UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Wine Studio is hosting an olive oil release party with Steve Tylicki of Olio di Mendo from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 18.

The event will include a complimentary tasting of the oil now available for purchase at the studio.  

A separate $5 sampler featuring the oil will include five different foods while supply remains available: focaccia, hummus dip, organic white popcorn, pasta salad and the olive oil cake with candied orange recipe by Terre Logsdon that won the amateur recipe contest at this year’s Kelseyville Olive Festival.  

There is no charge for Studio Wine Club members.

Every late fall since 1997, Steve Tylicki has gathered olives from small olive plantings on the rolling hills and ridges of southern Mendocino County to make small noncommercial batches of olive oil.

Now, using carefully selected olives exclusively from Mendocino and Lake counties, Tylicki’s new enterprise, Olio di Mendo is celebrating its third year of production.

Pressed and bottled at Chacewater Olive Mill in Kelseyville, state of the art small scale Pieralisi equipment was used in the extraction of the oil from the Mendocino and Lake County olives used in this third release.

Tylicki and wife Nan have formed Olio di Mendo Olive Co. to make this fine oil available to the public. Aided by Tylicki’s daughter Sara Hewitt, Olio di Mendo Extra Virgin Olive Oil is now available for purchase in California and North Carolina.

Trained in sensory evaluation of olive oil at the University of California at Davis, Tylicki has created a blended oil reminiscent of the great oils of Tuscany.  

Using the model of 50 percent black, 25 percnet coloring and 25 percent green fruit, the oil shows a robust, fruity/grassy character with an aroma of both ripe and green olives.

Olio di Mendo is crafted using Frantoio, Leccino, and Pendolino olives, with additional Tuscan varieties Maurino and Moraiolo. Also included are small amounts of the Spanish varieties Mission, Manzanillo and Arbequina.

The trees providing fruit for this oil were planted under Tylicki’s guidance over the last 15 years, some struggling in experimental locations where olive trees have never been planted.  As these trees mature, Olio di Mendo olive oil will increase in complexity as well as quantity.  No synthetic pesticides or fertilizers are used in the production of this fruit.

The studio artist on view for May is Michelle Price with works in both acrylic and oil.

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.  

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 and is open Monday, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.; and Friday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Price art show will be on display for the full month of May.

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