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month: March 2009




Last summer I shot a corporate event at Rubicon Estate in Rutherford and photographed these same vines dripping with Cabernet grapes. Here, with spring, is bud break and the emerging grape leaves.
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Rutherford, Napa Valley vines in bud break





It’s spring, the vines are pushing and breaking their new leaves. Cool shot and exciting to know this is the beginning of the process towards fine wines. This shot was taken last week in Oakville and were the first photos of bud break for this year.
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Napa Valley spring bud break





This photo was taken earlier in the week in the yard of my home; lots of bees were around and many shades of pink. Now, the blossoms have changed more towards white and are floating like snow through the air.
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Happy spring!
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Cherry Blossoms In Napa





Yes, it’s been fun to shoot all the color of mustard and the bright green grasses of winter and now the green of trees as they leaf out in spring. Mustard is coming to an end for this year, the yellow is fading, being cut, chopped or plowed into the soil.
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A parting shot, so to speak…
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Mustard and vines at Charles Krug Winery St. Helena





Emerson wrote, “There are days which occur in this climate, at almost any season of the year, wherein the world reaches its perfection, when the air, the heavenly bodies, and the earth make a harmony….” Spring in the Napa Valley is this perfection with all the colors, textures of nature and air that is crystalline.
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This photo taken yesterday morning, a brisk and chilly morning to be sure, at the Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena.
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A vineyard at Charles Krug in St Helena, the Napa Valley





After shooting sunrise in the St. Helena area I headed to scout a new area; the location needs fog, rain or a cloudy day for the photos I envision. As there was too much light I walked into their redwood trees and shot skyward.
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Napa Valley redwood trees at V Madrone Winery





Spring Equinox Napa Valley





It’s been a bit chilly and windy towards sunset time. Last evening was a cold one for this shot of a field of mustard, oak trees and in the distance a vineyard above the valley. Amazing color with the late light.
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Oak Knoll mustard and oak trees





Not too far from where I live is Biale Winery and tucked away is the amazing Aldo’s Vineyard. Aldo Biale’s old zinfandel vines; I’m going to check with the winery but I believe they are 135 years old. This photo was taken last week with mustard in full bloom.
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Aldo\'s Vineyard in Napa Valley Biale Winery





There was, almost, a break in the rains and I was out shooting the old, very old, zinfandel vines that make the amazing Black Chicken zinfandel wines from Biale Winery.
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Napa Valley with Biale Winery old zinfandel vines