Our rep Charlie Dunn of Nice Legs Imports brought us yesterday ( Wed. June 25th, 2008 ) morning owner/winemaker " Mac " McDonald of Vision Cellars. I had never met Mac before or tried his wines. But while I tasted his wines and snapped my pictures of him through the Riedel glass I taste from I got a small picture forming of him. It would be really fun to spend a few hours with him. I think I would get a real slice of California's wine business over the last thirty years that way. Why thirty years you ask? Because that's how long Mac has been in or around the business.
He makes excellent Pinot Noirs and an excellent white blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris ( 2007 tasted ). from what I tasted. I liked the more restrained, less-fruit-forward ones. However, having said that all of Mac's wines are balanced and elegant. I prefered the of all five wines the 2007 white blend, $21.99 and the 2006 Marin County Pinot Noir ( don't see as much wine out of Marin County Mac pointed out ), $43.99, and the Cole Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noir, $86.99. They only make according to Mac around twelve hundred cases of the Cole Ranch and while Bill Clinton was President the White House called according to Mac requesting about six to seven hundred cases! What was Mac to do? That was nearly half his year's production? I don't think Mac had a chance to tell me how that played out. Rats!
The situation here is that when I taste I only hear bits and pieces of most conversations as I have to frequently break away and sign delivery papers, check orders in, help customers, answer the phone. I don't mind. You have to take it all in good stride and be thankful for what you do hear/learn each time. I liked Mac. He put me at ease with his demeanor and yet he also intrigued me greatly.
Here was a winemaker before me dressed in country blue-working overalls, a fancy(? ) straw hat and a big smile and a very relaxed manner of someone who felt obviously comfortable with himself and had already paid many of his dues. He was probably checking me out as much as I was him, but perhaps not. Perhaps I flatter myself. No matter, Mac makes really stylish, balanced wines that are impressive and very well-made to complement foods. I sampled five with him and will buy both the white blend 2007 as well as the Marin County 2006 Pinot Noir. I probably will not buy the Cole Ranch because of it's price, maybe in the fall when things get cooler. The label from the Cole Ranch was drawn by his granddaughter as she tried to copy Mac's labels that he drew of stylized wooden( painted? ) African masks of long ago. I liked these labels. I especially liked his granddaughter's. I think children do some of the best art work out there. Cheers to both.
Mac got his start 30 years ago with the Wagner family ( Conundrum white, Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon fame ). They encouraged him at some point to start his own winery and make his own wines. I don't know exactly when this all happened but it did and the rest is history. As I said I look forward to learning/ tasting more. Thanks for coming by Mac. Mac wrote in leaving : " Tony ! Enjoy your photos shots! Thanks for tasting our wines, VISION CELLARS ". Mac
Being an artist myself I am trying to " add " to the equation/ the body of existing photos out there in the public's domaine. I don't consider myself a professional photographer, more an amateur. But I do take it seriously and I do want some fun, off-the-cuff, unexpected shots, ones that ring true. I do the same with the wine selections here. I want to " add " to the equation and show the diversity available to one and all.
I did not wipe the Riedel glass after I washed it out. The beads of water show up in some of these photos. I wanted to see what it would add, what it would take away. What do you all think ? For me the jury is still out. We'll see what it eventually brings to the table. I'll have to try more like these. I am the person taking these photographs included here on my blog pages. Obviously some with me in them were not taken by me but the rest, for good or for bad are mine, with weakness and with strength : some of both to make them more true, more real I hope. Featured in these pictures are Mac, Charlie and me ( Anthony Quinn ).
Sante, cheers, to our health and good fortunes, and many more shared glasses of wine, beer and liquor, depending on the occasion. TONY
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