when & where

12 November 2011, Napa, California

how

after a full day [i.e. lots] of wine

details

From Dave: After visiting Cakebread Cellars, Robert Mondavi and Rubicon Estates (Inglenook), we stopped by Domaine Chandon. We finished our cheese plate and flight of wine, then walked past the "no picnicking" signs and onto the hill top to see an incredibly beautiful sunset. I asked Amy if she wanted to walk down into the grapes and she agreed. We were alone. I rested the camera on the vines and told her I was going to take a photo. Instead, I set our DSLR to video and hit record. The next moments were mostly a blur (although reviewing the video has helped to fill in details). I kept her ring wrapped in the box it came in, and told her I had something I wanted to give her. It was hiding in my camera bag under one of the dividers. I reached down and picked it up, and Amy immediately knew what was going on. The only clear and discernable words from the video -- "this better not be earrings" [OMG, OMG, OMG] and "no, that's the wrong finger...it goes on the left hand!" She said yes! Photos of the moment before and the ring, at left.

From Amy: I barely remember any of this story, but I'm so glad he captured it all on video! He had been trying to find a good way to take a picture of the two of us all day by setting the camera on a grapevine. I didn't realize all along that he was trying to find the right moment to propose throughout our tours of all four wineries.