This collection of wine barrels seemed natural to the scene. The lighting was a bit difficult but I pulled it off. I have added a warm tone and some softening digitally to this image to give it the appropriate ambiance.

While hiking out of the town of Bolzano in the north of Italy, we came across this castle surrounded by a vineyard. The foothills of the Alps served as a great backdrop for the scene. It was early spring and the vines were just beginning to leaf out, covered in that bright spring green. An old orange truck in front of the castle adds a nice touch to the image.

I am particularly fond of this image. The dappled light on the courtyard, the red ivy on the wall and the old olive jar at the entrance all combine to create a pleasing composition for this Brunello winery in Tuscany.

It is a rare moment when a cat will pose for me, but it was chilly and raining lightly and I was standing in the rain while the cat sat dry under an overhang. Perhaps that's why the cat didn't move. I have this funny feeling it was deriving a certain amount of pleasure from my misery.

This wine shop was in Beaune France, in the Burgundy region. I felt that the sepia tone and reduced saturation created a nostalgic feel that worked well with the scene.

These old Brunello wine bottles were in a niche in the wine cellar of a Tuscan winery. I don't recall the story behind them.

Another angle of view from the entrance to the Tuscan wine cellar above and I am fond of this image as well. The dappled light on the courtyard, the red ivy on the wall and the old olive jars at the entrance all combine to create a pleasing composition for this Brunello winery in Tuscany. The square format is a result of a custom request but I like it.

This collection of wine barrels and bucket seemed natural to the rural scene. I have added a warm tone and some softening digitally to this image to give it the appropriate ambiance.

Photographed in the fall, this collection of wine barrels was accented by some red ivy but the lighting was a bit difficult. I believe I pulled it off with the correct exposure. I have added a warm tone and some softening digitally to this image to give it the appropriate ambiance.

Roses are often planted in vineyards to assist in the early detection of plant diseases, but there is an aesthetic value as well. From the looks of these healthy red roses, I would say this vineyard in St. Emilion France, in the Bordeaux region, is doing quite well.

I added a soft focus digitally to this image of a wine cellar at a Brunello winery in Tuscany to convey the romatic ambiance of the scene.

Looking out over the vineyards of St. Emilion France a light fog and mistadds haze and atmosphere to this scene.

Soft light and autumn fog clothe this small family vineyard in the Piemonte region of Italy. When visiting the home where my grandmother's grandmother lived in Castellamonte, we came across this vineyard behind the houses.

In the harsh midday light, the courtyard of a winery basks under the Tuscan sun. The warm stone and terra cotta planter reflect the warmth of this scene as strong shadows add compositional interest.

The village of St Emilion France, in the Bordeaux region, is a wine village that truly reflects its character. The concentration of wine shops in this town is probably the highest we've seen in our travels. It seems almost every building is dedicated to the wine culture and quiet little courtyards like this one abound, reflecting that spirit.

This old wine cart looks like it is ready to go. The hods on this cart are a bit larger than the traditional implements, seen throughout Alsace, which are used by the grape harvesters in the vineyards. They appear to be a little heavy to strap on the back, but maybe I'm just a light-weight.

One more view of the entry to a Brunello winery in Tuscany. The dappled light adds ambiance to the scene while the gate, shadows, stones and wall create leading lines of visual interest to the composition.

The strong sunlight and shadows in this scene were handled best in monochrome. I thought sepia toning of the image added a timeless, nostalgic feel.