Upper Lake >> Lake County Wine Studio (LCWS) is hosting a wine tasting event and artist show reception featuring Red Lava Vineyards, and works by Evonne Bishop. The event takes place Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m.
The wine sampler with appetizers designed by Chef Nick Heidemann will showcase Red Lava 2012 Sauvignon Blanc with a cevich? of shrimp, cantaloupe and lemongrass, 2010 Tempranillo with seared beef on skewers dusted with cocoa and sea salt, 2009 Syrah with pork medallion on crostini topped with cherry chutney and the 2011 Syrah with red walnut and blue cheese on dried plum with Syrah coulis. The cost is $12.50 and $10 per person for studio club members.
The artist
Evonne Bishop uses several mediums for her expression of emotion, depth and color to capture the abundant natural beauty of her subjects. Her works range from the human form to architecture, botanicals and sea and landscapes.
She was encouraged by her father to develop her talents through a four-volume instruction course and quickly became skilled in colored pencil works and portraits. Recognition came to her at an early age and in 1984 she opened a business in Kentucky where her portrait consignments thrived.
Bishop later moved to the San Francisco North Bay Area and studied technique with teacher, lecturer-demonstrator and art show judge Joyce Hasslebeck-Fowler. She also lived on Kauai for some time and studied oils with Fanny Bilodeau. While there, her paintings were shown in three galleries.
She has since returned to California, and last year relocated from Lake County to Ukiah where her painting career has resumed. Bishop has received numerous awards from her participation at fairs and prestigious art shows in San Francisco and counties north of the Bay Area.
The wine
Bud and Kristi Lawson own Red Lava Vineyards. Kristi hails from generations of wine enthusiasts. Her uncle “Shine” was known for fortifying the families during Prohibition, and she was told that he might have done a little jail time. Kristi grew up in the Napa Valley in an environment where a small amount of red wine with Sunday supper was traditional and not considered illegal. Kristi”s family tree includes ancestors from the wine growing regions of France and Germany, and her foray into sensory wine evaluation classes led to a keen ability to “smell” rock and dirt for classification, consistent with the minerality of Red Lava Vineyards and their wines.
Bud Lawson also knows soil, and even has a knack for divining water for wells. From many generations of farmers, he began his informal training as a child through observation and involvement with his family. Through his career as a land surveyor and work with construction companies he increased his knowledge, and now concentrates his efforts on developing the characteristics of the soil in his vineyard and alchemy of Red Lava wines. Hot summer days and cool nights, ideally modified by breezes from the nearby lakes, provide optimum growing conditions for producing complex wine.
Initially the Lawson”s focus was on the Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc grape varietals, but they have found that the Tempranillo varietal thrives in the Red Hills just as well and they are finding a rapidly growing fan base for all three of their Red Lava wines.
The studio
Lake County Wine Studio is a gallery for display of arts and a tasting room, wine bar and retail shop for the fine wines of Lake County. Artist”s 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 open Monday 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 7 p.m., and Friday from 1 to 8 p.m. The Bishop art show will be on display for the full month of November.
For more information, call Lake County Wine Studio at 275-8030 or 293-8752.
The studio is located at 9505 Main St. in Upper Lake.
Susan Feiler is owner of the Lake County Wine Studio.
