When I was in California, I made the trek up to Santa Barbara. I shot portraits of Dan and Arielle, a musical duo based in LA. You can see pictures from that shoot in my last post. I also documented what goes into making such delicious wine at Sandoval Vineyard. I now have a new found respect for what the entire process takes, not that I thought it was easy. Michael, the owner of Sandoval Vineyards and the nicest man I’ve ever met, showed us nearly everything that goes into harvesting. In the end, I discovered that wine-making is a truly unique expression of art through preparation and taste. It is also a temperamental trade that reconnects you with the earth. There are literally thousands of variables and decisions that go into making a bottle of wine. It can be overwhelming.

Why have pretty ladies crush the wine you might ask? It’s not just because it’s easy on the eyes. Women have a softer stomp and less calluses than men. Because of that, they don’t completely crush the seeds. Crushed seeds release bitterness, so that’s why it’s actually better(or not) to have a human do the task instead of a machine. Take a look at some photos I shot for the ranch.

(click photos to see full-size)

Getting to work.

Stomp time.

Michael Sandoval.

Santa Ynez Valley, Ca.