Fields Sketchbook | Napa Valley

09 Sep Napa Valley – Lines & Wine

Posted at 18:04h in Inspiration, Plein air, Sketching, Travel by Ephraim Fields

Sketching Wine Country

Admittedly, Napa Valley was never a bucket list place for me, until I met my wife. She is an avid wine lover and has talked about visiting Napa Valley for years. So on her 30th birthday we finally made that happen! Unlike most trips where I plan in advance where and when I want to sketch a location, this time I pretty much went with the flow of my wife’s itinerary since she had a list of wineries she wanted to visit. Not knowing much of what to expect at each location, sketching encouraged me to really spend time seeing each winery and vineyard. With each winery sketch, I grew to appreciate the California wine country more and more.

A Napa Valley Castle

Castello di Amorosa is an architectural masterpiece that was designed under the winemaker, Dario Sattui’s guidance. This authentically designed 14th century Tuscan style castle houses some of the most beautiful wine cellars in the world. There are several rooms and areas that you can tour and experience, like the Grand Barrel Room with cross-vaulted ceilings and handmade bricks, The Great Hall with hand-painted frescoes, or the courtyard loggias built with hand-squared stone and ancient brick.

Castillo di Amorosa

After our tasting experience indoors, I ventured up towards the top of the castle and found a spot on the upper terrace to capture a perfect view of both the castle’s architecture and the surrounding breathtaking landscape. I set up my watercolor palette, pens and sketchbook on the ledge of the terrace and started to recreate the story of the architectural masterpiece that was in front of me.

Where sparkling wine meets stunning landscapes

The Domaine Carneros Chateau is a beautiful Napa Valley landmark that brings a touch of French elegance to the California Wine Country. If you enjoy sparkling wines and champagne, this is definitely a place to check out in Napa. I’m not much of a sparkling wine fan, but the view of the lush green vineyards, mountains in the distance and clear blue sky made me a huge fan of this winery.

Domaine Carneros

The sprawling property and laid back vibe of Domaine Carneros made it very easy for me to pull out my sketchbook and begin drawing while also enjoying my wine flight. I typically start each sketch with faint pencil lines to form overall sizes, shapes and composition. Then I add in detail, again with a pencil. I trace over the pencil lines with ink, and finally bring in color with my watercolor palette and Copic markers. I often draw a frame around my sketches to limit my composition, allowing objects, like bushes and railings, pop out the frame.

Beringer Vineyards

Beringer is the oldest continuously operating winery in Napa Valley and has produced quality wines for over 100 years. Out of all of the wine we tasted on our trip, this wine was our favorite. When driving onto the property, right in the center, the first building you’ll see is the Rhine House. The Rhine house is one of the most unique buildings in Napa Valley, from its beautiful stonework, to the stain-glass windows. It is a classic example of Victorian architecture. It was a fun challenge to depict the fine detail of the house and its lush landscaping.

The New Architecture of Wine

While exploring downtown Napa and checking out the various shops and boutiques in the area, I was lucky to find this gem–The New Architecture of Wine– inside of an interior design store called Farmhouse.

Every winery has a story and no two stories are alike. More than any profession I have ever come across, the industry is about people: family and community knitted together in a passionate effort to create artistry through the land.”