MARY STEINBACHER Photography Blog

Frost in Napa Valley

Mary Steinbacher — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:44:41 +0000

In the spring of the year when overnight temperatures drop and there is the danger of frost in the vineyards I can hear the wine machines very early in the morning. Last week it happened three times and two times I was up and out the door shooting where I knew sprinklers would be on over the vineyards. Adjacent to where this photo was taken there were wind machine going, smudge pots smoking and sprinklers spraying to save the tiny buds that are now breaking on the vines.

Autumn in Napa Valley

Mary Steinbacher — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:46:01 +0000

Okay, so months have passed without a post as the family worked through some health issues. All seems well now, good health reports all around and while the photography never stopped this summer there was certainly a slowing of sharing images via the blog. Over the coming weeks this will be rectified as I share a season in the Napa Valley vineyards and of Napa events.

This first photo, starting in early autumn was actually taken in Sonoma County of Pinot Noir grapes at a vineyard sourced by Chappellet Vineyard & Winery. It’s a beautiful location even when steeped in fog.

To Kalon Vineyard

Mary Steinbacher — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 20:24:30 +0000

Lots of soft rain early this morning. My choice for shooting was the beautiful and very wet To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. As you can see from these Cabernet vines it was thoroughly wet but to me the water was like magic dust on the vines and leaves.

Paul Hobbs Wines CrossBarn bottles

Mary Steinbacher — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 01:10:25 +0000

Today I was not shooting in vineyards but rather shooting the bottles and the CrossBarn wines of Paul Hobbs. After shooting all bottles with a plain seamless white background, as had been requested by the winery, I just had to make a pretty picture of it with a bit of travertine as a backdrop.

Cabernet vines Georges III vineyard Rutherford Napa Valley

Mary Steinbacher — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 21:35:01 +0000

Looking skyward and past trellised cabernet vines there are the swiftly changing clouds and layered light and darkness of the impending storms. Early this morning I was shooting at two vineyards, one in the Oakville area and the other here in Rutherford at Georges III Vineyard. Soon, with the vines growing so fast, looking skyward will be all vines, a huge canopy of deep green cabernet leaves.

Bud Break on the vines in Napa Valley

Mary Steinbacher — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:33:27 +0000

Grapes grow fast! Look below and the small buds breaking through the heavy wood of the vines. Twelve days later this photo of the vines with developing clusters. Seemingly overnight the vines in the valley are turning into ribbons of green woven through the vineyards. Wish you were here!

Napa Valley bud break on Cabernet vines

Mary Steinbacher — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 22:24:02 +0000

Georges III vineyard is in Rutherford in the Napa Valley and these Cabernet vines are just beginning bud break. Beautiful little leaves against the deep dark color of the wet vines.

Bud break in Napa Valley vineyards

Mary Steinbacher — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 20:54:12 +0000

Two photos to share as Napa Valley begins bud break on the vines. With the top photo and Cabernet vines there is just the slightest fuzzy buds breaking and lots of blooming mustard.

The second photo is a closeup of a Syrah vine with the small buds close to opening its leaves. I’ll be back at this vineyard this week to shoot again.

Futo Wines Oakville in Napa Valley

Mary Steinbacher — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 22:47:57 +0000

There has been a lot of rain in March, actually 20 days so far, and it was the perfect time to shoot the beautiful drive up to Futo Wines in Oakville. With trees, moss, soil and grasses saturated there was an increased depth to color in the forest; it was beautiful in the light rain.

Spring in Napa

Mary Steinbacher — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:09:25 +0000

Happy spring to you and cheers to blooming trees, flowers and soon bud break on the grape vines throughout Napa Valley.