The Carving of a Masterpiece

Three men rolling a large wrapped wine cask across a driveway into a garage in Haymarket, Virginia

An unused cask was located in Bad Durkheim Germany and transported to Haymarket, Va.

Neighbors gathered around the wine cask in the garage, sharing wine and food at a welcome home party

A welcome home party was held for neighbors so they could see what was going to happen in the garage.

A custom-built wooden carving rack in the garage, built to hold the large wine cask end during carving

A custom carving rack awaited the cask end.

The artist steadying the large cask end with a 2-ton garage crane in the workshop

A special garage crane was needed to move the heavy cask end around and place it on the carving rack.

The artist drawing the vineyard design on the massive cask end mounted on the carving rack in the garage

The design was drawn on the cask end and a party was held to celebrate the shift from design to carving. Look at the size of the cask compared to the man.

The wine cask end on the carving rack showing the vineyard scene emerging in relief after many weeks of carving

Carving proceeded for many weeks in the unheated garage. The design began to emerge as the chips were cut.

Two people using the garage crane and rigging to reposition the massive carved cask end on the carving rack

The cask had to be moved up and down for access. Eventually the carving was accomplished.

The fully carved cask end hanging on the wall in the basement wine area with blue paint markings showing where painting will begin

Painting was another challenge. It had to be done in the wine area of the basement because the painters needed a warm workspace.

A large group of neighbors and friends gathered in the garage for the unveiling party — the first Big Barrel Party

When the painting was done another party was held — the unveiling. This was the first of a series of "Big Barrel Parties".

The completed God Bless This Wine cask end hanging on chains in the tasting area, fully carved and painted

When all was done the masterpiece was in place in the tasting area. Over the next few years, it would be joined by three other masterpieces.

The artist standing at the tasting bar flanked by the God Bless This Wine and Weinstrasse cask ends mounted on the walls

The cask is in the tasting area.

In an Unheated Garage on a Quiet Street