Monday, July 10, 2006

Art out of Wine


The conceptual artist Anya Gallacio is elevating Zinfandel to art. Anya, whose previous installations include 10,000 rose petals arranged on a gallery floor and left to shrivel, is turning her sights on the sense of place. That place being Sonoma County, her palette consisting of different Zinfandel blocks from around the county. Her winemaking collaborator in this? The world renowned Zelma Long and Barbara Lindblom. Read about it in last Sunday's New York Times. If you don't get the Times you can read it online at nytimes.com. I've always felt that wine is art. No one can dissuade me from believing I can "feel, smell and taste" the artisanal soul that goes into a bottle of wine. Yes, I know that a lot of wine out there is industrial grade plonk, but from time to time I come across a wine that makes me see and feel all those things. And I cherish every moment.

2 comments:

Collin said...

I agree with you about wine being art. Well put.

Michael Hughes said...

Thanks! Some winemakers are just as passionate (and crazy) as some "fringe" artists. Wine is an art, a consumable one, part of the masterpiece that is an exceptional meal. It should be classified an agricultural product! The tax structure would be cheaper.

I'd love to get my hands on some of this Zin collaboration. Wouldn't you?