Painting in Oregon Wine Country: Flowers, Pinot Noir & the Dundee Hills
There is a particular kind of light that happens here in the Dundee Hills in early October.
It comes in low and golden across the vineyard rows, catches on the last of the dahlias by the house, and somehow makes everything—the vines, the flowers, even the dust on the tractor—look like it's been gilded.
I've tried to paint that light more times than I can count.
I'm not sure I've caught it yet. But I keep trying, because this place keeps asking me to.
Living in the Heart of Oregon Wine Country
If you're new here: my husband Terry and I farm about nine acres of vineyard in the Willamette Valley—Pinot Noir heaven, as I like to call it—and pour everything from sparkling wine to Cabernet at our little tasting room, Meraviglioso Winery. Meraviglioso means "wonderful" in Italian, and most days it lives up to its name.
Why Wine and Flowers Belong Together
Wine and flowers have a lot in common, if you think about it.
Both depend on a season. Both are shaped by soil and weather and a little bit of luck. Both are meant to be enjoyed now—not saved for a someday that may never come.
And both, at their best, slow us down.
You can't really gulp a good Pinot Noir. You swirl it. You notice it. You let it open up. That's exactly how I hope people experience my paintings—not a quick glance on the way past, but a pause. A, take a moment.
That's the heart of what I call Contemporary Romanticism: finding the beauty and emotion tucked inside ordinary life. And around here, ordinary life happens to include a lot of grapevines.
The Wine Country Paintings
Pinot Noir in Bloom began with a glass of our own Pinot. Deep crimson, vibrant magenta, soft lavender—I wanted blooms that felt like the wine tastes: layered, velvety, meant to be savored.
Chardonnay was painted as the featured artwork for our Meraviglioso Chardonnay label. Golden blossoms like sun-drenched fruit, luminous white blooms and cool blue foliage—bright and graceful, the way a good Chardonnay should be.
Cheers, Darling is the leopard who ended up on our Rosé label. With a glass in one paw and flowers in her crown, she's my reminder not to take life too seriously. Raise a glass. Celebrate something small.
And then there's Working Dog—our Bella, the unofficial greeter and self-appointed hostess of the winery. If you've visited the tasting room, there's a good chance she's already said hello.
What Harvest Teaches Me About Painting
Harvest doesn't care about your schedule.
When the grapes are ready, they're ready. Everything else waits. It's chaotic and exhausting and sticky and loud—and it is also one of the most beautiful times of the whole year.
I think painting works the same way. You can plan and sketch and prepare, but eventually a painting tells you what it needs, and you have to listen - if you're listening it calls to you, it tells you what's next. Winemaking does the same.
Both remind me that the good things—the really good things—can't be rushed.
Fall in the vineyard:
Come Visit
If you find yourself in Oregon wine country, I'd love for you to stop by the tasting room, pour a glass, and see some of these paintings in person. We're open by appointment: 503-554-5792, I'm here most days so same-day appointments are common!
And if you can't make it to the Dundee Hills, you can bring a little of it home. You'll find the wine country pieces along with the rest of my original floral paintings here in the shop.
Either way, pour something lovely tonight.
Notice the color in the glass.
Take a moment.
— Becky
