Award-Winning Sonoma Artists Depict the Intense Beauty of California

Charles Creek Vineyard proprietors Bill and Gerry Brinton have announced an exhibition of works by esteemed Sonoma-based artists Michael Holland and Ray Jacobsen at the Charles Creek Vineyard Tasting Room and Gallery on the Sonoma Plaza.  In addition to providing a charming new art exhibition space on the historic Plaza, the Tasting Room and Gallery affords guests an opportunity to enjoy Charles Creek’s award-winning Chardonnays, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
“Gerry and I are proud to call Sonoma County home because of the rich natural and cultural resources the area boasts,’ said Bill Brinton. “The Charles Creek Tasting Room and Gallery gives us the opportunity to share that bounty with visitors and locals alike through both our wine and great local artwork.”
A native Californian, Michael Holland has been forging creative representations of his surroundings and experiences for over 30 years. His paintings, which are prized by collectors worldwide, are an outward manifestation of an inner dialogue composed of dreams, ruminations, memories and real time landscapes. Michael has worked under grants from the National Endowment of the Arts and California Arts Council.
Ray Jacobsen has been a Sonoma resident for more than fifty years, and has earned a considerable reputation for his numerous landscape paintings, which grace public and private collections throughout the United States and abroad. Ray’s work has received many awards, including a California Discovery Medal (1994) and a grant from the Pollock Krasner Foundation (2003). In addition, in 1997, Ray was honored as a Sonoma City Artist Treasure.
In addition to the array of pieces by local artists, the tasting room features a spectacular lineup of Charles Creek Vineyard’s celebrated vintages, including:  2003 Las Patolitas Chardonnay ($20), gold medal winner at both the New World International Wine Competition and the Sonoma County Harvest Fair; 2002 Vista Del Halcon Chardonnay ($22), winner of a Gold Medal at the 2004 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition; 2002 La Sorpresa Chardonnay ($25), winner of the Best of Class Gold Medal at the 2004 Sonoma County Harvest Fair; 2003 Las Abuelas Hyde Chardonnay ($39), which Wine Enthusiast magazine awarded a stellar rating of 92 and which won a Gold Medal at the 2005 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition; 2002 Miradero Merlot ($24), a gold medal winner at the 2005 Los Angeles County Fair was previously awarded 90 points and a gold at the 2004 California State Fair; and 2001 La Sonrisa del Tecolote Cabernet Sauvignon ($30), which has won four Gold Medals, including a Best of Class Gold Medal at the 2004 Los Angeles County Fair Wines of the World Wine Competition.  Because the tasting room features all the Charles Creek wines in release, it provides the best opportunity for tasting and purchasing the limited production Charles Creek vintages.
The Charles Creek Tasting Room and Gallery exhibit changes regularly, showcasing emerging talent as well as established artists. In addition to Michael Holland and Ray Jacobsen, the gallery currently features the work of Keith Wicks, a notable Bay Area artist who works primarily in oils. His glorious works, often depicting scenes under the vast Sonoma sky, capture the unparalleled beauty of wine country. With more than 30 years experience, he has devoted much of his time to teaching at the Academy of Art in San Francisco and is a founding member of the Sonoma Plein Air Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding the role of art education.
The Charles Creek Vineyard Tasting Room and Gallery, open seven days a week from  11 a.m. to 6 p.m., is located at 483 First Street West in Sonoma.  For more information, call (707) 935-3848 or send them an email to tastewine@charlescreek.com.
Bill and Gerry Brinton founded Charles Creek Vineyard with goal of creating outstanding wines that reflect the best California wine country has to offer.  Specializing in high quality Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon from great vineyard sources in the Sonoma and Napa valleys, Charles Creek produces wines that are food friendly, fruit driven, and easily paired with the courses of a meal.  A descendant of John Deere, Bill Brinton operates Charles Creek according to the principals of value, integrity, and quality.
For more information on Charles Creek Vineyard visit www.charlescreek.com, or call the winery at (707) 996-6622.  The mailing address for Charles Creek Vineyard is 19229 Sonoma Highway #266, Sonoma, California 95476.

Related Information

• Charles Creek Winery