Winemaker’s Journal

So I’ve posted a few pictures of Louie that I’ve taken over the few years that me and him have been hanging together, but most people think this one takes the cake:

But he helps with lots of things. Keeping birds out of the vineyard, bringing me random things and most importantly, keeping me company! Man’s best friend, no doubt.

We welcome the May Exhibitor in the Tasting Room Art Gallery!

Mr Dick Johnson

ABOUT THE BLUE COYOTE Beginning in the early 1960s, and for over 30 years of his working life, R.D. Johnsoncontinuously traveled the back roads of rural America. There he witnessed the decline ofthe railroads and the demise of scores of small town stores. Interstate highways andregional shopping malls were developing rapidly, leaving the small communities isolatedand forgotten.During his travels, Mr. Johnson recorded hundreds of images, mostly of subjectsotherwise ignored. Many would soon disappear forever. As he made his way through thecountryside, he often felt like the lone coyote, sharing spare with the communities hevisited, but seldom was seen.Now you can experience these surreal images and memories through the eyes of the BlueCoyote. His specialty is nondigital multi-shade enhanced photo-based prints

We welcome a very talented artist to the Tasting Room this month…

TERRY ANDERSON – BIO

I discovered my love for art while taking a class in high scool.  I remember starting out sketching portraits of pets and people and covering an entire wall in my bedroom.  While I really wanted to pursue the arts, I started working and remained behind a desk for 33 years.  During that time, I would sketch portraits for friends, but nothing serious.

I moved from Toledo, Ohio to San Diego in 1982.  My love for photography proved to be a catalyst in getting back into painting and drawing.  I attended USCD and earned a certificate in Marketing Management in 1989.  I married my husband, John, in 1994 and we currently live in Rancho Bernardo.  I retired from the “desk job” in 2000 and remember getting an easel and paints for Christmas.  That was all I needed to get going.

I soon began studying art and taking classes, working to develop my portfolio.  I consider myself a realist and I enjoy experimenting with different styles and mediums as I go along.   These include watercolor, acrylic, aqua-oils, oil pastels and scratchboard art.  I especially enjoy painting ocean scenes, palm trees or anything Hawaiian.  I still consider myself a “work in progress.”

More recently, I have been painting abstracts in oil and acrylic.  Several years ago, I teamed up with fellow artist, Marlene Levitt, to create Temáre abstracts.  Most often an artist’s signature style is created by one individual; however, Temáre is an unusual exception. We paint together on one canvas in a style that is completely removed from our individual bodies of work.

You can often find my artwork on display locally, or visit my websites anytime.  I am available for consultations for office art décor and have the capability of manipulating color and size on almost any painting to produce a custom Giclée print.  Also, I’ve been doing photographs on canvas which is a very contemporary way to decorate.  Check out the botanicals online to get an idea of what is available in that medium.

I enjoy sharing my artwork with my family and friends, and I am blessed to be able to pursue my passion.  To quote Van Gogh,  “ I am still far from being what I want to be, but with God’s help I shall succeed.”

Terry Anderson

I just love progress… It’s been just under 90 years since my grandfather took over the winery operations here at Bernardo, and I dont think, even considering the business man that he was, could have imagined the progress we’ve had in recent history.

Very few art forms take as much time as wine does. I play music, and it might take decades to perfect your technique, style and interpretation, but it ultimately is culminated into single moments of expression… the song just kinda flies by, and if you don’t act at the right time with the right input, you’re toast. A musician might practice and practice and practice and then when the gig hits, he’ll blow it. I’ve been there. Wine, however, is expanded so much so, that even now, 10,000plus years since the inception of wine, and we still haven’
t perfected the technique. This time factor brings us to one focus this year. Start the clock over, now. Make sure we have the right equipment and know-how to get this passion from mind and plant to bottle and glass.

We have recently obtained some new stainless tanks and beautiful American Oak barrels… and since one should require the nicest garage for ones Ferrari, we are moving to complete our newly upgraded wine making and storage building. Ah! So exciting. The future, as well as the futures, look bright… or should I say a nice semi-opaque burgundy.

Cheers folk, Ross

We welcome Lynn Coppas to the Bernardo Winery Tasting Art Gallery for the month of February. The Rancho Bernardo Art Association very generously displays artwork from one of their fine artists in our newly remodeled Tasting Room on a monthly basis.

Lynn Coppas Bio

So a few years back a good friend of mine from the Rancho Bernardo Art Association came to me and asked if we had any interest in displaying some art in our newly renovated tasting room. I said yes… and after some time, we have the show on the road, so to speak… Below is the current line-up artists in the tasting room. Come in and check it out! A new artist every month!

Local artists and members of the Rancho Bernardo Art Association. Their Website: http://www.zhibit.org/rbaa

November Artist: Ren Daniels

From a very early age my creative abilities were discovered and I spent many of my early years on a ladder drawing on my school’s blackboards, windows and walls. Art was my solace. I spent most of my spare time enjoying creative endeavors such as drawing, painting, listening to music, dancing woodcarving and sewing.Meet the Artist: Ren Daniels

As a teenager my family relocated from Louisiana to Ohio. I choose at that time to hide my ability to draw and paint. Back then I wanted to have a different experience and to feel free to socialize with my peers.

After raising three children (all whom became artist by profession) I decided in 1995 to begin studying the medium I remembered to be the most exciting, Watercolor! Following eight years of instructions, workshops and classes with many well-known watercolorist and artist, I began to enter my paintings in exhibits and shows throughout San Diego. In spite of my attachment to most of my paintings many of my originals have sold. Watercolor is my first love but I find painting in oil and acrylics to be very freeing and relaxing.

I’m currently working on a coffee table book showing most of my paintings, inspiring quotations and favorite Louisiana recipes.

My goal is to put together a collection of paintings representing all of the things I feel passionate about, such as dancing, charming vineyards, wine, roses, beautiful places and inviting doors and windows.

Painting things I love helps me paint from my heart and soul. My art can be viewed on line at:  www.rensrenditions.com

Artist Schedule:

September – Pat Dispenziere………………………………………………………….Watercolor

October – Bonnie  Williams……………………………………………Watercolor, Oil, Acrylic

November- Ren Daniels ……………………………………………….Watercolor, Oil, Acrylic

December – Phyllis Hensperger…………..……………………………………………………….Oil

Artist Lineup 2012

January-Vita Sorrentino……………………………………………………Water Media, Collage

Feburary-Lynn Coppes ………………………………………………………………………………….Oil

March-Aceneth Rengifo…………………………………………………………………………………Oil

April- Terry Anderson………………………………Acrylic, Oil, Watercolor, Scratchboard

May – Dick Johnson……………………………………………………… Enhanced Photography

June –Carol Patton……………………………………………………………….Watercolor, Acrylic

July- Amy Bekier……………………………………………………………………………………….Pastel

August- Karen Vincent ……………………………………………………………….Watercolor

September-Janet Perkins.…………………………………………………………Acrylic, Collage

October- Joy Hecht ……………………………………………………………..Watercolor, Oil

November- Meda Menius.………………………………………………………………..Watercolor

December-Marlene Tague.……………………………………………………………………………Oil

This whole ‘grape’ thing happens every year… but I still cant get over how beautiful it is. Check out the shots below of our La Vista Syrah Lot, Il Mulino Lot and our newly replanted Il Fiume Lot(Petite Sirah). To learn more about our Estate and local vineyards, visit our Vineyards page.

Ciao ~ Ross

This week Aunt Nina and I took a golf cart ride around the property with two 5gallon buckets… By the time we got back, those buckets were full. Check the pics below, but we picked favi beans, anice stalks, tangelos, Sicilian blood oranges, avocados, artichoke stalks and lemons. Nothing tastes quite like home-grown.

Snow? Yah its cold, wet, and not really a usual site in our neck of the woods… but there was, all over our syrah plants in Ramona! It was a light dusting, only about an inch or so once we got there, so not so damaging for the plants as it was for the back seat of my car… My Labrador, Louie, thought it was a good idea to go swimming in the creek and them run through the snow before entering the car to go home. Needless to say, he had a good nap on the way home.

It brought back memories of going to Julian after the big snow for a little sledding and apple pie. San Diego County Grapes with snow? Here’s the proof…

What an amazing time we have had in England for the past few days. My Uncle took us to a great winery near the small town of dorking a few days back and called it ‘like taking coal to newcastle’, in his brash english accent and trouble-maker smile.

We drove down a small driveway surrounded by a very nice lot of something bourdeaux-pruned all tied and turned for the growing period. The winery

was massive and they do a really good job of explaining the similarities of the terroir shared with Champagne. We tasted a flight of 3 wines, a white a blush and then finished with another white. Of course the temperature and period for ripening just doesn’t cut it for a red, I was happily surprised at the quality.

Check out their website for more info, and I’m sure that if you ever come to England and mention my name to the tasting room people I can assure you they will promptly throw you out, so be careful. Cheers! – RR