UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio (LCWS) is hosting a wine tasting event featuring newly released wines from Sol Rouge with vintners Bryan Kane and Jill Brothers, and artist reception with Jacqueline Farley on Friday, Dec. 2, and Saturday, Dec. 3.

The event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday.

The $15 ($12/per person for Studio club members) wine sampler and appetizers by Fresh and Bangin’ Eatery will showcase the 2014 Gypsy Blanc with lemon and herb poached shrimp, 2013 Gypsy Rouge with cheese and jalapeño stuffed wontons with dipping sauce, 2013 Zinfandel with Asian vegetables and peanuts on noodles, and the 2012 Cabernet Franc (People’s Choice Best of Class) with peppered steak garnished with peppers and onions.

The new release 2013 Petite Sirah will be poured as a bonus taste.

Jacqueline Farley has lived in Lake County since 1993. She was born and educated in the UK where she worked as a dance and theatre arts teacher in schools, colleges and universities in the greater London area.

Following a short career in the theater, her interest developed in the therapeutic application of the arts and how the arts can benefit society.

She earned a bachelor's degree majoring in dance and went on to study dramatherapy, psychology and education at a post-graduate level, and then began working in hospital settings and with at-risk youth. Her training in art during these years was at London’s City Literary Institute and St. Albans College of Art.

Farley came to the U.S. as an intern in a therapeutic community run according to the philosophy of the late psychiatrist, RD Laing, with the aim of becoming a psychologist. She worked with residents using the therapeutic application of art, dance and drama as well as meditative techniques.

Since moving to Lake County, she has been active in the arts community both as a teacher at Mendocino College and as a performer, and lives with her husband in Lakeport.

Her first job in Lake County was as a member of the after hours crisis team for Mental Health. It was following this experience that she decided against the life of a psychologist and began to focus more on arts and teaching.

Farley has been a part-time teacher of English as well as visual and performing arts at Instilling Goodness and developing Virtue Schools in Ukiah since 2001, and earned her MA in Buddhist Education at the Dharma Realm Buddhist University in 2009.

Her interest in drawing and painting is lifelong, and she continues to attend art classes at Mendocino College. It is her hope that this, her first one-woman show, will generate some funds to assist those who have lost their homes in the devastating Lake County fires.

One-hundred percent of Farley’s proceeds of sale on her works of art will be donated to the Lake County Rising Fire Relief Fund, a collaborative fundraising effort organized by the Lake County Winegrape Commission, Lake County Winery Association and Lake County Wine Alliance.

Vintners Bryan Kane and Jill Brothers have been reaping acclaim and awards with each vintage release of Sol Rouge wines.

Committed to sustainable farming practices, Sol Rouge embraces proven, old-world winemaking methods – using French oak, native yeast, natural secondary fermentation and minimal racking with no fining or filtering.

Recognized as one of the “Next Generation Cult Winemakers” by Sommelier Journal, winemaker Kane’s non-interventionist technique intends to bring forth the true flavor and characteristics of the vineyard through to the wines and has defined him as one of the pioneers in the “natural wine” movement. While Kane’s primary focus is on Rhone varietals, he is equally adept with Bordeaux varietals.

The Sol Rouge vineyard is located in the rich, red volcanic soil of the Red Hills Appellation at elevations over 1800 feet nestled between Mt. Konocti and Benson Ridge.

Currently planted with Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Counoise, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Cinsault, the site is all hillside with slopes up to 60 percent and has high density plantings of nearly 6,000 vines per hectare in some blocks.

Lake County Wine Studio is a gallery for display and sale of art and a tasting room, wine bar and retail shop for the fine wines of Lake County. Artists’ shows are held on a monthly basis with art and wine receptions held the first Friday and subsequent Saturday of each month.
 
The gallery is located at 9505 Main St. in Upper Lake. The hours of business September through May are Thursday to Monday from 1 to 7 p.m., and Friday from 1 to 8 p.m.

The Farley art exhibit will be on display for the months of December and January.

LCWS will be closed Jan. 1 to 14 for annual maintenance. Appointments for tasting are available by reservation during those two weeks.

For more information call Lake County Wine Studio at 707-275-8030 or 707-293-8752.