Впечатления Ричарда Шеппарда о стране вина

[By Tina Koyama in
Seattle, Washington, USA] Впечатления от Винной страны, Richard Sheppard’s latest book, is a cross between an illustrated
memoir and one of the most beautiful wine guide books I have ever seen. Even if
you’re not much of a wine drinker, Richard’s sketches and descriptions of
California’s wine country will make you want to plan a trip there (not to
mention taste a few wines). And if you’re both an urban sketcher and a wine
lover, this collection of vibrant watercolors will inspire you on every level.

From his home base in the town of Healdsburg, Richard sketched
and tasted his way through the dozens of vineyards and wineries of Sonoma and
Napa counties. Over the course of two-and-a-half years, he met and befriended
vintners, learned the history of the area and of specific wineries, visited a
vineyard at 3 a.m. for the harvesting, observed the entire process of grapes
being turned into wine – and documented all of it in his sketchbook.

The cycle of a grape transforming into a bottle of wine
naturally follows the four seasons, and some of my favorite sketches are those
that document those changing seasons in this lush countryside. For example,
Richard sketches a particular wild pear tree from the same vantage point four
times to highlight the changing colors of the tree and the landscape behind it.
(Color geeks will drool at his spectacular use of the secondary triad of hues
that seems to be made for wine country!)

As a sketcher who is always interested in trying new media,
I was amused by Richard’s occasional use of natural and self-referential
“paints”: a sketch of a wine bottle was painted with the Zinfandel it
contained, and a sketch of blackberries was colored with the berries’ juice.
Even a half-finished, reluctantly abandoned sketch delighted me: We’ve all been
there – the desire to stop for one more sketch, even when there may not be
enough time.

Not just a collection of pretty pictures, the book could be
used as a tasting tour guide for wine aficionados looking for detailed
information about specific wineries and their specialties. Peppered with
personal anecdotes and impressions (and of course his wine notes), Richard’s
prose reveals his love for and appreciation of the people, fruit and landscape
that make his favorite beverages possible.

Мнения, высказанные
наши корреспонденты и приглашенные авторы не обязательно представляют собой
официальный вид сайта UrbanSketchers.org.