pieces. The first shows panels being laminated to the plywood framework. The second shows me cutting the stone design into the foam with a '<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dremel</span>' tool. The bottom photo shows a carved panel coated with '<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">StyroSpray</span> 1000'.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh898v8uYL-sCAlbXkdYZzwRFQlu0Aue6YTk2TfPXIZgo-aIxCdJuX_3TghRup4ozQFQImDuXuKutB2m3aYHzRzxJhEhjuvtp6Nwb0HFWVhJN5klSBnBU2wjpTxp648G1a_zxciTJ94hJo/s1600-h/Wall_Construc_1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 182px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370420349168873042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh898v8uYL-sCAlbXkdYZzwRFQlu0Aue6YTk2TfPXIZgo-aIxCdJuX_3TghRup4ozQFQImDuXuKutB2m3aYHzRzxJhEhjuvtp6Nwb0HFWVhJN5klSBnBU2wjpTxp648G1a_zxciTJ94hJo/s400/Wall_Construc_1.jpg" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-33847679887218702542009-07-18T16:00:00.018-05:002009-07-18T20:16:19.939-05:00The Art of Cooperage<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAFHEdagAp2jO84OPhmyKfATeRC72qxTACUkPrShWOaeiJS0a_dA_b4wyyMsUlVLucOi_cFUU-6J7I-TMucP2VbwweFrNZpTyYEvVA31AAaQdTx3YYTPmce2phrFrkiBbQ7aqGhqcUQI/s1600-h/_MJB2356re777_Blog.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 271px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359923598259932034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAFHEdagAp2jO84OPhmyKfATeRC72qxTACUkPrShWOaeiJS0a_dA_b4wyyMsUlVLucOi_cFUU-6J7I-TMucP2VbwweFrNZpTyYEvVA31AAaQdTx3YYTPmce2phrFrkiBbQ7aqGhqcUQI/s400/_MJB2356re777_Blog.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Early yesterday morning I drove from northern Sonoma County 'over the hill' to the town of Napa. I was due at Demptos Cooperage by 7:30AM. This was my second visit to Demptos, and I was set to do some photography for the wine exhibit. As soon as I arrived Master Cooper Will Jamieson greeted me in the front lobby and quickly escorted me to the 'production' end of the building. </div><br /><div>This opportunity was a real treat for me. I've been in the wine business in one capacity or another for over twenty years but this was the first time I had ever been able to photograph in a cooperage facility. As Will told me...they get started working early. I wanted to see the entire process from beginning to end and my 7:30AM arrival was not at all early by their standards. When I arrived everything was already humming along like a well tuned engine. Everywhere I walked there was movement and activity....barrels being rolled from one stage of completion to the next, the constant sound of hammers pounding hoops, fires being stoked for toasting, forklifts replenishing spent stacks of staves, etc. This was some place, it was very impressive to witness the level of skill and the work intensity that was in harmony all around me. </div><br /><div>I found myself spending most of my time in the room where the firing of barrels was done first to bend the staves and secondly to toast the insides. This room was somewhat darker than other parts of the facility. Metal 'fire pots' about 12"x14" where lined up on the concrete floors. Scraps of wood were used to keep the fires burning with flames of about 2 to 3 feet in height. The smells in the room were that of sweet oak toasting to perfection. I would describe the feel of the room as strangely romantic in a medieval sort of way. First, barrels with hoops only on one end were lined up in front of the heating fire pots. A worker then sprayed the waiting barrels with a water hose to thoroughly coat the wood. These barrels were then placed over the burning fire pots to heat the staves. Next the heated barrels were moved to a large hydraulic machine that would compress the open end of the heated staves and place temporary 'work hoops' over the end giving it the shape of a wine barrel. From here the barrels were placed again over fire pots...this time to toast the insides. </div><br /><div><em>Toasting the insides of a wine barrel adds to the complexity of flavors passed on to the wine. To a winemaker, barrels are what spices in a spice rack are to a chef. You add unique flavors and characteristics to a wine when it is barrel aged and/or barrel fermented. There are many variables at play...much more than just 'French or American Oak'. Within the term French Oak you have many choices...ie, Allier Oak, Troncais Oak, Nevers Oak, Limousin Oak, Vosges Oak and more! Each of these oaks has it's own unique characteristics, grain structures and most importantly to the winemaker...flavor profiles. Then you have American Oak, and Hungarian Oak...and even combination barrels...get the picture, lot's of choices...just like that spice rack to a chef.</em></div><br /><div>After the barrel toasting is completed the barrels were rolled to a worker in a corner of the same room where the bung hole was drilled and then cauterized with a hot iron device. As Will explained to me the cauterization of the bung seals it and ensures smoothness. After this step, the barrels were rolled out of the firing room and into an adjacent area where the barrels were fitted for heads, sanded smooth and fitted with the final hoops. Next they moved over to a worker that pressure tested them and finally sent to another area where a laser engraver finished each barrel with the logo of Demptos and the winery that would soon become home.</div><br /><div>The photograph above shows a worker placing a barrel over a fire pot for toasting. The photos below show barrels be heated for bending (left) and a worker cauterizing a bung (right).</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiailPmM5ARN3h68NB-ryDWe4tFfILOHrqNsXGTCmtgchBRAp7ginnV-Iv4J_uqitdDweHSgIW_WTvptD-w35Jvk0K2ykMMghbyJun9Y1h_IyzAscl87hQze5VwEk1KLtwIAS5rym_ukgU/s1600-h/Cooperage_Blog_Comp1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 228px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359924002342513154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiailPmM5ARN3h68NB-ryDWe4tFfILOHrqNsXGTCmtgchBRAp7ginnV-Iv4J_uqitdDweHSgIW_WTvptD-w35Jvk0K2ykMMghbyJun9Y1h_IyzAscl87hQze5VwEk1KLtwIAS5rym_ukgU/s400/Cooperage_Blog_Comp1.jpg" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-68271066971154067622009-07-05T21:48:00.013-05:002009-07-14T23:34:43.971-05:00Restoring the Nicolini Wine Pumps<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Vnmn36y66Ka4Kl_9SJUyZVz8XC123IHlAT2EKIrFFNlGYcpPaoW52tB_Nater3e0l9bjSLYx7W1MWqZHFpL0DIncyKaKLsal1JyZYkyylZBt9dJWK9tdFyzVhPjkavaDisDWYXXCKis/s1600-h/Nicolini_Number1_72ppi.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 359px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355188484395472290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Vnmn36y66Ka4Kl_9SJUyZVz8XC123IHlAT2EKIrFFNlGYcpPaoW52tB_Nater3e0l9bjSLYx7W1MWqZHFpL0DIncyKaKLsal1JyZYkyylZBt9dJWK9tdFyzVhPjkavaDisDWYXXCKis/s400/Nicolini_Number1_72ppi.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaslUAQ4wd4UFtFWZ8FZLAWbzCL9K02YX6bSzN_hQ2IBSfHtBgbqkg8kt8sgsNr1Qa3OTooGeCIVyxizvBnmEII0A8oq5JSddoxLXjyypzuv0gkEn5S433A5_t6WbnCSBlcf4169r2ApQ/s1600-h/Nicolini_Number1_72ppi.jpg"></a>Some aspects of the production of this exhibit are not necessarily rewarding...just time spent working on a task. Other aspects have been very rewarding. The restoration of the Nicolini pumps have been just that. Chris Corley, the winemaker at Monticello Vineyards in Napa Valley gave me these two old pumps last year. They had been sitting out behind the winery for quite a while. I remember having to get some help from one of the cellar workers to kill all the yellow jacket nests that had taken up residence in the pumps. They were rusty and old, the wiring was patched and taped together and the wheels needed grease. But to me they were beautiful. Several years ago I saw a photograph in a wine book of a cellar in Bordeaux that had one of these pumps transferring juice...shining in red & chrome.<br /><br /><div>The pumps were moved to my exhibit storage room in Cloverdale, California and readied for transport to Texas. I started working on "Nicolini #1" toward the end of May. I completed restoration on it June 15th. I'm currently working on "Nicolini #2" now. It is very similar to the first pump but a slightly different model. This work has been hard and dirty, but I've really enjoyed it. The pumps are being stripped down to about 200 pieces. All paint is removed down to bare metal. The parts are then dipped in an etching solution to help the new primers adhesion...primed, repainted and rebuilt. </div><br /><div>The photo above shows a restored "Nicolini #1" complete with new wiring, tri-clover fittings and hose.</div><br /><div>The photo below shows the condition the pumps were in when work began. </div><br /><div>(The is of "Nicolini #2 before starting to take it apart.)</div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOGULBQN8VjCVx7KKHmuGc7DnyZ22skg1iEQ8eyXSEBkPOunvwGp5UZScujJo5GZldVli_ON8hDudU7vw1fws6F0gh7Sq27DagENZcCetUmvs66D_3A4o3j-FW74Y2ymudHJAyisOrQE/s1600-h/Nicolini_2_2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 255px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355184913859703746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOGULBQN8VjCVx7KKHmuGc7DnyZ22skg1iEQ8eyXSEBkPOunvwGp5UZScujJo5GZldVli_ON8hDudU7vw1fws6F0gh7Sq27DagENZcCetUmvs66D_3A4o3j-FW74Y2ymudHJAyisOrQE/s320/Nicolini_2_2.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-58895469763644549752009-06-28T23:26:00.004-05:002009-06-29T00:10:18.846-05:00Exhibit Wall Mural Photography<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7YioazF5QQKdAxlh-9CoS2VT-f6M_Q2OZ3aYMRm6CFBSq5bGDYtJjsJG3XHopNhtyA2X4eukKgh6-pnnXGDVogYDm2w8WC7KoxwpQzMrOgdRMopMxWPSOKUALnhHLQPJPhS1-2LXz_0/s1600-h/Photo_Mural_crush+pad_wall_BLOG.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 91px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352606635013672834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7YioazF5QQKdAxlh-9CoS2VT-f6M_Q2OZ3aYMRm6CFBSq5bGDYtJjsJG3XHopNhtyA2X4eukKgh6-pnnXGDVogYDm2w8WC7KoxwpQzMrOgdRMopMxWPSOKUALnhHLQPJPhS1-2LXz_0/s400/Photo_Mural_crush+pad_wall_BLOG.jpg" /></a><br /><div>The past three days have been hot in Northern California...you don't expect to feel 100+ degree heat in Napa Valley but it happens. The past three days have also been the days that I had slated in to do all the vineyard and crush pad wall mural photography. The good news is that the high pressure system (no, the heat is not due to 'global warming') sitting over Northern California kept the conditions very consistent. Lot's of clear blue skies and dry heat everyday. The bad news is that there were lot's of clear blue skies everyday... Why, because as a landscape photographer there is nothing I want to see more than clouds. Not heavy overcast gray rainy skies, but the beautiful summer cloud types that add so much interest to a plain old clear blue sky. That said, I'm happy with the photography taken the past few days.... the blue skies will look nice on the exhibit walls, but even a few clouds would have added more depth and some extra interest to the walls.</div><br /><div>The photograph above is an unfinished composite of three images taken from the crush pad at Monticello Vineyards. This image will be the rear wall of the exhibit space. It will be 10 feet x 45 feet in size. The truck is another original piece of Napa Valley culture.... It's been transporting grapes, barrels and winery equipment for thirty years.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-43785970745356125252009-06-01T13:27:00.003-05:002009-06-07T17:02:57.648-05:00Thomas Jefferson's Point of View<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIptcXlP4U4Vefm_9HyAm9scYVAkkE5t0bYFYQh9pxlOupQgzJVoAMfwYH-z6Cg6a9BRdzjHgXJLoWCRELffBA9CCtIfTR0wT2VMyACT_Osz7bOLxB8YkGHdBghg5DaQOXlmQnA5_TmeY/s1600-h/IMG_1029re1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 289px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344704976866479186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIptcXlP4U4Vefm_9HyAm9scYVAkkE5t0bYFYQh9pxlOupQgzJVoAMfwYH-z6Cg6a9BRdzjHgXJLoWCRELffBA9CCtIfTR0wT2VMyACT_Osz7bOLxB8YkGHdBghg5DaQOXlmQnA5_TmeY/s400/IMG_1029re1.jpg" /></a>As you enter "The Culture of Wine" exhibit you will quickly find yourself in two rooms that are a tribute and informational representation of Thomas Jefferson's dining room and wine cellar at Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia. Here you will see the replica dining room fireplace and other Jefferson replica artifacts. In his wine cellar recreation you will see how Jefferson stored his valued wines and how the bottles were loaded into his famous dumbwaiter that would carry them to the fireplace upstairs in his dining room.<br /><div></div><br /><div>The photo shown here was taken during the construction of a corner niche that will hold Jefferson's bust in his dining room area. As you can see the construction is not complete at this point. Once finished, the bust will sit on a hardwood riser lighted from above, overseeing the room.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-30178852628327018032009-05-14T12:31:00.008-05:002009-06-07T18:15:57.808-05:00Shipping The 'Bucher' Grape Press<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgeUAgIwoHeBnyWdphWoa_fjZSUfqkZi8PSRa1kPbSUpXX3-lHEsFQPHEAXjHg7XHjS_13XMk_Pq6aS1qWHIcsdCLPu4tSvqE-wMasflUWbfVkZZWUp-_m2NOfTFTCu55f8Nbu5L1lMQ/s1600-h/IMG_0937_press1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 282px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344698471294503570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgeUAgIwoHeBnyWdphWoa_fjZSUfqkZi8PSRa1kPbSUpXX3-lHEsFQPHEAXjHg7XHjS_13XMk_Pq6aS1qWHIcsdCLPu4tSvqE-wMasflUWbfVkZZWUp-_m2NOfTFTCu55f8Nbu5L1lMQ/s320/IMG_0937_press1.jpg" /></a>The main event of the second shipment to Texas was loading the big 'Bucher' bladder press at Monticello winery. This press was one of the first two presses to operate at Monticello Vineyards in Napa Valley. I am thrilled to have it now as a focal point of the exhibit's crush pad area. This press is about 6.5 feet tall by 6.5 feet wide by 13 feet long. It has pressed more tons of grapes than I can begin to estimate. It was operational at Monticello from 1982 until 2005.<br /><div><div><br /><div>The photos show the press being loaded onto a special truck for shipment to San Jose, California where it will be loaded into the trailer that will take it to Texas. Once in Texas I will begin cleaning it and prepping it for painting. I want to restore it as close as possible to it's original colors and markings.</div></div></div><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQMKPnxMch954Or-03UOXuMzXgn6Y-Bixe5G4p8U03YaOe0vlYQAgUHSGAVDtu7bT2sGeNKOBfVLJ-W8z-ngE0eyf71QDi4UZUfLKT7Oz7i4pfOsxTd4EYav0pbh-JFmByaVk_LJOZPk/s1600-h/IMG_0951_press2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 284px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344699142408048834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQMKPnxMch954Or-03UOXuMzXgn6Y-Bixe5G4p8U03YaOe0vlYQAgUHSGAVDtu7bT2sGeNKOBfVLJ-W8z-ngE0eyf71QDi4UZUfLKT7Oz7i4pfOsxTd4EYav0pbh-JFmByaVk_LJOZPk/s400/IMG_0951_press2.jpg" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-1298395827428138502009-03-06T16:11:00.000-06:002009-06-07T16:25:27.151-05:00Finally Found the Perfect Tractor<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPkeP91eWTvHtVA-Boy7eO4ah-h6nuviq6dZy1ROYthq0u8bqfo6btO4GFxsq69AiwiSrfqfDlpIqRBlUV8m8_UX14WSeES1FIgzhz0d5TvFPvp5-824frv4GVtXaAEOT8FQEO-d9guw/s1600-h/IMG_0691re1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 254px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344690171892155634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPkeP91eWTvHtVA-Boy7eO4ah-h6nuviq6dZy1ROYthq0u8bqfo6btO4GFxsq69AiwiSrfqfDlpIqRBlUV8m8_UX14WSeES1FIgzhz0d5TvFPvp5-824frv4GVtXaAEOT8FQEO-d9guw/s320/IMG_0691re1.jpg" /></a>In George Taber's excellent book 'Judgement of Paris' there is a photograph of Warren Winarski, founder of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars on a Ford tractor working in a vineyard. I decided early on that I wanted a Ford tractor for the exhibit. I looked everywhere...in California, in Texas....on tractor club websites. Nothing like I was looking for seemed to be available. I was really starting to worry that I might have to opt for something else. That wouldn't be so bad...but I wanted a Ford, circa 1968 - 1976.<br /><br /><div><div></div><div>Then one day....I was driving from Houston to The George Bush Library in College Station and as I was coming into Navasota I passed a corner lot that had a beautiful Ford tractor sitting near the barbed wire fence with a 'for sale' sign on it. I turned around went back and wrote down the telephone number on the sign. It ended up being about a week later before I could make contact with the owner and work out a price....but now I had my tractor, a 1969 Ford 2000....perfect for the exhibit.</div><br /><div>Shown in the photo is George Bush Library - facility manager Robert Spacek as we unloaded it at my College Station storage area.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-20506484535998091042009-02-22T20:07:00.000-06:002009-06-07T18:33:24.990-05:00Getting Ready for the First Truck<img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 218px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344680485785015906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQaPk2mZd6eq3jInwx24_1zl4deB7J582R46E-DmP4vvsOdxhSciscrvGX03TRoWnQTIbRPE9cEWMenFo1nBDLQbV7nxT-rQTc_FXtXdxCJbJQh_Q98h2p7K5b6BLbjo2bHEuBWhhjP78/s320/IMG_0615re1.jpg" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWFPwBya0ntsZczxMekJOfupHJtEKxDCS6yi8MqVxVPAQsgLf9hLF8DISiPkYOevAWRxdgPMZNeobSsbBfJexS8lODOb-zypYlvoST8dpQVtFPJtMwMQeWqTnGVppxfx31DmC9hWtdxk/s1600-h/IMG_0606re1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344679748747723346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWFPwBya0ntsZczxMekJOfupHJtEKxDCS6yi8MqVxVPAQsgLf9hLF8DISiPkYOevAWRxdgPMZNeobSsbBfJexS8lODOb-zypYlvoST8dpQVtFPJtMwMQeWqTnGVppxfx31DmC9hWtdxk/s320/IMG_0606re1.jpg" /></a><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 229px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344678804780422450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUDzl2kdJ7HEVntrEtL5WwiOrP8aI_ftC1HwZNudHbFSaba2QkVdHDwuhK0iUhsRK6XLa6Jh_yS048-Zssq0Wyk_eCTxMGx1rxLzd3eQSUCaA6PhyT7oSgeLQpF2sJHeZ06tiHD_YQuA/s320/IMG_0640re1.jpg" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXbcYS5t2YrVZybm6ktDGGm3IGytJYMGvilspwaAfPNMG20SWBg4AndvBUk0UEM9kqSQeBbc8pRLPqNodKY41sBcnVYLnANIAxonns5pMLjqMK1cUliho7cXBzehMkYpu0folMNYE16g/s1600-h/IMG_0612re1.jpg"></a>I fly back to Oakland and head straight to my two storage spaces in Cloverdale (up in Sonoma county) to begin prepping all items slated to be on the first shipment to Texas. There was a lot of work to be done...but primarily it was wrapping barrels and vines in plastic stretch wrap. Sounds relatively easy... but I can tell you that it took hours to complete. As the day turns into night I'm still wrapping and stacking barrels, grapevines and 100+ year old basket press parts.<br /><br />Tomorrow the 18-wheeler is scheduled to arrive first at Monticello winery in Napa to load a circa 1980 'valley bin' used to haul grapes to the crush pad. After the stop in Napa the truck heads to Cloverdale to load all the remaining exhibit items going on the first load.<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Shown in the photos you can see a few of the wrapped vines, barrels and broken down barrel staves (that will be used to build the exhibit reader rails) Twenty-four hours later these items were headed to Texas.</div></div></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwF3XCoEUIm0-t_zCuAL8KIQEDdRBHtkk3npWg1K9vqfcWFTfT_Zlebj4nurS9rGUnSwjVs-VlVS-IMTiHbKb_CC8Xc-TPtZGI0bIuhuwMVlb0uVwhWPn5wDKZOHEVPxJBjm34KfGTDlE/s1600-h/IMG_0606re1.jpg"></div></a></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-55568168327083928432009-02-19T13:27:00.010-06:002009-03-05T14:10:55.030-06:00Recreating Jefferson's Famous Fireplace<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbJ5fDK1OryPEnoE3-uFO1oRFf_WCHyMe2P7qtzwI2e-a9VCDgdYKbZAEgEpSCfXBl2wMZAy-C-nq-i9pBuw0Ouy-IKHWWb_4q3qLtMOtEJK4vveDL20360sK-UkN4dYpi0R024XkoSA/s1600-h/IMG_0591re1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309795112034497890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 233px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbJ5fDK1OryPEnoE3-uFO1oRFf_WCHyMe2P7qtzwI2e-a9VCDgdYKbZAEgEpSCfXBl2wMZAy-C-nq-i9pBuw0Ouy-IKHWWb_4q3qLtMOtEJK4vveDL20360sK-UkN4dYpi0R024XkoSA/s320/IMG_0591re1.jpg" border="0" /></a> Few aspects involved in creating this wine exhibit have impacted me more than the research devoted to Thomas Jefferson and his appreciation of wine. In October of 2008 when visiting Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia I learned (and saw firsthand) more about Jefferson in two days than all the book research that I had done for months prior. The curators at Monticello were a wealth of information. In addition to touring throughout the various rooms of Monticello, I was taken into the wine cellar. This was very special to me, to actually be walking in Thomas Jefferson's cellar, standing exactly where slaves stood as they placed selected wine bottles in the carriage boxes of his famous fireplace wine dumbwaiter to be sent upstairs to a waiting Jefferson and his dinner guests. The cellar was located directly below the dining room. The dumbwaiter system that Jefferson devised allowed for wines to be served without the intrusion of waitstaff.<br /><div><br /><div>For 'The Culture of Wine' exhibit we are recreating a portion of Jefferson's dining room and wine cellar areas. The focal point of the dining room will be a recreation of his fireplace showing the ingenious dumbwaiters hidden in the sides of the mantle. Shown in the photo above is George Bush Presidential Library 'Exhibit Specialist' Jason Hancock and 'Museum Tech' Debbie Page, both worked on building the replica. As shown here the fireplace is about 80% finished. Still to be added are the Wedgewood Jasperware plaques, the marble trim and finishing moulding. The photo below shows a detail of the hidden dumbwaiters located in each side.</div></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLaBeSIHHRp0W92C5m5-lr6OzmASfDdkH-p3srymfWi_i5ikvD-KkemBp8Hy0zuYg-t_ypqcoZz69e0Wv8rb-JiveDWHVb0ocw9edp0pdYTITnQI_OVjP_TAxCqZPiOi5g9k3Y5Qg4MY/s1600-h/IMG_0596re1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309796771093389442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 234px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 335px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLaBeSIHHRp0W92C5m5-lr6OzmASfDdkH-p3srymfWi_i5ikvD-KkemBp8Hy0zuYg-t_ypqcoZz69e0Wv8rb-JiveDWHVb0ocw9edp0pdYTITnQI_OVjP_TAxCqZPiOi5g9k3Y5Qg4MY/s320/IMG_0596re1.jpg" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-17171662767007948902009-02-05T14:30:00.002-06:002009-02-16T10:51:59.102-06:00The Vineyards are Yellow<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aL1FAHoIGdr04kAA36fp-nQ8ffmAuDBOtqnIsGHpgE1VfmXqC7Udx_vi5YsFAwCKQBKyYOXLJa16jz9kwWWPtU6zAIT_cSHOM4_TtWAjsawfNhkoPklK9mfXwhAF4b-tlrxmRA-wWbM/s1600-h/_MJB0537re1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303437287568191554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 278px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aL1FAHoIGdr04kAA36fp-nQ8ffmAuDBOtqnIsGHpgE1VfmXqC7Udx_vi5YsFAwCKQBKyYOXLJa16jz9kwWWPtU6zAIT_cSHOM4_TtWAjsawfNhkoPklK9mfXwhAF4b-tlrxmRA-wWbM/s400/_MJB0537re1.jpg" border="0" /></a> Every year from late January through March the vineyard landscapes of Northern California are blanketed in the yellow glow of 'Wild Mustard'. This is one of the most beautiful times of the year to be in wine country. The wild mustard, 'brassica kaber' also provides many beneficial actions in the vineyard. For the organic vintner, it acts as a superb cover crop for the good insects that eat the bad insects. It's root system also helps to open up the soil. The wild mustard plants seed in the winter when the vines are dormant. The plants can grow between 1 and 3 feet tall. Technically they are listed by the state of California as a 'noxious weed'...but don't tell that to the wild mustard for in Napa the plants have garnered nearly celebrity status... just check out the <a href="http://www.mustardfestival.org/">Napa Valley Mustard Festival </a>website.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-49138235871303389042009-01-05T17:13:00.008-06:002009-02-15T18:49:47.612-06:00Preparing the Corkscrew Collection<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFDKJnkrSy1KW0-mDvt34IjRs0kYbgKTPMpHDtyKDFdqittK_vNHM5qPuR-l8LhnYzOiqmMSNNhdnDZGFLfX4VDWwHTyZNdsMIAfjMCJJMeapwxlM-8oZdlrOek0BWHlnt05riYR1rNw/s1600-h/_MJB0473re1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303130477549924338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 255px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFDKJnkrSy1KW0-mDvt34IjRs0kYbgKTPMpHDtyKDFdqittK_vNHM5qPuR-l8LhnYzOiqmMSNNhdnDZGFLfX4VDWwHTyZNdsMIAfjMCJJMeapwxlM-8oZdlrOek0BWHlnt05riYR1rNw/s320/_MJB0473re1.jpg" border="0" /></a> It is interesting that a device designed to perform the simple task of removing a cork from a bottle of wine has become almost an <em>objet d' art</em> in itself. I casually began collecting corkscrews sometime back...but now with the opening of 'The Culture of Wine' exhibit, I am researching them as a more serious collector. Once you become familiar with antique corkscrews you can quickly place them into many different categories such as; non-mechanical direct pull, mechanical, lever, pocket, concertina, folding, waiters, etc. Within each category models may range from very plain & simple to beautiful & ornate.<br /><div><br /><div>Depending on where a collector purchases an antique corkscrew, you may or may not need to know a few things about cleaning and caring for them. Most of the corkscrews that I have obtained are inspected and then cleaned and preserved by a method endorsed by museum conservators. First, I apply a solvent such as 'low odor' mineral spirits with a soft brush to any rusty areas. Depending on the amount of rust or dirt present, I then use a nylon or even a soft metal 'brass' brush dipped in the solvent to begin cleaning. After this step I dry the corkscrew with a soft dry rag and set the corkscrew aside to further dry for about half an hour. The next step is to wax the entire corkscrew with a special micro-crystalline wax called 'Renaissance Wax'. This wax is applied as an additional cleaner and a protectant. It drys very quickly and once buffed alittle it leaves a very nice luster finish. </div><br /><div>Once finished the corkscrews are placed in archival boxes for storage. For the exhibit, a selection of various groupings will be displayed in acrylic wall cases. Many of my personal favorites were produced in England and France between 1850 and 1930. Below is a "Farrow & Jackson' champagne knife from London, England circa 1900. </div></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRsPs4udNCI2wh1fl_yTw4LU-fAebr3LNpqYJf4ViUx2haBvVxeXYrvDayKE6xOKDz-s7uRn0FkQ22V7ahJB1ROcevO3x0w9V4hgP8DBI6kCWKfV8-S_UxzlKxY1NwSpZSgMC8QsNpWU/s1600-h/champagne+knife.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303146191723163458" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 168px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRsPs4udNCI2wh1fl_yTw4LU-fAebr3LNpqYJf4ViUx2haBvVxeXYrvDayKE6xOKDz-s7uRn0FkQ22V7ahJB1ROcevO3x0w9V4hgP8DBI6kCWKfV8-S_UxzlKxY1NwSpZSgMC8QsNpWU/s400/champagne+knife.jpg" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-11202046949798725242008-12-10T20:36:00.006-06:002009-01-05T21:49:07.394-06:00Completion of the Exhibit-Space Floor Plans<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYTIVyiNN8utwfLtQKdouU4wJ1_ioRxbVKpofSdoi0kp0T8VFpwTIokz89b5C8p0GZj_Dmv7-yWqUNhyphenhyphenZ3taYUqWns_LDwMw6VoQpdLJ1j4DwajfcwE2dVtWpY9ubVtqZoBroK6i6lgo/s1600-h/FloorPlan1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287644298021190866" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 263px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYTIVyiNN8utwfLtQKdouU4wJ1_ioRxbVKpofSdoi0kp0T8VFpwTIokz89b5C8p0GZj_Dmv7-yWqUNhyphenhyphenZ3taYUqWns_LDwMw6VoQpdLJ1j4DwajfcwE2dVtWpY9ubVtqZoBroK6i6lgo/s320/FloorPlan1.jpg" border="0" /></a>Museum Curator Susie Cox gave me a deadline...I must have the completed floorplans turned in by December 10th... <em>I needed that</em> <em>deadline</em>. The core walls of the exhibit area are being produced by a German company and are called mila-wall® panels. My design and plans needed to take into consideration both dimensional and structural aspects of these special museum walls. Working with Jason Hancock, the exhibit specialist at the George Bush Presidential Library & Museum, we will be utilizing some of the mila-wall® panels with additional custom walls that we will fabricate in the Library's shop. Needless to say, I was happy to get this design element wrapped up. A lot of thought went into the details of this. My pencil drawings are now being transfered into CAD drawings that will become the master plans.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-83994804868834380792008-11-17T19:11:00.008-06:002009-01-04T22:02:33.471-06:00Recording the Audio<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3jPC0Az0mJ1JjX21muVHqKH88K511kYOYDiyBGI8WTlomcGvGTGGIyZQKeK3iATqL67kLJzuKqchUC6_X3Vu-46JfFq4M0BmEmQVi-ZJ3MAwZntl_sQ1eMKs3icrVENBchNB5OCm5wE/s1600-h/Audio_re4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287631827959251074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 194px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3jPC0Az0mJ1JjX21muVHqKH88K511kYOYDiyBGI8WTlomcGvGTGGIyZQKeK3iATqL67kLJzuKqchUC6_X3Vu-46JfFq4M0BmEmQVi-ZJ3MAwZntl_sQ1eMKs3icrVENBchNB5OCm5wE/s320/Audio_re4.jpg" border="0" /></a>One aspect of this project that is new to me is the audio recording. Rather than hire someone, I decided it was something I wanted to learn so I invested in the equipment and off I went...<br /><div><div><br /><div>Sound is incredibly important to films and/or multimedia presentations. Try watching a movie with the sound muted. If you're like most people, you will very quickly loose all interest in the film...no matter how good the cinematography. I started the audio project by making a comprehensive list of all the types of images and scenes that I have shot and will be shooting in the vineyard, crush pad, cellar, etc. Then I thought about what sounds I would need to go with those scenes such as tractor motors running, pickers talking in the vineyard or a wine press. Since harvest 2008 is now over many of the sounds that I have "In the Can" so to speak are of the pickers in the vineyard. I noticed that during any break period, (<em>such as when the</em> <em>tractor would run the full bins up to the flat bed truck)</em> they would frequently sharpen their picking knives. The sound of the steel blades on the sharpening stones was an interesting sound that I recorded on several occasions.</div><br /><div>The photo above is me with the new Marantz Pro Digital Recorder with a shotgun mic on a boom pole. This is my basic field setup. When I don't need the reach of the boom pole I use a small handle grip that is lighter and much easier to point. Once the raw digital audio is captured I load the files into my computer and Sony Sound Forge software helps me tweak it into something special. Sound Forge is to audio files what Photoshop is for image files. Audio has been a real learning experience for me, but I really like it...</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-3012614787790700372008-10-10T22:12:00.007-05:002009-01-03T23:00:37.895-06:00The Honey Bees of Michel-Schlumberger Benchland Wine Estate<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxp1nkcYBjC8aoHlQO1HHeQ0gZ79hNALonFrETmoIVIoRduJdT4V1IC2I4kAY5TS28FFV0oeuBeZZmjx93C-D-Z2RyOj-r3zgoiNUH9NSIHSGFcW5htIqp4B9TMvD6_X16j7lfJIMa5s/s1600-h/_MJB0008_re1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286751622147522082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxp1nkcYBjC8aoHlQO1HHeQ0gZ79hNALonFrETmoIVIoRduJdT4V1IC2I4kAY5TS28FFV0oeuBeZZmjx93C-D-Z2RyOj-r3zgoiNUH9NSIHSGFcW5htIqp4B9TMvD6_X16j7lfJIMa5s/s320/_MJB0008_re1.jpg" border="0" /></a> As mentioned in the previous post Michel-Schlumberger believes strongly in giving back to the land that gives them the grapes that produce the estates distinctive wines. Winemaking and the resulting wine can mean different things to different people. Making distinctive wines that reflect the terrior of the estate and/or vineyard involves much more than just fermenting grape juice. Winery owner Jacques Schlumberger and winemaker Michael Brunson are committed to the techniques and practice of sustainable/organic farming at the Michel-Schlumberger Benchland Wine Estate.<br /><br />Today I visited the estate and photographed beehives, sheep, chickens, hawk perches and gardens...all will be featured in wine exhibit multimedia clips. The above photograph shows the estates beehives nestled just above Wine Creek. <em>By the way... if you're interested in bees and beekeeping you should take a look at Barbara Schlumberger's, (Jacques wifes) "Melissa Garden" website.</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-11189719272227539312008-10-07T22:53:00.003-05:002009-01-02T11:38:53.136-06:00Harvest Photography in Dry Creek Valley<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBW1t0kVjPY5j8XTMIihnNOZZcM8Cnx00bY1-wpLv0lbBu0qlV_az6ggOo5g9GObne6TmaqWi649w3HWRnip1Hauan4c_sEOjsycd8SEl_imBHDrXT_9mB4uovkiY2KH1J9UEjaadS9t4/s1600-h/_MJB0077re3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286566867961710210" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 227px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBW1t0kVjPY5j8XTMIihnNOZZcM8Cnx00bY1-wpLv0lbBu0qlV_az6ggOo5g9GObne6TmaqWi649w3HWRnip1Hauan4c_sEOjsycd8SEl_imBHDrXT_9mB4uovkiY2KH1J9UEjaadS9t4/s320/_MJB0077re3.jpg" border="0" /></a> I love Dry Creek Valley... It is a beautiful little slice of the world located in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sonoma</span> County. It offers a simple, rural lifestyle where you can drive along narrow winding roads passing vineyards and farmhouses where you may see fencepost signs selling natural eggs or heirloom tomatoes, olives and fresh breads... many sold on "honor system" tables by the roadside. Dry Creek Valley is also filled with some of the best Zinfandel vineyards in the world. You also find Cabernet <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Sauvignon</span>, Merlot, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Syrah</span>, Cabernet Franc and a little Chardonnay, among others. Two of my favorite wineries in this small idyllic valley are Michel-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Schlumberger</span> and Bella.<br /><br />Jacques <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Schlumberger</span> along with winemaker Michael <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Brunson</span> have built Michel-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Schlumberger</span> into a beautiful example of a sustainably farmed <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">benchland</span> winery. An exhibit multimedia clip will feature the winery for it's impressive practices and trendsetting in the area of organic & sustainable <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">farming</span> in the vineyard.<br /><br />A relative newcomer in Dry Creek, Bella Winery has seduced me with it's comfortable, non-pretentious atmosphere. It's almost new age and traditional at the same time. The wines are big and rich...tasting that "Lily Hill" <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Zin</span> in the wineries hillside cave makes me one happy camper!<br />Bella is a small winery making handcrafted wines. The grapes are pressed in a medium size hydraulic basket press. These little gems employ old world pressing technique & design in shiny modern stainless steel versions with computer monitored accuracy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-2538131464375722008-10-05T20:45:00.002-05:002009-01-02T00:33:57.850-06:00Back on Track: Return to Napa... Harvest 2008<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9pBOnqdBM5VKF_H9gzSNSi-DMxx-jRPb3A-ny6bqoyKzva_gFVSt2hBMC5GpFAAOCq3Rz9bq-vpPBK-tLD2fWeYoN4FVLgDISW1CxwP5arrwkAgVtPLTne8zzwfh_JJuTczugT5HqSPU/s1600-h/_MJB0133re22.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286526308410326994" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 209px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9pBOnqdBM5VKF_H9gzSNSi-DMxx-jRPb3A-ny6bqoyKzva_gFVSt2hBMC5GpFAAOCq3Rz9bq-vpPBK-tLD2fWeYoN4FVLgDISW1CxwP5arrwkAgVtPLTne8zzwfh_JJuTczugT5HqSPU/s320/_MJB0133re22.jpg" border="0" /></a> I was very concerned during the long Hurricane Ike delay in Houston that I was going to miss the peak of harvest 2008 in Northern California. It was already an earlier than normal harvest and I desperately needed more photos for the exhibit multimedia pieces. Fortunately, I was able to get what I needed to complete the work...in fact, as it worked out the Monticello "State Lane" vineyard was being picked just after I returned to Napa and it is one of the most picturesque vineyards that I have ever shot in.<br /><div></div><br /><div>In addition to the photography I spent quite a bit of time recording audio for the exhibit. This was something new for me but the results were great. The new mid/high end digital recorders are outstanding in ease of use and sound quality. I recorded vineyard workers picking, tractors, crush pad sounds, geese overhead...everything! </div><div></div><div>Next I head over the hill to Sonoma to catch the end of harvest there...</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-55018145706087851232008-09-22T16:50:00.004-05:002009-01-01T22:13:18.772-06:00Delayed by Hurricane Ike<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN4fZKiskc97bct62aSu7vRc9h9qDoNTIHh7pseCIJEsFL9zecGyQB65pQWAcbXhUWTKGtpnIW-plZl2BV3feT8LYNU35YKDXtuJDxJr4SPUIM6BD8otboVv0u_g1TeHS9JhFO5Xgu9Zw/s1600-h/avn-lKE_5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248970384761077618" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN4fZKiskc97bct62aSu7vRc9h9qDoNTIHh7pseCIJEsFL9zecGyQB65pQWAcbXhUWTKGtpnIW-plZl2BV3feT8LYNU35YKDXtuJDxJr4SPUIM6BD8otboVv0u_g1TeHS9JhFO5Xgu9Zw/s320/avn-lKE_5.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Well sometimes Mother Nature has plans of her own. I should have been in California shooting harvest photos a week ago, but Hurricane Ike changed my plans just a bit. Ike was a pretty powerful storm, and a very large storm...it certainly hit my neighborhood hard. So, as we move into day 10 with no electricity I am grateful that I still have a home. The trees are now off/out of the roof...the insurance adjuster has come and gone and the mess is slowly getting smaller. I talked to a friend of mine who had a home near Galveston, Texas...he lost almost everything there...it made my losses seem like an inconvenience by comparison. Gratefully the residents of Houston and the Gulf Coast are a special people in times like these...almost every night neighbors have fired up their grills and opened up their porches and patios for group meals by lantern light. Everyone is helping each other....</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-19045566555603974302008-08-22T22:24:00.005-05:002008-08-23T01:09:48.778-05:00Sparkling Wine Grape Harvest Has Begun in Napa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEQSu7ye3BiY2HSYUqePackIj3ETSMOZELi78KoKJNf6y_Y62AdOpJoLgiSYnt2Zq0itZ-ndX7BNinQyyf93GullFQO9aadNJ9oJsdvQrpTI86L__sfmBRUF9B-mIA_bjbvkFtOIxaEU/s1600-h/Sparkling_Harvest_Napa_2blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237586587705766162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEQSu7ye3BiY2HSYUqePackIj3ETSMOZELi78KoKJNf6y_Y62AdOpJoLgiSYnt2Zq0itZ-ndX7BNinQyyf93GullFQO9aadNJ9oJsdvQrpTI86L__sfmBRUF9B-mIA_bjbvkFtOIxaEU/s320/Sparkling_Harvest_Napa_2blog.jpg" border="0" /></a> I never realized when I closed my last posting a week ago that the harvest of grapes for sparkling wine production would begin within hours! The photo above was taken earlier this week in Napa Valley. These are some of the first grapes of the season...Chardonnay that will go into Domaine Montreaux, a wonderful small batch Napa bubbly. Kevin Corley is shown here inspecting some of the first picking bins to go into the winery just after dawn.<br /><div></div><br /><div>I was photographing vineyard landscapes in Alexander Valley, over the hill in Sonoma County, when I got the word from Chris Corley that they would be pressing grapes this week. It seems like just a couple of months ago that I was photographing 'bud break' in some of these same vineyards. Just rows away from where we were picking... small pockets (maybe 1 -2 %) of red grapes are still completing veraison! The sugar levels in these Chardonnay (and Pinot Noir) grapes that will go into a sparkling wine cuvee are much lower than they will be when the regular (still wine) harvest begins in a few weeks. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div>Even though it did not take long to complete picking and pressing it was the sure sign that things are about to get crowded around the crush pad. For the wine exhibit...every aspect of the 'winegrowing' season will be photographed. There are few times in the year more exciting to be around a winery than at harvest time....so stay tuned to the upcoming posts! </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-14616408346887115212008-08-15T00:01:00.005-05:002008-08-15T06:43:40.883-05:00A Matter of Inches<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-wd5wbHvWgDWBAoCPDSUQa0Tr3eIOiVcB25e5KVqC66vR0Hvd3hdmgA-Q100PzPZQ5zlN0BkghxZuSFMdHfOfokz0FEnKiE7SEAQmTFR_Cx_ZFN_4ze5_t5dccSR_2e1bgoSnnDl19M/s1600-h/DSC_3427re1_Blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234613408045552434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-wd5wbHvWgDWBAoCPDSUQa0Tr3eIOiVcB25e5KVqC66vR0Hvd3hdmgA-Q100PzPZQ5zlN0BkghxZuSFMdHfOfokz0FEnKiE7SEAQmTFR_Cx_ZFN_4ze5_t5dccSR_2e1bgoSnnDl19M/s320/DSC_3427re1_Blog.jpg" border="0" /></a> We had a short window of access into the Ansary Gallery of The George Bush Presidential Library & Museum to take all measurements we will need for drawing up Wine Exhibit floor plans prior to the NASA Space Exhibit moving into the gallery. Rarely is this gallery totally empty and we had to take advantage of this opportunity. We met Library Curator Susie Cox on Saturday morning and began measuring. All but a few measurements were completed and noted...the other few were finished today. This task is now complete.<br /><div></div><br /><div>These measurements will enable the 'exact' to be melded into my 'concept' in the production of the exhibit. Just looking at the preliminary sketches done by Engineering Tech Bing Djie, it is reassuring to begin to see the level of accuracy that will be carried from tape to pen, (or CAD) to paper, to the saws, the hammers and finally the installation of all the exhibit elements.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Now I can turn my focus back on the exhibit photography and multimedia production. </div><br /><div>Harvest is just around the corner...and I only have the next 8 to 10 weeks to complete all harvest photography and filming for the exhibit. Back to the airport...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-60070739522650659602008-08-07T18:19:00.006-05:002008-08-07T19:47:41.792-05:00A Week of Photography<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRPR-AcFlWtPp8f3QiBh2JqQ9V-_QXPx1XdHAXaXhpsapobUzPcnFtsnv0prAjDoGiWqtxNnfmlk0oGzIiKVUUPkAIiN2zHndQCrSt1TM1_2zcilEwCCwM9WYJP6HqbTSmrfnxJkV7XFA/s1600-h/AlexanderValley3_Blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231929552952831762" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRPR-AcFlWtPp8f3QiBh2JqQ9V-_QXPx1XdHAXaXhpsapobUzPcnFtsnv0prAjDoGiWqtxNnfmlk0oGzIiKVUUPkAIiN2zHndQCrSt1TM1_2zcilEwCCwM9WYJP6HqbTSmrfnxJkV7XFA/s320/AlexanderValley3_Blog.jpg" border="0" /></a> The morning fog in the vineyards was beautiful this week. Most of the grapes have completed veraison and the vines seem to be entering a more mature stage showing nice fruit and taking on character. <em>The photograph above was taken in Alexander Valley in Sonoma County</em>. Shortly after the photo was taken, the cool fog burned off, and the elements that formed to create a magical morning scene quickly yielded way to a warm sunny day. I shot four or five hundred photos earlier this week for the multimedia applications that will be part of the wine exhibit. Most of the photos were detail shots in the vineyard but I also did some cellar photography in Napa.<br /><br /><br />Working in a vineyard at sunrise is very special. You can see so much life there, but not just of the human form... I routinely see jackrabbits, foxes, deer, wild hogs, hawks, quail and waterfowl. For me, this melding of the flora and fauna in the vineyard is just one aspect of diversity and balance in winemaking and in life. In another month the pickers will be out in the vineyards at dawn...working as man has for centuries harvesting the fruit of the vine.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-71164809909318592872008-07-24T19:34:00.005-05:002008-12-09T12:49:36.430-06:00Keeping the Exhibit 'True to Life'<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1adxCHorXyBLA0mEdPIoG464OShxHFPBFlRy6tU8UE2GhIY804-hsVd3-n0T9VXNXx-c3g-aZTcP6kgiHOJ01MdNbEqJqrxA6BazqPLOx-1jqQDnjRa1aq-4XLHUJKNIKu08buTmzS8/s1600-h/Chris_blog_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226762729162512178" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1adxCHorXyBLA0mEdPIoG464OShxHFPBFlRy6tU8UE2GhIY804-hsVd3-n0T9VXNXx-c3g-aZTcP6kgiHOJ01MdNbEqJqrxA6BazqPLOx-1jqQDnjRa1aq-4XLHUJKNIKu08buTmzS8/s320/Chris_blog_1.jpg" border="0" /></a>One of my primary goals in creating this wine exhibit is to educate people. Not only in the production of wine, but in the contrasts in wine production styles. Oftentimes this directly relates to winery size. Wine can be such a diverse product. There can be vast differences in the production techniques employed in modern day wine making ... from hand-crafted 'boutique' products to 'refinery winery' blends. <div><br /><br /><div>There are many variables in wine making. A winemaker is part chemist, part artist and part farmer. The best always have a 'vision'...of what they want to produce. They combine the season's harvest Mother Nature has provided in the vineyard with the skills and talents they have acquired in the cellar. For me, the goal of a winemaker should be to produce 'distinctive' wines. What do I mean by distinctive? I mean that the wines accurately reflect the characteristics of the varietal or varietals they are produced from. They reflect a sense of terrior, or be expressive of the vineyard or region where they are grown. <em>More on 'terrior'</em> <em>in later posts...</em></div><br /><br /><div>To bring all this back to the exhibit...I want every aspect to be as realistic and accurate to what really happens in a vineyard and winery as possible. Fortunately, I spend a fair amount of time in wineries. Many have been extremely helpful in not only pointing me in the right direction when sourcing winery equipment for the exhibit, but also in keeping my conceptual designs based on reality. Chris Corley of Monticello Vineyards / Corley Family Napa Valley, pictured above, is one such winemaker. Chris has been helping me work through some 'interactive' exhibit details that I hope to incorporate. We talked last week about ways to visually show what happens during a fermentation. This would of course need to be achieved by artificial means that could safely exist in a museum environment, yet look realistic. During installation next September, Chris has agreed to make a quick visit to Texas to inspect everything for accuracy... or keeping things 'True to Life'.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4514138909490332189.post-78916215688096380962008-07-21T00:08:00.011-05:002008-12-09T12:49:36.597-06:00Post Number One<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxSg9VtqLGwgNYg0UU2X4JaS0fJizB42FRce5gKVLdtcij2jctp0gnhar99yUfkQF7cePjor8TyZVnFJ4dcqUZ6ZTFkZwbtonBqqV4ucA0M8R7oZk9OiRMQKZYRE8FSSdgl-wfr8TDB4/s1600-h/Veraison_blog_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225322186097136578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 185px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" height="285" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxSg9VtqLGwgNYg0UU2X4JaS0fJizB42FRce5gKVLdtcij2jctp0gnhar99yUfkQF7cePjor8TyZVnFJ4dcqUZ6ZTFkZwbtonBqqV4ucA0M8R7oZk9OiRMQKZYRE8FSSdgl-wfr8TDB4/s320/Veraison_blog_1.jpg" width="189" border="0" /></a> Welcome to The Culture of Wine blog.... I am excited to get this officially started. For those who are interested, this blog will provide a comprehensive behind the scenes view into the making of this unique wine exhibit. I also hope to pass along some educational viewpoints from time to time. <div></div><div>To illustrate this first posting I have chosen a photograph of a cluster of grapes in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">veraison</span>. This is symbolic to me... Firstly, because <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">veraison</span> is the period in a vines annual cycle when foliage growth ceases and all energy is focused on ripening the fruit. (Notice in the photograph that the cluster is changing from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">pre</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">veraison</span> green fruit to post-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">veraison</span> red fruit). Secondly, this is happening right now in vineyards throughout Northern California. In some ways I feel this parallels my path into the creation and production of this wine exhibit. For the past six months I have worked on exhibit planning & design. I have talked to winemakers, vineyard managers and coopers. I have secured storage facilities for winery equipment and sourced materials. Very soon however, the real production begins. Just today I met with Bing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Djie</span>, an engineering tech who has agreed to help produce technical drawings of the exhibit space. These drawings will lend an element of precision to a project that so far has been conceived on sketch pads. For me, creating this exhibit is a dream job. A chance to meld my creative skills as a photographer and artist with my 20 year background in the wine industry.</div><div></div><div>And so, like the grape cluster in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">veraison</span>, I must be focused, and get down to the business of bringing this exhibit together.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com