Guest Blog by Bella Blake, THE TAGLI
Approx read time: 5 minutes
Bella Blake – Director
Dimitrios Tsivrikos and Bella Blake from THE TAGLI gallery draw parallels between wine and art, pairing three of our wines with the beautiful paintings of British artist Corrie Wingate. They tell us more about their experience.
We are delighted to be able to combine two great loves at THE TAGLI: wine and art! We greatly appreciate this fantastic invitation.
As an artist, Corrie Wingate’s background in travel photography has significantly influenced her artistic vision as a painter. By drawing on inspiration from different environments and cultures she has continued to work with both the constraints and freedoms of figuration whilst also exploring the necessary tension inherent to working with chance or the unknown. Her figurative works are rich with ambiguity, layers, and expressive mark-making, seeking to create paintings that offer a deeper emotional and psychological resonance beyond mere literal representation.
Corrie Wingate
Wingate’s painting style is heavily influenced by the German Expressionists, who demonstrated the emotional impact of colour on a viewer. Her works often start with a single colour that dictates the tone and mood of the painting, which she then builds upon. She also draws inspiration from the colour and light of Kenya, where she founded an art centre and lives part-time.
First up we tasted La Muse de Cabestany Chardonnay Viognier 2022. This is an exclusive bottle for Corney & Barrow and it comes from the Languedoc-Roussilon region in southwestern France.
Before we opened the bottle, we learnt that the beautiful label had a fascinating story. The almond-shaped motif is inspired by a well-known sculptor, Cebastan, who worked in the same village from which the wine originated during the Gothic period. This motif became popular and was found across the Basque country as well as in Southwest France. As a first impression, it’s lovely to see how the winemaker dedicated the label and bottling to this sculptor.
The wine itself is a combination of Chardonnay and Viognier, two grapes that are not often paired together. Chardonnay’s ancestral home is, of course, Burgundy, but it has been grown all over the world with huge success, while Viognier is an aromatic grape variety which comes from the Rhône Valley. The latter is typically floral and, in this wine, provides lift, leading to a lovely crisp and refreshing nose. The scent certainly evokes Chardonnay, but there is something else, the Viognier, that rounds it and reduces any sharpness.
On tasting the wine, the Viognier offers smoothness on the palate with a slightly waxy texture. Overall, we find that the sensation is, in fact, that of spring, which we see reflected in the yellow tones of Der Papierene (The Paper Man) by Corrie Wingate. The central figure in this painting could be viewed as bringing together the two grapes via the tree structures at both its sides, which delightfully frame the image. Similarly, in the vertical, we find two distinct tonalities in the image, the space occupied by the fields and that by the sky, which could be seen to be conjoining the two different parts of the wine, that of Chardonnay and that of Viognier, to provide balance in the whole.
Corrie Wingate
Der Papierene (The Paper Man), 2023
Oil on wooden board
30 x 30cm
La Muse de Cabestany Chardonnay Viognier 2022
Moving on to the second of the three wines, we tasted Brunello di Montalcino Ridolfi 2018 . Originating from the town of Montalcino in southern Tuscany, this is 100% Sangiovese, a classic grape variety of the region, here known as Brunello. The wine is aged in very large oak barrels for three years. This process allows wines to soften through both a gentle connection with oxygen, and by allowing time for the slow process of tannin chain de-linking, which results in a smoother perception of the tannin.
On the nose, the wine smells of raspberry, red cherry, and cranberry. Despite its translucency, it has a strong body — an exciting aspect of Brunello! One might assume that it is light and fruity, yet it comes through with boldness and direction.
In this vein, Corrie Wingate’s painting Citadel mirrors these elements beautifully. The colours in the work are vibrant and light while, at the same time, a distinct authority emanates from the work. The single woman on the path has direction and the great presence she holds is not diluted by the playfulness that simultaneously exists. Lightness might sometimes be misunderstood, however, in the form and content of Wingate’s work, in a similar fashion to our Brunello, undeniably display its powerful nature.
Corrie Wingate
Citadel, 2023
Oil on linen
61 x 40 cm
La Muse de Cabestany Chardonnay Viognier 2022
Last but certainly not least, we tried Hieronymus Elephant Hill 2018. Founded in the late 1990s, Elephant Hill is one of Corney & Barrow’s producers on the South Island of New Zealand. We learnt that this wine is part of their premium prestige line — it is a Bordeaux blend consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Merlot (20%), Cabernet Franc (20%), with additional touches of Malbec and Tempranillo. Similar to typical Bordeaux maturation, it has spent a year to 18 months ageing in oak barrels. Hence, on the nose, we find that it not only holds blackcurrant but also mocha and chocolate notes, which come from the oak.
Tasting it, one can sense that the wine is a blend — it is beautiful, it is complex, and most of all, it is strong in character, inviting us to celebrate each grape at every sip. Revealing itself as bold and enigmatic, with a mysterious air clearly underpinning its whole identity, we’ve chosen to pair it with The power of story in moments of crisis.
Corrie Wingate
The power of story in moments of crisis, 2023
Oil on linen
46 x 32 cm
The strong vertical lines in the painting, intersected by gazes boldly directed outward towards the unknown, reflect how this wine captures different snapshots amongst its network of flavours, which exist within a larger picture. Through the painting at hand, we enter the world of a stranger, and the mystery is apparent. Yet, as with wine, such mystery works to finely enliven our curiosity, inviting one to unpack the pedigree at play and lean into its journey.
To find out more about THE TAGLI or Corrie Wingate’s available works, or to arrange a complimentary art advisory consultation please contact us on [email protected], or send us a WhatsApp message to +44 7418609887.