This five liter, etched and hand-painted bottle is truly one of a kind.  It holds a unique blend of Tolosa Pinot Noir, not offered in any other bottling. It also represents a rare opportunity to directly purchase a work created by glass artist and designer Candice Norcross, which usually sells at auction.

  The Kiss

The Process
As “The Kiss” is a unique and intricate piece of art, the process of hand drawing and configuring the art for the 5 liter bottle is quite involved. The image is transferred directly to the bottle by hand with a template created with a photo process. Each template is rinsed, dried and applied with adhesives to the bottle. The bottle is masked and all air bubbles are carefully scored and pressed out by hand to ensure that only the areas with the design are sandblasted. The bottle is then placed in an enclosed box and sandblasted at varying pounds of pressure, to protect the delicate design. The sandblasting process removes the areas that will be painted such that only the line work remains polished glass. This creates a second surface raised above the first, leaving specifically shaped reservoirs to hold paint. A base coat is first applied, then a sealer.
The intricacy of this piece of art requires many steps including airbrushing, sponging and layered hand-painting. Each is done in a deliberate order and manner, all by hand, and individually unique.  As crowning touches, Swarovski crystals are strategically added to the art, and the neck of the bottle is hand-dipped in black wax.

The Designer and Glass Artist
Designer and artist Candice Norcross has combined over twenty-five years of graphic, commercial and textile art experience into a unique glass concept of amazing aesthetic value.  Her specialty has become hand-painted reproductions of original and master artwork. Each one of her works is individually hand-etched, hand-painted, signed and numbered, further adding to the special nature of her creations. Her commissioned works are created for an impressive list of clients, including countless wineries, private collectors and individuals seeking artwork for special occasions. Celebrity owners of pieces of her work include Lance Armstrong, Madonna, Billy Joel, Joe Cocker, Pope John Paul II and Steve Wynn. The film industry has taken notice; Norcross has created bottle artwork representing Sideways, The Gangs of New York, The Aviator, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and most recently, The Departed.  Norcross established Northern Cross Design Studio in 1993, in the heart of Wine Country on California’s Central Coast.

The Wine
Pinot Noir is the flagship wine of Tolosa winery. Tolosa is an estate winery based solely on its own Edna Ranch Vineyard. The winery and vineyards are located in Edna Valley an intimate coastal valley just south of the city of San Luis Obispo. The best sites within the vineyards are devoted to Pinot Noir. The soils on the low hills limit yield per vine and encourage the intensity of color and flavor that are the hallmark of fine wine. Within the vineyards are twenty four distinct sites planted to nine different clones of Pinot Noir. This diversity of planting creates a wealth of choices when it comes to consistently producing both complexity and top quality. Very few small wineries have this wide a selection of material to work with. The 2006 Pinot Noir “The Kiss” is deeply colored with a vibrant ruby hue. Pinot is the most perfumed of all classic red wines. Its aroma is hard to define verbally, but distinctive nonetheless. There is always the element of ripe red fruit, sometimes cherry, often blackberry or plum. Enhancing the primary fruit notes are smoky and vanilla highlights from the barrel aging. Pinot can hint at spice cabinet as well and this wine shows both cinnamon and clove. Flavors in the mouth are consistent with the aroma. There is a sweet fruity impression that lengthens into a pleasant hint of cedar and anise. Pinot Noir is the most adaptable of wines with food. Ever the diplomat at the table it gets along with everything.