Picture Perfect
Celebrating a life behind the lens
Steven Elphick’s photo of the Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard (above) played a vital role in turning a pipe dream into reality. The partnership between the Burgundy-based Boisset family and Vincor International aimed to create high-quality chardonnay and pinot noir wines from vineyards in Jordan, Ontario. However, the success of these distinctive terroir-focused wines was uncertain without a proven audience.
The audacious plan was successful largely due to the hiring of Thomas Bachelder, a Montreal native who trained as a winemaker in Burgundy, before working at Lemelson Vineyards in Oregon. Bachelder’s expertise and personality helped bring success to Niagara’s wine country. You could say the charismatic Bachelder brought the water to the well.
But before wine lovers could taste the wines for themselves, they read about them in newspapers and magazines that featured reports and reviews illustrated by Elphick’s images. His photos captured the spirit of the people and that place as much as, if not more, than the words on the page.
Every picture tells a story. Elphick’s images of Le Clos and many other Canadian vineyards and wineries conveyed complex narratives and emotions about the cultivation of the vines and the dedication of the hands guiding them. These snapshots captured the natural beauty of these moments, helping to establish the creditability of the modern grape and wine industry both domestically and internationally.
A Toronto-based commercial photographer with a passion for food and wine, Elphick passed away on March 9 after a long illness. He was an early supporter of various initiatives related to wine and food in the country, including VINES, the lifestyle magazine founded by Walter Sendzik and me in 1998.
Elphick was a frequent contributor to VINES, starting with our debut issue where he provided a portrait of Peter Gamble, who was serving as the executive director of VQA Canada at that time. Gamble and Tony Aspler, the veteran wine writer and author, wrote Elphick’s eulogy.
He was an Artist – not with a brush or a pen, but a camera. He brought a poet’s eye and sensibility to whatever he focused his lens on. Whether his subject was fashion, still life, portraiture, food or his career-long passion, wine, he created memorable photographs for magazine covers, books and advertisements worldwide. The depth he brought to his professional catalogue of work grew organically from the breadth of his interests.
Words from Steven Elphick’s eulogy
When we launched VINES, we had a passion for wine and were forming connections. Elphick was on the executive board of the Wine Writers Circle of Canada. Having his name on the masthead, along with established wine personalities Linda Bramble and Barbara Ritchie, helped to demonstrate that we were a serious publication, even if we had a unique approach to discussing Canadian wine and wine appreciation.
I am grateful for his mentorship and friendship over the years and extend sincere condolences to his wife, Paula, family and friends.
If I Had Your Number…
These are the article links I would send you.
The Dominion of Baco
Dave Cronin, who writes about wine and beer here on Substack, shares his first impression tasting Henry of Pelham Baco Noir.
Spotlight on the South Okanagan
Canada’s Only ‘Desert’ Is Also One of Its Most Exciting Wine Regions—Here’s How to Explore It (March 2, 2026, travelandliesure.com)
Always something happenin’ and nothing goin’ on
There are nearly as many songs with days in their titles as there are 24-hour blocks throughout recorded history. The passage of time serves as a powerful muse, inspiring contemplation of mortality, the fleeting nature of life, and providing perspective on personal growth and evolution. In her nostalgic and bittersweet, “These Days,” Nico reflects, “These days I seem to think a lot / About the things that I forgot to do / And all the times I had / A chance to.” English singer-songwriter Lloyd Cole’s “These Days” slides into a different slipstream, suggesting, “Pull a blanket round you, babe.” None of these songs echo Hallmark sentiments about “aging like fine wine.” Instead, harmony and discord abound as artists confront our journey through time in song.
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Sad news.
So sad.