Wente Vineyards Presents
Karl's Artist Bio

Thanks for exploring "Discover the Wine, Discover The Music." If you're reading this, it's likely that you, like me, love fine wine and great music. Both are extraordinary complements to the moments in life that we cherish the most--reflection, celebration, creation and inspiration. I've put some of my thoughts down, as a winemaker and a musician, on why I believe these songs and wines are especially well-suited for each other. Of course, I encourage you to mix and match to discover your own personal favorites.

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Noise Pop 2010
Noise Pop 2010

Discover the Wine, Discover the Music is all about sharing, so it seemed only fitting to turn to our friends when it came time to whip up this year’s artist paring notes for our shows at Noise Pop. What’s so wonderful about wine/music pairings is there are only right answers.

FRIDAY FEB 26 SWEDISH AMERICAN HALL
JOHN VANDERSLICE
WITH: NURSES, HONEYCOMB, CONSPIRACY OF VENUS

JOHN VANDERSLICE WINE PAIRING: Crane Ridge Merlot
John Vanderslice has made a name for himself creating dreamy, textured pop atmospheres. His records are sonic stories, weaving tales through the subtleties of guitars and keyboards. Wente Vineyards’ Crane Ridge Merlot is the perfect pairing for Vanderslice’s soundscapes, providing the strong raspberry and strawberry undertones, mirroring the audio details with subtle hints of vanilla oak and caramel.
-- Erica Flores, 826LA: Non-profit Writing/Tutoring Center
826LA & Origami Vinyl Present: Chickens In Love

NURSES WINE PAIRING: Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon
Need triage for the music you’ve become comfortable with? Try having Nurses admit you to their sound clinic.  Complex, rich, swirly, and finishing with lasting smoothness.  Is it Nurses or the wine? It’s both; the Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon is the perfect match for this tasteful talent.
-- Jeff Gray aka Pesci, Talent Relations, Wente DWDM @SXSW

HONEYCOMB WINE PAIRING: Riva Ranch Chardonnay
Sometimes musical collaborations feel gratuitous; same with wines that over-reach. Emily Ritz and the busy bees in Honeycomb deliver the pure sonic joy that can only result when the sum of the parts truly unifies, much like the intricate and mellifluous harmony of flavours in the Riva Ranch Chardonnay.
--Heidi Richman, Program Director, Wente DWDM

CONSPIRACY OF VENUS WINE PAIRING: Riverbank Riesling
The Conspiracy of Venus is the closest manifestation of love through a’cappella music.  Infectious, sonorous and haunting just enough to have an edge that you can come back from.  The Riverbank Riesling shares similar qualities.  Semi-sweet like the vocals and acidic like the subject matter makes this a perfect pairing for Conspiracy of Venus.
-- Jeff Gray aka Pesci, Talent Relations Wente DWDM @SXSW

SAT FEB 27 SWEDISH AMERICAN HALL
THAO/MIRAH COLLABORATION!
WITH: HORSE FEATHERS, DAVE SMALLEN, CARLETTA SUE KAY

THAO NGUYEN WINE PAIRING: Small Lot Pinot Blanc
Listening to Thao With The Get Down Stay Down is like a trip down memory lane....instantly taking me back to hot summer vacation days on my grandfather’s country farm. The whimsical and playful nature of Thao’s songs are the perfect soundtrack to anyone’s Mark Twain-esque summer fun, be it swingin on a tire over a lazy pond or simply skipping through the field with your best friend. If there ever was a wine to compliment this experience it would be the Small Lot Pinot Blanc.  Just as Thao’s music breathes a crisp openness so too does the Pinot Blanc - almost to perfection. With lightness, freshness and very few heavy overtones, this wine is indeed brigthness in a bottle. The simple fruit aromas from the Pinot Blanc will leave you feeling like you just picnicked on the edge of an apple orchard. Make no mistake though, if you stay long enough you will experience a subtle depth to this wine.  The layers of taste will give way to flavors of graham cracker, pear, butterscotch and even honey. Just as with the Small Lot Pinot Blanc, the same kind of depth can be found in Thao With The Get Down Stay Down’s lyrics. Her vocals, however happy and fun, will reveal and resonate with a deeper message and meaning. This wine/music pairing will leave an indelible summer memory in your heart and soul.
-- Francis Ten, Bassist & Bossman, West Indian Girl

MIRAH (with Thao Nguyen) WINE PAIRING: Crane Ridge Merlot
Sometimes the magic of a wine pairing is as much about the contrasts as it is the complements. Crisp with smooth or bold with subtle can work if there’s a symbiotic essence or shared heart. The same is definitely true of musical collaborations, and this flow of energy and varied flavors is sure to be on display when SF based Thao Nguyen (with her band The Get Down Stay Down) takes the stage with Olympia, Washington singer/songwriter Mirah. If Thao’s bittersweet melodies and delightful (sometimes deceptively so) vox evoke the ebullience of a Pinot Blanc, then Mirah is a robust merlot, Wente Vineyard’s Crane Ridge Merlot to be exact.  Like the layered aromas and textures of the wine, Mirah’s music packs a lot of depth and power behind a seemingly unfettered base. She’s been called lo-fi and even riot grrrl-like but drink her in for a while and its clear Mirah defies both limiting labels and expectations. What you can count on when these two get together: an intoxicating blend of soundscapes and diverse female perspectives that, no matter how different, meld to create one undeniably satiating experience.
-- Lina Lecaro LA Weekly’s Nightranger, author Los Angeles’s Best Dive Bars

HORSE FEATHERS WINE PAIRING: Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon
Horse Feathers are the comforting sounds welcoming you home after a long trip away. Whispered vocals and sparse strings beckon you to curl up, forget the outside world and relish the now. Just like the Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, the familiarity is what first brings you in, while the subtle nuances are what makes the experience special.
-- Erica Flores, 826LA: Non-profit Writing/Tutoring Center
826LA & Origami Vinyl Present: Chickens In Love

DAVE SMALLEN WINE PAIRING: Small Lot Pinot Blanc
Dave is a complex thinker. His newest record release Everything Changes and Nothing Changes is a command and request to know and expect all that can happen with life.  Familiarity and unfettering fear of the events on the horizon are a perfect companion to the progressive classic Small Lot Pinot Blanc.
-- Jeff Gray aka Pesci, Talent Relations Wente DWDM @SXSW

CARLETTA SUE KAY WINE PAIRING: Morning Fog Chardonnay
Carletta Sue Kay manages to be charming while singing melancholy pop songs about sloppy kisses, Eleanor Roosevelt or getting dumped for Joy Division. The quirky falsetto delivery makes for a wonderful balance of sadness and camp. The Morning Fog Chardonnay similarly balances between tropical fruits and cinnamon, vanilla and oak, making it a great pairing.
-- Erica Flores, 826LA: Non-profit Writing/Tutoring Center
826LA & Origami Vinyl Present: Chickens In Love