January, 2020 - Of Art and Wine

Are Rembrandt’s Self-Portraits Like Fine Aged Wines?

Self-portrait of Rembrandt, 1658 The Frick Collection in New York City.
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1658 was not among the best years for Rembrandt (1606-1669). In fact, from 1642, the date of his painting The Night Watch and the date of the death of his beloved wife, Saskia, the artist had suffered a continual slide into financial difficulties. In 1656, he had to declare bankruptcy, a near mortal sin in the righteous and prosperous Protestant society of 17th century Amsterdam. The list of all the treasures he had to sell off did come in handy centuries later when the Rembrandt Museum used it to find period pieces to reinstall in his former home as displays in the museum. However, the original sale was a very painful experience. As bad as all that loss was for the artist, the worst was that the artists’ guild forbade him from selling his work directly, as his state of financial disarray made him appear disreputable. Rembrandt had to have his then common-law wife, Hendrickje Stoffels, and his son, Titus, form a company that dealt in art, where they as art dealers could sell his work.

Yet, despite all of this hardship, Rembrandt turned to one of his favorite forms, the self-portrait, as a handy way to boost his own ego and create an effective piece of personal propaganda. In the self-portrait above, we see him dressed to the nines, holding a walking stick (symbol of a refined gentleman) and looking out at us with an unwavering gaze. This painting is a reminder that he was the same person who had once been so favored by everyone. He stares us down as if to say, “I am still Rembrandt.”

Rembrandt is currently referred to as the original master of the “selfie.” His life can be cataloged in terms of his self-portraits. Of course in his day, they were normally done as etchings or paintings. He started creating these when a young artist in Leiden, his birthplace. It seems that he would pose himself and copy the mirror image. His variety of expressions seem to be what he used instead of models, whom he would have had to pay. In the etchings below, we see him making faces. On occasion he would then use them on different bodies to create dramatic characters, like the pauper seen below.

**Rembrandt etchings of his own face with different expressions. The last is his portrait on the body of a poor person on the street. All are from 1630 before his move to Amsterdam.**

This Laughing Rembrandt, now in the Getty Museum comes from 1628. One of the things about it that Rembrandt was often criticized for by some of his patrons was that the verisimilitude of the face was not quite right. In other words, he did not always capture the likeness of those whom he drew and painted. Yet Rembrandt was more about the essence, and here we see a happy young man who might probably over spend on his pleasures.

Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam in 1631, after having had the patronage of a statesman, Constantign Huygens, who got him some prestigious portrait commissions among those close to the court in The Hague. For example, Prince Frederick Hendrik was a faithful patron of Rembrandt until 1645. Once in Amsterdam, the young artist’s work was represented by the art dealer Hendrick Uylenburgh from whom Rembrandt rented a studio and living space. It was there that, Rembrandt met Uylenburgh’s cousin, Saskia. With commissions coming in, he joined the painters’ guild, The Guild of St. Luke, married Saskia, and ultimately moved into the heavily mortgaged home he was to lose years later.

The Prodigal Son in the Tavern by Rembrandt Van Rijn, 1635. Click picture to magnify.

The painting above from that period shows Rembrandt posed with his wife, Saskia, ostensibly in the fun part of a religious scene based on the biblical story of The Prodigal Son. However, in some ways, since Rembrandt led a rather flamboyant public life, it was something that stuck in the craw of the black and white glad, Calvinistic Protestants of that day. The citizens of The Dutch Republic raked in treasure from around the world with their trading companies, but the dictates of their religion preached that they must remain humble, quite a feat to accomplish. For more on that period and the real formation of The Dutch Republic, which became the Netherlands, read Simon Schama’s, An Embarrassment of Riches, on the Dutch Golden Age. (Don’t miss the part where the city fathers decided to take away the doll-like Christmas cookies and candies because they were “idolatrous,” only to cause a children’s riot.)

Although we see here Rembrandt’s powerful painting of The Return of the Prodigal Son (1663-1669), his own public redemption was far off. Though this is not one of his “selfies,” in a way it is, for it is done in those last years of his life when his fortunes continued to slide. Living as he did in and around the Jewish quarter, he often talked with rabbis about religious topics, as he continued to paint religious subjects. One of his most famous pieces from that time is The Jewish Bride (1665-1669). Perhaps he took comfort in that possibility of redemption, as the prodigal took comfort in his father’s embrace.

**Close up of the Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt, 1663-1669. Now in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia.**

The close up above shows how refined Rembrandt’s use of light and shadow had become over the years. He knew just where to have spots of light and how to fade other details into shadowy background. Once again we see the influence of what he learned in those early self-portraits. For instance, in the pieces below, he uses shadow on one side of the face. The head is turned toward us though the body faces a bit away from the viewer. In some ways it is reminiscent of Titian’s work in the previous century, in which he would have the body face-on but the head turned to the side and often partially in shadow. The use of shadow in these portraits works to create appeal. In the first one, we wonder who is this young man in the feathered cap? What is he about? In the last of these three, we see a sensitive face with the slightly furrowed brow and direct eye contact that would indicate a serious young man. However, there is mystery, as we do not see his full face and the shadows are quite deep. The middle face shows vulnerability with all but the pupils of the eyes hidden by the shadow of his unkempt hair. His mouth opens as if in surprise that we have caught him.

These self-portraits of Rembrandt all date from around 1629 when the artist was 23 years old.

Regardless of his financial status, Rembrandt knew his talents and continued to expand them until his dying day. Though he died a pauper, not unlike another great genius, Mozart, Rembrandt is now considered to be the greatest of the Dutch painters of the 17th century. His work The Night Watch, though some scholars speculate it marked the beginning of his troubles as some of the men pictured may not have liked their portraits, has become the Dutch National Painting and resides in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The streets were lined with people to see the crated painting moved by a team of men pulling it on rollers to the newly renovated museum. Take a look at this segment of Andrew Graham Dixon’s A Night at the Rijksmuseum video, start around minute 5:12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9oyL9oyUWE.

So yes, in the final analysis, Rembrandt is still Rembrandt for us all to enjoy. Perhaps, if we look carefully at his life’s work of self-portraits, we can learn a lot from him and the story those selfies tell. Just look into his eyes.

**Rembrandt Self-Portrait, 1659** Click painting to magnify.

Rembrandt is not the only artist to show us his own personal image. The first artist self portrait done in highly realistic fashion was that of Jan Van Eyck in 1433. However many painters have done their portraits,and just as in the case of the Rembrandt portrait above, a look into the artist’s eyes can tell a lot about who they are. Click through the webstory, “The Eyes of the Artists in Self-Portraits.” See if you can name the artist just by the eyes. https://ofartandwine.com/web-stories/the-eyes-of-artists/

Images of Rembrandt’s paintings are in public domain.

Marjorie Vernelle is an artist, writer, college professor, and traveler. For more see the Pages at ofartandwine.comor her author page at amazon.com and her art at Vernelle Art Boutique vernellestudio.com.

Fine Aged Wines

The first question asked about aged wine is this: What is it? Well, the simple definition is wine stored in a cool, dark place for a number of years. Then comes the matter of what that does to the wine. Well, it creates flavors and aromas otherwise not achieved. But the big question comes next. Why?

The why of aged wines is a matter of poetry. Wines carry the flavors of the soil the grapes grow in, and that soil is affected by climate conditions from year to year. That likewise has an effect on the grapes. Beyond that comes the inventiveness of the particular vintner. Take someone like Eternal Wines’ vintner, Brad Binko, who likes to change the production process some every year “to be true to the grapes,” as he puts it. So as with poetry, you have the elements you must deal with (soil or words) and then the magic touch of the vintner or the poet to make a worthy creation. Of course, in wine making these elements are present in every year’s creation, but some years are exceptional as are the wines created. When this happens, those few premium wines may wind up being aged to preserve and enrich that special something that happened in a particular year.

So that is the story from the vintners’ point of view, but how about the consumer? Well, consumers can be poets, too. Some people love feeling that they are tasting a bit of the past. This is especially true if, for instance, something special happened to them in a certain year, perhaps a marriage or the birth of a child. Other people want to have a wine from the year of their own birth. In fact in 2020, there is a Clos Rene Red, bottled in 1960, that is being marketed for those who wish to celebrate their sixtieth by tasting something that came into being the same year that they did. That bottle only costs $247.00.

However, one need not spend a fortune. If 1989 is your special year, you can get a Juffer Riesling Auslese (late harvest) for a mere $37.94. In fact, there are a number of aged wines that are approachable financially, like the 2015 Il Borro Rosso for $52. On the other hand, we know that the very special aged wines cost a fortune, such as Lafite Rothschild Bordeaux, $20,000 or the Chateau Mouton Rothchild Pauillac, $33,000. Expensive I know, but there is always Lotto.

Of course, the reality is that most wine is not meant to be aged. The rule of thumb is not to even contemplate it for anything under $30.00. Those are ones you drink now. If they cost more than that, you might keep them for up to 5 years – not 50 mind you, but 5 years. Really only premium wines should be candidates for any kind of aging and then under strict conditions. Red wines are normally the ones aged, as the process lets heavy tannins settle and makes the taste smoother. As for whites, they turn a rather amber color and may even seem oily. However, some types age better than others. Riesling and Semillon are good candidates, but the best may be oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. In terms of how long to keep a wine after the bottle has been opened, white wine should be drunk within a few days and red wines may last for up to three weeks.

Since premium wines are the only ones suggested for aging, should you want to get involved in that, you might try finding your favorite premium wines through a wine club like Cellars Wine Club. The Premium Wine Club has selections starting at $42. and Cellars has a “no bad bottle” return policy and free shipping. You can check them out here by going to the Cellars Wine Club page (right hand side of this page) or directly to cellarswineclub.com

So since aging is something we all do, let’s try to make it as comfortable, rewarding, and enjoyable as possible. Cheers!

Photos of wine images from free stock photos at Pixabay.com

Of Art and Wine affiliates with Bluehost.com and CellarsWineClub.com and may earn from qualifying purchases.

©marjorie vernelle 2020

Coming soon on Of Art and Wine: Bronzino’s The Allegory of Love and A Valentine for the Heart, Cabernet.

Agnolo Bronzino’s Allegory of Love, 1545. National Gallery, London. Click picture to magnify.

Love is a complicated affair, as we all know. However, Agnolo Bronzino took it a big step further in this allegorical painting (1545) done for Duke Cosimo the First of Tuscany as a gift for King Francis I of France. From lust to folly, from truth to fraud and the unveiling of all things by Father Time, Bronzino covers it all. If the painting and its story make your heart race, fear not. Just calm down with a nice little glass of Cabernet; it’s healthy for your heart. Happy Valentine’s Day to all from Of Art and Wine.

Titian and the Wines of the Veneto.

Portrait of Pietro Aretino by Titian, 1545. Palantine Gallery of the Pitti Palace, Florence, Italy. Click picture to magnify.

One of the main things that Titian’s portraits did was to capture not only the physical likeness of the subject, but also to capture something of the essence of the personality. So what or whom do we see here? To say that Pietro Aretino (1492-1556) was bigger than life would be an understatement, and as we see here, his body takes up 75% of the picture’s surface. His deep burgundy coat has the simmer of a satin finish; his hands are gloved; and he wears a golden chain given to him, it is said, by King Francis I of France. He wears a sage’s beard, and his head and eyes are turned in the direction of someone who might be the target of his acerbic wit. That wit garnered him the moniker, “the scourge of princes,” as Aretino was famous for pointing out their foibles with a charming wit that did not cross the fine lines of courtly courtesy. His wit earned him quite a healthy living as people sometimes paid him to verbally assassinate a rival, while others paid him not to verbally demolish them. He was a literary figure, art collector, bon vivant, promoter and publicist. Looking at this portrait, one can image how he might dominate a room with his physical presence and light it up with his intellect and his wicked tongue.

This is the self-portrait of Titian (1567), born Tiziano de Vecellio in 1490, who became Venice’s most famous painter of the 16th century (though he had stiff competition from Tintoretto and Veronese). He was well known among the princely courts of Europe and became the first major painter with a huge international clientele.

Titian got his start working in the early 1500s with the then hot new bad boy painter, Giorgione. Though Titian gained a lot from working with this handsome, talented and popular painter, whom the Venetians nick named, Zorzon, it did not stop Titian from striving to outshine the man he worked for when they were painting the exterior of the Palazzo Fondaco dei Tedeschi. When Giorgione died suddenly in 1510 during an outbreak of plague, it was Titian who finished some of Giorgione’s work, leaving the provenance of some of the works, like The Sleeping Venus, unclear.

Man with the Blue Quilted Sleeve by Titian 1510. Presumed portrait of Gerolamo Barbarigo now in the National Gallery in London.

In the portrait above, we can see some of the hallmarks of the early 1500s, such as having the half-figure leaning an arm on a ledge or window sill. The style of the face shows the influence of Giogione in that it allows for a certain mystery. However, Titian’s own style is coming to the fore. The rich detail of the silken fabric, its shine, and brilliant color are all elements that one can see throughout Titian’s work. The composition was common for that time (see work by Giovanni Bellini); however, there was a bit of a difference. It has to do with how Titian poses the sitter’s head. It is not looking directly at us nor is it a strict profile. It is a three quarters view, with the left side of the face fading into the darkness of the background. Yet, the eye that looks toward the viewer is direct and engaging in its gaze. One wonders what kind of conversation one might have with such a gentleman. The movement from the head down around the sleeve is a spiral motion, but there is also a diagonal made by the placement of the arm and mimicked by the turn of the head. The use of diagonals is something that Titian became known for, and using diagonals in a painting is rather tricky, as they can create a sense of imbalance. Titian, however, used them to add dynamism to the portrait. For a better example to show how that works, look at the painting below.

Portrait of Jacopo Strada by Titian, 1568. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria. Click on the picture to magnify.

Just in looking at the items found in this painting, one can see that this person is quite prosperous (coins on the table, rich clothing including furs), and is probably someone who deals in art and antiquities. And yes, we are right. Jacopo Strada was the chief artist, architect, and antiquarian for three of the Holy Roman Emperors. In this painting he seems to be presenting an antique statue of Venus to someone just outside of this picture. His head is turned in the direction of this person. Perhaps he is about to hand over the statue to a buyer or perhaps about to try to sell it also to the someone who produced the coins already on the table. Unlike most portraits where the subject sits in still perfection, there is action in this portrait, created by the series of diagonal lines coming from the tilt of the statue and the turn in Strada’s shoulders and head, emphasized by the line of the fur cloak. The position of the arms form diagonals in the opposite direction. These alignments give motion to the subject. Something is happening here. The business of art is in progress, and to be a proven part of the action, Titian has his name on the letter on the table. Interesting way to sign a painting, don’t you think?

These are just a few of the many works of Venice’s most famous artist of that period. They are rich, complex, subtle, and fascinating to experience. Those words are apt descriptions of the wines that come from the region commonly called the Veneto, which runs west, a bit north, and a bit south of Venice itself. So let’s do take a look at what goes on there in terms of good wines to drink while enjoying our art.

Paintings are in public domain.

Marjorie Vernelle is an artist, writer, college professor and traveler. For more see the Pages at ofartandwine.com, or her author page at amazon.com and her art at Vernelle Art Boutique vernellestudio.com.

The Wines of the Veneto

The Vineyards of the Treviso Hills in the Veneto. Photo from Pixabay.

When we think of Italian wines, we often think of Tusany, Puglia or Sicily. However, since the 1990s, an area smaller in size than the three just mentioned has outproduced them all. Yes, the vineyards of the Veneto. Now it is no surprise that this area outside of Venice should produce wines. After all, Venice ruled the Adriatic Sea and the trade routes to the Orient for about a thousand years (7th to 18th centuries) and was known to have every kind of luxury, including fine wines. Yet, it has only been in the last 30 years that the Veneto has pushed the envelop to produce some spectacularly high quality and popular wines.

Everyone has heard of and some of us have tried pronouncing fluently the name of this wine producing area: Valpolicella. It means “valley of the wine cellars” and in those cellars are housed red wines that are second only to Chianti. The dry Amarone, cherry spiced Ripasso and the easy to pair with foods, Valpolicella, all bear the Bandolino DOC, marking the area from where they come.

Okay, let’s stop for a moment to understand what DOC and its companion, DOCG, mean. Wine growing regions in Italy had certain quality controls placed upon them in the 196os. Like the French AOC/AOP, these control the types of grapes used to make the wine, the area from where they come, the maximum proportions of the grapes used, the alcohol content, and the vinification and maturation techniques used. In Italian the DOC means Denominazore di Origine Controlatta. In 1980 the DOCG was added to put e Garantita (guaranteed) to some of the wines. (The French ones have similar meanings and are the following: Appellation d’Origin Controlée and Appellation d’Origin Controlée et Protegée.)

This is a picture of a fine glass of Soave, which comes from the area east of Verona. It is one of Italy’s most popular wines. It bears the name of the area, but the grape it comes from is the Garganega. It has notes of lemon zest, which give it a certain acidity modified by hints of almond.

The area that rests partially in the Veneto and partially in Lombardy is where you will find wines with the Lugana DOC labels. This area is particularly interesting because of the clay and limestone chalk of its terrain and the fact that a grape unique to the area is grown there, the Trebbiano di Lugana. The white wines produced there (in fact only white wines are produced there) have a gentle acidic quality, with a hint of the floral and of peach. Since the area has many small fishing villages, the wine is a wonderful one to pair with fish and seafood dishes.

Lastly, we have the bubbly. Yes, Prosecco. No matter whether it is Brut, Extra Dry, Dry or Demi-sec, it is easy to pair with foods. My favorite suggestion is prosciutto wrapped around cantaloupe. You can create your own drinks, like mimosas or change things up by just adding a strawberry or two. For more on Prosecco, take a look at the “Maso di Banco, Giorgio di Chirico, and Prosecco” post (December 31, 2019) on this weblog.

Of course all of these fine wines can be tasted here in the U.S., and one easy way to get started is to join a wine club. Cellars Wine Club, in fact, has a club for International Wines, see cellarswineclub.com or go to the Cellars Wine Club page on the right side of this page. There is a “No Bad Bottle” return policy, free shipping, and the opportunity to have 15% of your purchase donated to any one of the vetted charities that you choose.

Of Art and Wine affiliates with Bluehost.com and CellarsWineClub.com and may earn from qualifying purchases.

©marjorie vernelle 2020

However, it is time to leave the Veneto and the canals and intrigues of Venice to go north to Holland to look at one of its master painters, Rembrandt.

Coming Soon on Of Art and Wine: Are Rembrandt’s Self Portraits Like Fine Aged Wines?

There he sits in all his glory, showing the world who he is. This comes after the loss of his wife, of his property, and some of his reputation. Yet this painting says, “I am still Rembrandt.”

Rain Paintings and Wineries of the Pacific Northwest

Rain-auvers by Vincent Van Gogh, 1890. National Museum of Art, Cardiff, Wales.

Who hasn’t been entranced by how falling rain changes the look of any familiar scene into something still recognizable, yet other than normal? Van Gogh tramped the fields around his last home, the village of Auvers-sur-Oise, commenting in his letters to his brother, Theo, on how beautiful those fields were. They inspired some 70 paintings in the brief time that he lived there, making residents comment on the frenetic pace at which he created. Unfortunately as the spring of 1890 passed, Van Gogh became increasingly despondent. I have not found any specific month for the painting above, nor do I want to claim that the artist painted this beautiful piece while in despair. However, it does come from the time he spent in Auvers and is one in which his beloved fields, normally full of sun, are being drenched in rain.

Yet, how exciting it must have been to see that difference from his usual view of those fields. Van Gogh seems to focus the painting on the contrast between the normally golden rolling fields with the stands of trees and the blue-violent curtain of falling rain. Those distant trees and rocks that run through the center of the picture are consumed by the blue-violet. Beyond that strip of colorful blues, the next field of golden grain is being pelted by this strong rain. I say strong because of the forceful, sharp downward strokes of violet that he uses to show that falling rain. Beyond that golden field, we see the sky as a thin strip of blue-violet strokes. The whole picture evokes the change that rain makes in any scene, heightened by that wonderful choice of color, a blue-violet that compliments and transforms the yellow-gold of the fields. Rather symbolically, at least for us now who know so much of Van Gogh’s life and struggles, one lone black crow, in defiance of the storm, flies low over the fields.

Van Gogh like many of the artists in the late 19th century were much influenced by the woodblock prints that were coming out of Japan. Claude Monet had a living room full of them, made by famous Japanese print makers. In fact, on any visit to Monet’s home in Giverny, there might be a tour bus of Japanese tourists who have come to see the prints made by their master print makers, which can now only be seen in Monet’s home. One thing for sure, there is a lot of rain in Japan, and their artists took note of how to represent it.

Summer Shower on Shin-Ohasi Bridge by Utagawa Hiroshige, 1857.

We see here those strong strokes indicating the hard falling rain that influenced Van Gogh’s work. The storm cloud is a threatening bundle of boiling black, and the suddenness of the storm is shown by those who may have had only a hat or the bundle they were carrying with which to cover themselves. Hiroshige uses an assortment of blues, like a deep violet/navy that fades to a sky blue to indicate the depth of the waters and the shadows under the bridge. The waters then spread out into a bay of light jade green, where we find one lone boatman guiding his craft, and without the protection of cover, getting thoroughly soaked. The bridge itself is a bright golden yellow which draws our attention to it. Yet the thing that is most intriguing is the disequilibrium caused by the curve in that bridge that runs at a diagonal across the bottom of the print and the opposing diagonal of the shoreline that runs across the top. Diagonal lines disrupt. Here it is as if the distorted views of people hunched over and scurrying as they try to avoid the pelting rain has unbalanced the view of the land and the familiar landmark of the bridge. The feeling is one of topsy turvy, hurry scurry.

When visiting the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. people are often surprised by the number of his paintings that were influenced by Japanese prints. He has blossoms, gardens, and other oriental themes. Here we see Van Gogh’s Bridge in the Rain after Hiroshige, 1887. We see that he kept the same dizzying composition, though his choice of blues and greens and even the yellow of the bridge are different.

No one can say for sure that those prints of rain from Japan were the influence that prompted him to do his rain painting in Auvers. However, one can imagine that when he saw the beautiful fields near Auvers in a downpour, those Japanese scenes may have passed through his mind. Whatever the inspiration, it leaves us with an enchanting reminder that not every day has to be a sunny day in order to be beautiful.

Rain by Vincent Van Gogh, 1889. This is the only rain painting by Van Gogh made in the south of France. It is now in the Philadelphia Art Museum. www.philamuseum.org

Paintings by Van Gogh are in Public Domain

Marjorie Vernelle is an artist, writer, college professor, and traveler. For more see the Pages at ofartandwine.com or her author page at amazon.com and her art at Vernelle Art Boutique vernellestudio.com

The Wineries of the Rain-swept Pacific Northwest.

Red Willow Vineyard in Washington. Photo by Mike Sauer www.winemag.com

Okay, let’s get clear on one thing: it doesn’t rain all the time everywhere in the Pacific Northwest – just most of the time. No! Just kidding. In fact eastern Washington is quite arid and known for its warm days and cool nights, good for producing a riper fruitier taste in wine. The Columbia River snakes down from Canada and curves its way through east central Washington before dividing Washington from Oregon on its way to the sea. The Columbia River Valley has helped make Washington State the second largest wine growing state. It all got started when the Columbia Basin Project began to irrigate some two million acres of land around 1952. That attracted a number of farmers including those who grew grapes for wine. It has allowed Washington to be more diverse in varieties of grapes than its neighbor, Oregon. It was also a rather profitable venture for many of those vintners, as Washington State laws let licensed distributors sell wine directly to the public (no need for the Liquor Control Board) if the wine was made from grapes grown in Washington State. So let’s see where that takes us.

Chateau Ste Michelle winery in Woodinville, Washington.

In Washington one name always stands out, and that is Chateau Ste. Michelle. Started as the American Wine Company in 1954, it has morphed into a wine and cultural phenomenon. Not only does its produce high quality red wines (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah) but also fine whites (Chardonnay, Riesling, and Gewurtztraminer ). Located on 82 acres in Woodinville (near Seattle), it maintains a lovely French style Chateau and has applied itself not only to fine wine, but also to cultural events. Every summer it has a popular concert series, where one may picnic on the lawn while enjoying jazz, for instance. As well, the Chateau has an events calendar full of wine tasting opportunities throughout the year. www.ste-michelle.com

However, the Chateau is not the only valuable player in Washington wines. Out along Highway 82 near Paterson, Washington, in the celebrated Horse Heaven Hills area, one finds Columbia Crest Winery. Producing a variety of grapes, it uses old world craftsmanship to produce a Cabernet Sauvignon that has a 95+ score and was Wine of the Year in the Wine Spectator, 2005. It also has a Merlot that was listed in the top 100 wines in 2007,#16 in fact. www.columbiacrest.com

If you are looking for unique, then you must go to Walla Walla, Washington to Eternal Wines. They make a variety of blends, like Rocketman Red, but for those who love a rich deep red wine, Eternal makes single vineyard Syrah wines. Single vineyard wines are literally made from grapes from one single premium vineyard.

The vintner, Brad Binko, says that he wants to make wines that are true to the place. He makes them differently every year in order to honor the variations that come from one year to another and “to be true to the grapes.” All of those wines have names that start with Eternal. I have not yet tasted them, but Eternal Bliss made with Grenache grapes sounds refreshingly divine, though I am devilishly tempted by Eternal Darkness – a fantasy from Syrah grapes. www.eternalwine.com

Of course, one need not travel in order to enjoy the fine wines of the region and of the world. In 1999 Mark and Holly Ihrig began partnering with local and international wine makers to present wines for sale through a digital storefront. Using the format of a wine club, they have created a series of clubs specializing in everything from West Coast Wines, International Wines, Sparkling Wines to just Red Wines. Not only do they offer an excellent selection of wines, but they have a “No Bad Bottle” return policy, free shipping, and the possibility to have 15% of your purchase donated to a vetted charity. You can take a look at information on Cellars Wine Club by clicking on that page in the right-hand column or go to www.cellarswineclub.com

Must Washington Take All the Glory?

Oregon Vineyards from OregonWineCountry.org

Of course not, because just to the south is Oregon. While Washington has lots of varieties, Oregon has become known as a “monograpist” region, specializing in Pinot Noir, that wonderful, food friendly, easily drinkable red that comes from the Pinot Noir grape. The Willamette Valley proved to be a perfect growing area for that grape, and the rest is history. Mostly on the western side of the I-5 Interstate from Portland to Cottage Grove, wineries abound, see www.oregonwinecountry.org for the map and the names of the wineries.

“French Soul, Oregon Soil” yes, that is the motto of Domaine Drouhin, where they produce their wines with the same methods they use to produce their wines in France (Burgundy to be precise). Located in the Dundee Hills that overlook the Willamette Valley near Dayton, Oregon, the Drouhin family creates some of the finest Pinot Noir and a top notch Chardonnay. www.domainedrouhin.com

But what is wine without food? Well, Willamette Valley Vineyards in Turner, Oregon, is of the opinion that wine must be complimented by culinary delights. The winery has a complete kitchen to go with their wine tasting rooms, and for those who wish to soak in the atmosphere, there are also two guest suites for those who may wish to stay in the vineyards proper. However, for those who are just stopping by, there are daily wine and food pairings, and everything is made with local ingredients. www.wvv.com

One of the most unusual wine producers is André Hueston Mack, of whom I wrote in the Of Art and Wine post “Red Wine in Summer: Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party” (September, 2019). The story of his Maison Mouton Noir wines gets more and more interesting. Mack does not own vineyards, but instead works with a variety of Willamette Valley growers to select the grapes for his wines which bear names like Knock On Wood (Chardonnay), Love Drunk (Rosé), and Other People’s Pinot (Noir). Mack is an absolute original and also a very experienced sommelier, recognized in France by the Chaine des Rotisseurs, a gastronomic society. But don’t let that make you think he is stuffy. Oh no, his desire is to bring hip-hop culture to wine making. For insight into how he developed his life as a Mouton Noir (Black Sheep), his talk at TEDxMarthas Vineyard is fun and inspirational https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOsjFC9D76g or go to his website www.andremack.com

So just because it rains often in the Northwest, it does not mean that everything is soggy and every day dark and miserable. Oh no, there are lots of good drinkable things being produced there. It’s definitely an area to consider for an extensive wine tour. So in the words of one of André Mack’s wines, Bottoms Up!

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Coming Soon on Of Art and Wine: Titian and the Wines of the Veneto.

Just like Titian became celebrated for the rich textures and elaborate details in his paintings, so these wines are known for their many special qualities, including smooth rich taste. Both are products of the Veneto, those lands leading to the former Republic of Venice, also famously called La Serenissima.

Painting is of Jacopo Strata, a Minister of Antiquities, 1568.