Wines of the Rhône Valley
January 15, 2007
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Join us Monday, January 15 for a tasting tour of France's Rhône Valley. The Rhône Valley has two very distinct sub regions, the Northern and the Southern Rhône. The northern region produces the most prestigious and most complex Syrah and Viognier in the world from the towns of Condrieu, Cornas and Côte Rôtie. Head south and you'll find spicy, peppery reds from Gigondas and Vacqeyras, and aromatic, elegant whites and reds from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The Rhône is a diverse, exciting wine producing region, with the most well known wines produced being Côtes-du-Rhône. This term can be used for wines produced in the entire Rhône region and range widely in quality and style. Each of the smaller towns and designations has very distinct styles and terroir, so each wine has a different personality from the next. Join us for this tasting tour of the Rhône valley and see what this diverse region has to offer.

The cost of this event is $40 per person; space is limited, so reserve early. Please pay in advance and pick up a ticket for this tasting at either Panzanella or the customer service desk at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro.

Now up in the Gallery:
New works by Jenifer Padilla
January 9 - March 12

Artist's Reception: Monday, January 29, 5:30 - 7:30 pm

Padilla draws from her dynamic surroundings and steadied observations to elicit, at once, movement and delicacy in her still-life paintings. Padilla's paintings are informed by her craftsmanship in a variety of other media: "I use my photography, sketches, Xerox, and 8mm film for reference in the making of my paintings," says Padilla. With this approach, Padilla's paintings transcend the still-life medium.

Recently, Padilla moved her studio to Archer Graphics in Carrboro, North Carolina where she shares space with four other artists. The large glass bay doors of the old auto repair shop allow light to flood her studio. Padilla stands at her easel centered on the oil-stained concrete once inhabited by craftsmen of a different sort. The previous life of the space, the abundance of natural light and vintage character of the Mid-Century Modern building have all inspired Padilla to employ new color and line in her work.

Previously, Padilla was a member of the Antfarm, a cooperative studio in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. The 4,000-square-foot space, (former home to the Raleigh Washboard Factory) its rustic, urban surroundings and Padilla's collective experiences all greatly influenced her work. "The Antfarm and my new space all give me a chance to experiment and explore the limits of my paintings and process," Padilla says.

"My work is directly influenced by my surroundings, my travel experiences and by food—especially the delicate shapes, textures and colors of fruit, the mark of graffiti and tag art, the shapes and lines created by cityscapes, mass transit and the trains that pass by."

Most recently, Padilla traveled to Barcelona where she studied with world-renowned Spanish artists Tom Carr and Carmen Miguel. Of her journey, Padilla exclaims, "Barcelona was the most artistic and inspiring city I have ever been too. I was amazed and inspired by all the incredible graffiti, museums, public art, architecture, mass transit, oceans, design, city planning, performance art and landscape."

A native of Chapel Hill, Padilla is a graduate of North Carolina State University College of Design and has studied at the California College of Arts and Crafts in San Francisco, Scuola Internazionale di Grafica in Venice, Italy and La Llotja Escola d'Art in Barcelona, Spain.

Wines of South Africa
Monday, February 19
7pm- 9:30 pm
Join us for our first ever South African wine dinner. Don't know much about this interesting wine growing region? Then now is your chance. South Africa ranks as the world's seventh largest wine producer. In 1652 wine was pressed for the first time from grapes grown on South Africa's cape. Its wine history dates back over 300 years but its reputation for making good, solid wines is fairly new. During the 1980s anti-apartheid sanctions excluded Cape wines from most foreign markets. South African wine paid a dear price, but as sanctions were lifted in the early 1990s the industry found itself more competitive at the bottom end of the market than at the top. Denied the rigors and rewards of international competition for so long, the Cape wine industry is now springing to catch up with "new world" excellence, innovation and aggressive marketing. You can expect an interesting mix of old-world AND new world styles in these unique wines from South Africa's famous Cape. We welcome Olivier Lotterie from Vineyard Brands Imports to guide us on a tasting tour of this exciting wine producing region.

The cost of this event is $40 per person; space is limited, so reserve early. Please pay in advance and pick up a ticket for this tasting at either Panzanella or the customer service desk at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro.