This is what was written on a colossal chalkboard at Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga, CA, and there was plenty of chalk for people to fill in the blanks.

I’ve never heard of soul searching as a prerequisite to wine tasting but there it was — this huge blackboard of hope patiently waiting for people to scrawl their dreams.

Here’s a peek at some of them:

See the Eiffel Tower.

Embrace all adventure.

Write a New York Times bestseller.

Become immortal.

This whimsical chalkboard was a refreshing exercise and gave us plenty to talk about later when we did the $39 “Sterling Silver Experience.”

It began with the aerial tram, followed by a self-guided tour of the winery, and ultimately a seated wine tasting featuring single vineyard and limited release wines.

The Silver Experience gave us access to the upper level of the winery where we could take in the exhibits from the Sterling Art Collection including Picasso, Chagall, Frasconi, and the Ansel Adams photographic essay “The Story of a Winery”.

The art was outstanding, the reserve wine top-rate and the conversation, compelling. What could be better than sipping a line-up of  tasty wines and pondering …

What do you want to do before you die?