Career wine professional/restaurateur/author living among ancient vines as wine journalist and photographer. kitchencincopress.com. lodiwine.com/Blog.
authory.com/RandyCaparoso.
Today marks the Winter Solstice—the longest night of the year.
It’s a reminder that even in the quiet and the dark, there’s beauty to be found. It might be in the way a room feels at night, in a moment of stillness, or in a detail you’ve overlooked before.
That’s something I love about art—it can shift the way we experience our surroundings, helping us notice beauty where we might have missed it.
What do you notice most about your environment in winter?
“Barrels and century-old shed“ takes you to a place and moment of wine country tranquility, perfect for any space seeking a touch of vintage warmth, sense of heritage, rural nostalgia, an earthy palette of colors and the restorative morning light of Nature.
Visit Randy Caparoso Photography Storefront (https://www.randycaparosophotographystorefront.com) for many more ideas on enhancing your humble abode.
#randycaparosophotography #winecountryphotography #naturelovers #naturephotography #wineart
Favorite shots, and stories, from the land of wine grapes. Re https://rcaparoso.substack.com/p/grapes-are-me
#vitisvinifera #winegrapes #wineart #randycaparosophotography
I'm dreaming of... December in Hawai'i. Which you can make happen without leaving your living room. My piece, "Mokoli`i (Chinaman's Hat's)," will take you there.
For museum quality prints in multiple options (fine art paper, high gloss metal, framed, wrap-around canvas, and more), visit Randy Caparoso Photography Storefront (https://www.randycaparosophotographystorefront.com).
#randycaparosophotography #hawaiiphotographer #artphotography
The original text of my story on Bien Nacido Vineyard in the current issue of SOMM Journal: On the sensory profile of this landmark Santa Maria Valley vineyard crystallized in bottlings by its eponymous label, marking its 20th year of production. Re https://randycaparoso.substack.com/p/the-sensory-profile-of-bien-nacido
#santabarbarawinecountry #pinotnoir #Chardonnay #biennacidowine
My piece, “Lion In the Winter (Ancient Vine Flame Tokay),” has remained an enduring favorite. Captured one chilly winter morning, it is one moment in the life of a grapevine planted in 1889, still going strong after over 130 years. A haiku:
The old man in fog—
silent witness, arms outstretched,
Wise beyond his years.
Visit Randy Caparoso Photography Storefront (https://www.randycaparosophotographystorefront.com) to see this and many other options for customized museum quality prints.
n 2024 I was able to make a pilgrimage to Burgundy’s Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the Mecca of Pinot Noir lovers the world over. I took one photo capturing the majesty of the growth, Mother Nature smiling down through golden clouds. In a way it reminded me of the movie “Sideways,” showing a character making his own pilgrimage to a land devoted to Pinot Noir.
For the perfect gift for Pinot lovers, visit Randy Caparoso Photography Storefront (https://www.randycaparosophotographystorefront.com).
Reasoning behind barrel programs, citing Harney Lane, Turley and Hamel Estate (from variability to uniformity and little as possible). Re https://caparoso.substack.com/p/oak-barrels-part-4winemaker-machinations
One misty winter morning as I walked through a block of ancient vine Zinfandel, originally planted in 1903, I was struck by one particular old soldier with almost octopus-like arms. It seemed to be leading a legion of younger vines trained on single vertical trunks. The vines told a story, much like some of my favorite books.
Visit Randy Caparoso Photography Storefront, https://www.randycaparosophotographystorefront.com
I am a “master” of nothing except what I love: The vineyards that surround my wine country home. I have always been inspired, though, by artists such as Jean-François Millet, who memorialized a good number of rural laborers in the French countryside (as in his “Gleaners” below) during the mid-1800s.
My piece: “Chenin Blanc picker.” I display this on my own wall to keep me humble.
Randy Caparoso Photography Storefront, https://www.randycaparosophotographystorefront.com
Step by step visuals, the time honored craft of barrel coopering. Re https://caparoso.substack.com/p/oak-barrels-part-3how-barrels-are
Why wine and food matching will always be everything in restaurants. Re https://randycaparoso.substack.com/p/think-like-a-chef-when-managing-restaurant
#restaurantwine #wineindustry #wineandfood #wineandfoodpairing #hospitalitymanagement #winelist #foodandbeverageindustry #sommelier
How to bring the stunning brilliance of Mother Nature into your living room: Go to https://www.randycaparosophotographystorefront.com to virtually see all your options.
"Dornfelder veraison in Mokelumne Glen Vineyard," a rare gem of a vineyard planted to over 50 grapes of German or Austrian origin.
#randycaparosophotography #wineart #winecountryphotography #lodiwine #lodiwinecountry
Following up “part 1” on the long history of barrel coopering and the use of oak in the wine industry, I report on a Master Cooper guided trip through the forests and mills of France, explaining how the raw material is managed. Re https://caparoso.substack.com/p/oak-barrels-part-2silviculture-and
#oakbarrel #frenchoak #oakcooperage #barrelcoopering #tonnellerieo
It’s still Cyber Shopping Week🎁at the Randy Caparoso Photography Storefront. I’m offering 25% off during my LAST big sale before Christmas.
Order now to make sure it arrives in time — use code CYBERWEEK25 in my online gallery!
This is the perfect chance to collect (or gift) something meaningful such as the "Autumn in Clements Hills" piece below. Besides prints, choose from artful mugs, pillows and tote bags.
Visit https://www.randycaparosophotographystorefront.com/shop-art to find a host of beautiful deals.
I humbly offer my OpEd appearing at the top of today's Wine Industry Advisor. Lead quote: "The more consumers appreciate wine, the more authentic they want their experience to be." Re https://wineindustryadvisor.com/2025/12/02/behold-the-man-ai-will-never-replace-human-perception-of-wine-oped/
The ancient origins of barrels and their modern day impact on the American wine industry and consumer tastes. Re https://caparoso.substack.com/p/oak-barrels-part-1origin-usage-and
Nothing like a post on the success independent wine writers have found on Substack, especially one that mentions my three Substack pages, as reported in Circle of Wine Writers's "The Circular" newsletter by Meg Maker, who chairs this illustrious group (of which I am also a member). Thank you, Meg!
https://www.circleofwinewriters.org/substack-for-wine-writers/
The season of thanks, gleaned through the lens of my camera and the deft phraseology of poets. Re https://rcaparoso.substack.com/p/photographic-paean-to-late-autumn
This is it: 25% off my work until tomorrow with code HOLIDAY2025.
Still hunting for something that feels personal, lasting, inspiring?
Black Friday Week comes once a year, and the Collector's Choice Sale is going fast.
🖼️ “Meaning of Life (Waimanalo Beach)"
Many more ideas on https://www.randycaparosophotographystorefront.com
