UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio is hosting a wine tasting event featuring the Lake County wine releases from both Laujor Estate and Cougar’s Leap of Black Rock Ranch, and artist reception with illustrations by Stephen Bellah on Friday,Nov. 2, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 3, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Musical entertainment during the Friday evening reception will be the duo MAJIDE!, and during the Saturday reception we will have Jim Waters on keyboard.
Laujor Estate Winery is a small production, family-owned boutique winery with vineyards located in the famed Red Hills Appellation with a beautiful view of Mount Konocti. Owners and vintner Dave and Cheryl Lucido drew upon the names of their children, Lauren and Jordan, to create the name of their winery.
The vineyard site offers optimum volcanic soils that provide excellent drainage with growing conditions similar to the Mediterranean's warm days and cool evenings with breezes that blow in from Clear Lake. The resulting intense fruit allows the Lucidos to get the best expression from each varietal at harvest.
The Lucidos will be at the receptions to introduce their new wine releases and to share the news about their new tasting room expected to open in early 2013.
Nestled in the Red Hills Appellation not far from Laujor Estate, is Cougar's Leap Winery at Black Rock Ranch. At an elevation of 2,300 feet, the ranch is named after the large deposits of shiny obsidian rock exposed throughout the volcanic soils.
The winery is named for the wild cougars that roam the hills and is owned by award-winning winemaker, Nils Venge. The studio is pleased to offer his new releases of Wildcat White and Petite Sirah as part of the tasting sampler.
Illustrator Stephen Bellah began his artistic education at an early age and continued throughout his educational years, participating in competitions and garnering awards along the way. With college came advanced art studies.
Bellah was the editorial cartoonist for the local student newspaper and later provided cartoons for the American Medical Magazine. Those assignments kindled his passion to create illustrations in pencil.
Intrigued by the illustrations of Paul Calle, an artist who depicted many drawings representing the NASA Space Program in the early 1970s, Bellah began to produce several drawings of President Lincoln and the civil war era that were purchased by the Lincoln Savings and Loan Institution.
As a land surveyor, he has produced several historical drawings within this line of work, including building unique hand-crafted frames.
Upon moving to Lake County, he was fascinated by its magnificent history and was inspired to create several drawings from the early era. Many of his drawings represent Lake County's famous resorts and the means travelers took to get there.
The $12.50 ($10/pp for Studio club members) wine sampler with paired appetizers will feature 2011 Cougar's Leap Wildcat White [Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Blend] with shrimp mousse on rice cracker, 2010 Laujor Sangiovese with Italian cheese ravioli in tomato sauce, 2009 Laujor Zinfandel with a rosemary & raisin flatbread pizza, 2009 Laujor Malbec with Gorgonzola & fig spread on crostini, and 2008 Cougar's Leap Petite Sirah with Tri-tip with a Petite Sirah reduction glaze.
There is no charge to those who wish to view the artwork and meet the artists without partaking of the food and wine. Reservations are not required.
Lake County Wine Studio is both a gallery for display of arts 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. It is open Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Clarke art show will be on display for the full month of September.
For more information call Lake County Wine Studio at 707-275-8030.
