Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/807384
52 / the tasting panel / april 2017 One on One with Karl Wente: Guitarist and composer for Wolf Hamlin and The Front Porch Drifters and Fifth Generation Winemaker of Wente Vineyards. As we delve into deeper conversation, Wente recollects the life-altering albums of his youth, the magic in the way that songs can immediately evoke a high school memory or transport to a specific moment in the past. It was not until graduate school at the University of California– Davis that Wente recalls music officially becoming indispensable to his way of life. "I just remember picking up a guitar and playing with some friends around a campfire. I was amazed. It's a language that exists without words; it's intuition," he shares. The campfire jams continued through the years, moving to his front porch in Livermore Valley. The rotating musicians regularly convened on Tuesday evenings, ultimately forming The Front Porch, the aptly named band that released an album titled "Evermore" in 2011. Since then, Wolf Hamlin has joined the group, and they have an album to be released in the spring. Wente plays guitar and helps compose songs: "It's about being in sync with those you're playing with; you have to be in the moment." He incorporates music in the winery as well, describing how different wines call for different musical choices. "When I'm blending Chardonnay, I want something upbeat like Little Feat's Dixie Chicken. Cabernet needs a heavier vibe, something like Led Zeppelin's Houses of the Holy." Creativity, intelligence and integrity: traits befitting a musician or a winemaker—or both? For many, including Wente, the two titles are indiscernible. He must establish time for both. "It's just about making choices. It's always there in front of me," shares Wente, speaking of his ever-present guitars and how he makes time for music. After a busy day in the vineyards or in the winery, relaxing with music on his front porch is simply the best possible way to end the day. Follow the #MTFM movement on Instagram: @maketimeformusic. UNVEILING MORE WITH UNIVERSAL INQUIRIES Who are your three favorite artists or bands? Michael Franti & Spearhead; Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band; Sturgil Simpson. What was your favorite concert and why? Michael Franti at Tipitina's in New Orleans. We were there for Jazz Fest; they went on late, played 'til morning, and I danced all night. Name a song that has made you cry? "As If He Knows" by Eric Bogle. Which song would be your "walk up to the plate song" if you were a Major League Baseball player? "Hard to Handle" by The Black Crowes. Which other art form inspires you? I like winemaking as an art. Karl Wente Makes Time for Music in his daily life.