Critique Midland Construction Wine

[Mike Buckley]

My niece graduated from Virginia Tech in 2019 with a major in oenology and she interned during that year's harvest in the lab at Virginia's Early Mountain Vineyards. The winemaker there also has his own wine brand, Midland Construction, which was the name of the carpentry business owned by his deceased father. My niece gave my wife and me this bottle of Chardonnay for Christmas.

Setup
The tabletop is a floor tile and the background is an arts and crafts product sort of like heavy wallpaper made of paper-thin wood. A small continuous-light lamp was high on the left. A white reflector on the right added the reflection to that side of the bottle.

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[andreasb]

And how was it?

 

[Mike Buckley]

And how was it?

We haven't even opened the bottle yet; I made the photo just hours ago.

 

[Pa]

My niece graduated from Virginia Tech in 2019 with a major in enology

Congrats to her! Inspired by you, I'm sure.

Neat idea for a photo, and well lighted (lit?).

 

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Jim!

Congrats to her! Inspired by you, I'm sure.

I doubt that she was inspired by me in the slightest. It's just a coincidence but her great grandfather, who was a chemist that worked for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, had a hardback book about making wine published and that was of course in the days when books were never self-published. My niece actually intended to become a pharmacist, so she majored in biochemistry. She was bored with the classwork and her internship in that field so she went for a double major, the second major being oenology. All her friends knew before her that she would at least begin her working career in the field of wine. That was because she glowed when she spoke of those classes. Then when she thoroughly enjoyed her internship at the winery, which took place soon after graduating from college, that sealed the deal at least for now.

 

[nuclearjock]

Don't know how much time you put into this one Mike but I think this is my all time favorite of yours. Well done .

 

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Rick!

Don't know how much time you put into this one Mike but I think this is my all time favorite of yours. Well done .

I spent far less time on this one than most of my wine photos. There might be a lesson to be learned, huh.

 

[andreasb]

Joking of course, since we all know you like wine, above all it is a very nice image, well done!

And how was it?

 

[Palouse]

I agree with Rick, one of your very best! Everything in the scene fits perfectly. Now taste it and report back!

 

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you to Andreas and Nick!

 

[Mike Buckley]

Everything in the scene fits perfectly.

It's rare that a wine label so strongly suggests the scene to create, so this photo was especially fun to make. Fortunately, my next-door neighbor recently completed a construction project and had a few odds and ends lying around. So, I temporarily absconded with some of her bricks and lumber.

 

[Mike Buckley]

The wine is wonderful. Similar in style to a Chablis though a little bigger. Bright, lively and refreshing. An above average Chardonnay that justifies a bit of a premium price.

 

[Palouse]

The wine is wonderful. Similar in style to a Chablis though a little bigger. Bright, lively and refreshing. An above average Chardonnay that justifies a bit of a premium price.

That sounds like a winner.

 

[ShaunK]

I love how the wood background shows through the bottle, giving it a bit of texture, but in a very natural way. The subdued lighting is sublime.

PS - I haven't had a Chardonnay in YEARS! Maybe it's time I tried one again.

PPS - I think the label/logo/font could use some help.

 

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Shaun. Much appreciated!