Climbing the steep hill to visit a friend at Christopher Creek Winery, I stood up on my bike pedals to get the leverage needed to reach the top. Once the road leveled off, I stopped to rest and enjoy the view of the Russian River Valley.

A head-pruned vineyard sloped downward toward the valley floor with leafless vines creating a chaotic thicket of sticks. Between the rows grew yellow mustard flowers, reminding me that even though the sun is shining now, we are still in the midst of our rainy season. At the bottom of the hill, vineyards, oak trees and farm houses blanketed the valley floor until the coastal range on the far side pushed skyward. There is so much to see here in Sonoma County that I wondered if I’d ever experience it all.

With my breath now even, I set my bike down near a picnic table with its folded patio umbrella standing guard. Walking around the grounds, I noticed zig-zagging vineyards on a far hill that, from this distance, reminded me of a Zen sand garden. As I stepped back from the view, I found a good spot to sketch the winery, rolling hills off to the left. I pulled out my drawing pad and travel stool and began to paint.

After packing my art supplies, I entered the tasting room, expecting to see my friend Al. Instead, Jerry and Carry warmly greeted me. I asked how Al was doing, and Jerry said Al had called in sick. Sorry to hear this, I made a mental note to check on him later.

Jerry asked if I was interested in tasting. I’d come not only to say hi to Al, but to find a bottle of Zinfandel for an upcoming tasting party in Napa, so my answer was yes. Even though I had Zinfandel on my mind, I couldn’t help starting off with Catie’s Corner Viognier. The grapes are grown here in the Russian River Valley and I love the wine’s crisp pear, lemon and floral aromas.

Then I asked to try some of their Zinfandel, and Jerry set down a second glass in order to taste two wines side by side, one from the Dry Creek Valley and the other from the Russian River Valley. In simply swirling each one by one, my nose noticed differences. Jerry pointed to the importance of terroir as factor differentiating the wines. I found the Dry Creek Zin tasted of raspberries and cherry jam, tobacco, vanilla, and spices of black pepper and clove. The Russian River Zin showed darker fruits like blackberries and plum, and had a long finish. This is a good food wine, I thought, especially with pasta. I enjoyed both wines but chose to purchase a bottle of the Dry Creek Zin for my tasting party.

Then I asked permission to sketch the tasting room and got the okay. I drew Jerry and Carry while they worked on taking inventory. After finishing my drawing but too tired to add watercolor, I took a couple of pictures so I could finish in my studio.

After thanking my hosts for the tasting, I packed the wine in my backpack and stepped out into the cooler outdoors. The sun was inching closer to the horizon, hinting it was time to get back before sunset. Hopping on my bike, I coasted downhill and toward home.

While biking to visit a friend employed at Christopher Creek Winery, I abruptly turned off Limerick Lane at the railroad tracks and kicked up a cloud of dust behind me. A towering fan above Foppiano’s sauvignon blanc vineyard had caught my eye and I wanted to get a quick drawing of it. Once the dust settled, I swung myself off the bike, leaned it against a eucalyptus tree and pulled out my sketchbook. This morning was a little warmer than most because dense morning fog had held in the previous day’s warmth. But now the sun had broken through the mist, and the coastal range of mountains was visible in the distance.

Healdsburg averages over forty inches of rain a year, but this year may be an exception since we’ve only received half our average. Without clouds and the rains that accompany them, nights get extra cold and frost dusts the landscape in a blanket of powdery white. Although beautiful in the early morning, the frost doesn’t bode well for plants, especially early-budding grape vines. To protect the delicate buds from frostbite, many farmers use tall fans above the vineyards to capture the warmer air hovering just above the cold.

One problem with the fans is that they are incredibly noisy and so are unpopular among neighbors. They’re said to sound like a loud lawn mower or even worse, an airplane taking off. Averaging 70 to 80 decibels each, one can understand why they wouldn’t please those living nearby. Closer into town, the use of much quieter, traditional overhead sprinklers is often used as a frost deterrent.

After putting the finishing touches on my sketch, I gathered my drawing supplies in my backpack and rode up the hill toward Christopher Creek tasting room.

My bike is an extension of myself while I’m out on the road. If it isn’t running well, or I don’t feel well, we are each going to effect the other. Over the holidays, I needed a bit of time off, and a flat tire was just the excuse needed to prop up my feet and give in to rest and relaxation. But it’s time again to hit the road.

Spinning my flat tire to find a puncture, I easily found the blackberry thorn stuck between the tread. I pulled the tire off and removed the tube. Memory is a funny thing. I hadn’t fixed a tire flat since I was a kid, but I remember quite well how to do it. First, I scraped the inner tube with sandpaper, then squeezed glue around the hole, then let it dry. At this point, I chose to make a quick sketch of the repair kit while waiting. 30 minutes later, the sketch finished, I applied the patch and reattached my tire. A quick spin around the block assured a solid mount, and I was ready to get back on the road.

Downtime is more than a good thing, it’s necessary. It allows me to regroup, refocus and rejuvenate. Now that I’ve had some time off, I’m ready to dig some fresh tracks in the dirt as I explore more of wine country.

The poster for the 2012 Barrel Tasting event has finally arrived! I created the watercolor and Liz Pembroke at Pembroke Studios did the design. As the event gets closer, I’ll announce the winery(s) I’ll be sketching at. Click to see the original painting and to find out more about the event. Here’s to a successful 2012 Barrel tasting weekend!

Update:

Saturday March 3, I’ll be sketching at Pedroncelli Winery in Geyserville, CA  just up the road a few miles.

Saturday March 10, I’ll be sketching at Robert Rue Winery in Fulton, CA south of Healdsburg.

I’m excited to sketch and wine taste at both of these award winning wineries!

Some say the key to longevity is having good friends, eating good food, and of course, drinking good wine. I tend to agree and that is why I’ve enjoyed being part of my wine tasting group for so long. Our first tasting took place seventeen years ago while casually relaxing on a friend’s porch here in Healdsburg. We had each brought a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, and we discussed the wines while eating crackers. Though our tastings have become more elaborate over the years with the introduction of blind tastings and a full pot luck dinner, I’m happy to say that we still meet several times a year.

Recently, I hosted our group’s annual sparkling wine tasting. After we agreed on the the date of the party, I planned the evening’s festivities including the dish I would make and the wine I would serve. Once the food was purchased, the house cleaned, the table set, and two rosemary chickens were roasting side by side in the oven on a bed of potatoes, I relaxed as my guests arrived with smiling faces, fresh bread, aged cheeses, green salads, dessert, and of course, a bottle of sparkling wine each.

Bread was broken and updates on family and friends were shared along with recent adventures or mishaps. Additional still wines were opened by two wine makers in our group seeking comments on their latest release. I’ve been saving an interesting bottle I recently found in my wine cellar (coat closet) that’s ready to drink, so I opened it also.

After I caught up with each of my guests and made a couple rounds of the cheeses and still wines, I hid away in the kitchen wrapping each bottle of sparkling wine in a paper bag and numbered them for identification. This was a blind tasting after all, and even I tried not to look at the wine label while wrapping each bottle. Then I herded everyone to the dinning room table where glasses and note pads had been pre-arranged.

 

A row of six glasses, the equivalent to the number of wines being poured, was waiting at each place sitting. The wines were then passed around and poured in order. The chattering group of us settled and became quiet as we got down to business. Music that was once muffled by conversation was then recognizable above the clinking of glasses. Notes were taken, the wines ranked, and when each of us was done exploring the wines, we discussed them one by one.

Once our conversation was exhausted, we unveiled each wine by ranking, from the bottom to top of the list. “Aaahhhs,” “ooohhhhs,” and “huummms” were uttered, expressions of surprise and curiosity made as the bottles were revealed.

Then the scent of roasted poultry called me into the kitchen and we all prepared for dinner. Out of the oven came the two roasted rosemary chickens and potatoes, the salad was tossed, and more bread brought to the table. The feast was served and each of us chose from the remaining wines an accompaniment to his or her meal.

Clearing the table, we finished with a pomegranate pie for dessert, coffee and conversation well into the night.

After saying farewell to the last departing guest, the dishes were rinsed and put into the washer. Then my wife and I relaxed in the afterglow of a great evening of friends, food, and fun.

Once a year I host a sparkling wine tasting at my house and each person attending, including myself, must bring a bottle to the party. Half the fun of attending a wine tasting is making one’s wine selection, whether it be from a wine shop or tasting room. But Healdsburg is short on sparkling wine producers, and since I’ve been self-limited to my bike these days, I had to choose something nearby.

As I pulled my bike out of the garage, I noticed a bigger problem—a nearly flat tire. I didn’t even have a patch kit to fix it. Since it appeared to be a slow leak, I decided to take a chance, and after pumping up my tire, headed toward town. On the way, I remembered Toad Hollow Winery has a couple sparking wines and their tasting room is right off the square.

At my first stop—Spoke Folk Bike Shop—I purchased a tire patch kit, then rode the few blocks to Toad Hollow tasting room, parking against a tree. Standing away from my bike, I thought the view would make a good sketch, and standing as far back as possible on the sidewalk without stepping into the street, I began to draw. Soon after I finished blocking in the larger shapes, Jim Costa, the tasting room manager, came out to offer me a chair.

After adding watercolor to finish the sketch, I entered the tasting room, where a small group stood at the bar, and a young couple looked through shelves of merchandise at the back wall. Checking the day’s tasting menu, I learned luck was with me–I’d get to taste two sparkling wines.

The first was NV Amplexus Brut, a French wine produced in the Crémant style. This wine is made from a blend of Chardonnay, Mauzac, and Chenin Blanc grapes. I found it pleasing, with notes of peach and lemon balancing on toasty aromas of yeast.

The second wine, NV Risque, tasted fruitier than the Amplexus and reminded me of apple cider, pears, and honey. A medium sweet wine, it’s made entirely from the Mauzac grape using the Méthode Ancestrale, an unusual technique that predates the Méthode Champagne. It also has less carbonation and alcohol than the Amplexus. I enjoyed both wines, but since my preference leans towards dryer, or brut sparkling wines, I purchased a bottle of Amplexus for the party.

Slipping the wine into my backpack, I noticed my tire was underinflated, so I sped home. As I pulled up at my house, my back tire was now flattening against the pavement. I sighed with relief at having made it home, my tire intact, and with a good bottle of sparkling wine in hand.

 

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye and we hurried back to the Gazebo to re-congregate with the group. Mingling once again, this time we shared our mornings’ sketches. I thoroughly enjoyed this event, despite the fickle weather, made some new friends, and delighted in seeing other artists work.