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Wente Vineyards is no novice to the music scene; they have been holding summer concerts in a spectacular vine- yard setting for the past 25 years, with headliners throughout the years such as Diana Ross, James Taylor and Willie Nelson. The BottleRockIt festival was a way for the winery to reach out to some of their millennial fans with musical styles that appeal to Wente Vineyards' fi fth generation winemaker, Karl Wente, who conceived the program. "The Bay Area has some of the most original and interesting independent bands, and BottleRockIt is a great way to showcase some of this amazing talent. What better way to experience wine and music together, when all your senses are stimulated," says Wente, an avid musician himself and a member of the band The Front Porch, which played at the festival. Blind tastings might be the industry standard of judging, as they help to heighten one's sense of taste, but Wente Vineyards truly succeeded in stimulating multiple senses at once, believing that wine and music play off of each other, one only making the other even better. For winemaker Karl Wente, the combination of wine and music led him to create the national program Discover the Wine, Discover the Music, now in its fi fth year, where Wente pairs six up and coming bands with six of his wines. "As winegrowers, we always seek to have new people taste our wines," says Karl Wente. "Artists also need every opportunity to have their music heard. This project brings together my passion for wine and music in a very exciting way, and allows new audiences to share in both great wine and music." The Wente family's passion for what they do—creating artisanal, hand-crafted wines—is not only seen in the glasses they pour, but also in their dedication to making Wente Vineyards a venue for more than just imbibing. Wente Vineyards wants its visitors to enjoy—life, music, family, and of course, wine. It is not only a winery—it truly is a lifestyle destina- tion. Besides the festival and summer concert series, Wente Vineyards is recognized as one of California's premier wine country destina- tions, featuring wine tastings, fi ne dining, a bountiful organic garden and championship golf. Less than an hour east of San Francisco, with a striking backdrop of golden hills and lush vineyards ready for harvest, the atmo- sphere and ambiance at Wente Vineyards is unparalleled. They simply want visitors to sip, savor, and stay awhile. During the festival, the Wente Vineyards lawn becomes the scene for the enjoyment of music and In true festival style, Wente Vineyards hosted acts on three different stages including San Francisco–based DJ Laura and Dirty Vegas spinning tunes in the Subsonic Room, which was an emporium of lights, lasers and electronic beats that kept festival-goers dancing all day long., At the same time, an array of local and national bands entertained in the Small Lot Winery and on the Estate Lawn, delivering a continuous stream of music that appealed to a variety of musical tastes. "This festival reminds us of some of the great street fairs we've been to in Europe. The vibe is amazing." said Dirty Vegas's Steve Smith. Food and beer were available, courtesy of Catering at Wente Vineyards, as well as some favorite wines from the tasting rooms and wine frappés, wine-infused slushie drinks, the ultimate refreshment on a warm Livermore day. The BottleRockIt festival proved that Wente Vineyards is not only dedicated to sustainable farming and delicious wines but also to lasting relationships. It's part of the reason why Wente Vineyards has successfully maintained its legacy as the oldest continuously operated family owned winery in the U.S. For 128 years, the family has been able to adapt itself to relate to new generations of wine-lovers. The BottleRockIt festival gave an opportunity for people who may not have been exposed to the winery to discover the estate's sustain- ably grown wines. KARL'S KORNER When Life Calls for a Yoga Pose: Inversions (Sirsasana) "Euphoria" and "excitement" may not be two words one associates with the practice of yoga, but this exercise will have you thinking otherwise. Inversions are a fun way to incorporate change into your yoga routines. Even when we don't realize it, our bodies search for strength and overall healing, and metaphorically we need to turn things on their heads from time to time to get fresh perspective. Literally, to relieve our bodies of stress, inversions allow our bodies to heal as the blood fl ows in the opposite direction. In a broader sense, mixing things up or executing projects in a way one isn't accustomed to can also be refreshing. In my everyday life, this means tending not to order the same thing in a restaurant, traveling to a new place as often as I can or trying a new viticultural or fermentation technique out on a grape variety. The next time you feel the urge to mix up your routine, incorporating inversions—yoga or not—can be a helpful way to rejuvenate a tired body and mind in a healthy way. october 201 1 / the tasting panel / 115 PHOTO: ELI PITTA PHOTO: ELI PITTA