Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/884376
46 / the tasting panel / october 2017 Rachel Cane uses decoupage to adorn furniture with vintage wine labels. BEYOND THE BOTTLE R achel Cane's passion for puzzles and col- lecting started at an early age. While in the kitchen with her mother during the 1950s, she collected and compiled the pages of S&H Green Stamps—popular in the U.S. from the '30s until the late '80s and distributed as part of a cash-back rewards program from supermarkets, gas stations, and other retail- ers. On long winter nights in New York, the satisfaction of placing the stamps into the booklets and collecting the benefits left a lasting impression. Since then, Rachel (full disclosure: she's my wife) has spent years assembling items that reflect her artistic expres- sion. Throughout the run of A Matter of Taste, our James Beard Award–winning radio show about food, wine, and travel, her collections of cookbooks and magazines provided an unending source of material for her découpage creations. (Découpage is the art of decorating surfaces by applying cutouts of paper, then coating them with several layers of finish.) Rachel has since applied that technique to wine labels I collected from my years in the rare wine business, and we combined our talents to preserve their history. Her pieces take the form of tables, stools, mir- rors, boxes, lamps, or frames; the subject matter is endless, and can accommodate any theme. In addition to her work with paper, Rachel honors the art that Champagne crowns represent by crafting wonderful objects with them—embedding them in trays, covering boxes, tables, and vases. For the wine aficionado looking for that customized, one-of-a-kind statement or the perfect gift, these creations will fit the bill. Rachel can customize a piece with your collection of favorite images, or develop her own design. To contact her, email rachel@ amatteroftaste.com. The 1947 vintage is showcased in this fine wine–inspired small treasure chest. Art for Wine's Sake story and photos by David Michael Cane