UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio (LCWS) is hosting a wine tasting event featuring wines from Sol Rouge, and artist reception with artist Linda Marshbanks from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 3, and 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 4.

The Saturday event will include an optional progressive three-course winemaker dinner at the Tallman Hotel following the appetizer course at the Studio. Owner Jill Kane and owner/winemaker Bryan Kane will be at the Studio and Tallman Hotel for the receptions and the special Saturday dinner event. Musical guest for both evenings will be Linda Brown on Celtic harp.

The $12.50 ($10 per person for studio club members) wine sampler and appetizers presented at the studio will showcase the 2013 Gypsy Blanc with a cabbage, fennel and carrot slaw with Cara Cara orange, 2011 Gypsy Rouge with Manchego Crouton, 2010 Syrah with lamb meatball and 2011 Cabernet Franc with raspberries drizzled with dark chocolate and cocoa nibs.
 
The wines and menu prepared by guest chef Mark Linback at the Tallman Hotel on April 4 will feature the 2012 Rosé with smoked trout salad of Butter lettuce, pickled red onion and fried egg with caper dressing, followed by the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon with J&S Ranch buffalo short ribs served with braised greens, marble potatoes and squash purée, and the dessert course will be chocolate two ways: chocolate berry sorbet and chocolate pot de créme with the 2011 Petite Sirah.
 
Reservations for the Saturday tasting at the Studio and dinner at the Tallman are $75 plus tax and may be obtained by calling the Tallman Hotel at 707-275-2244, Extension 0.

As well as he grows and harvests the grapes with a philosophy of making wine in the field, winemaker Bryan Kane has been reaping acclaim and awards with each vintage of Sol Rouge wines.

Committed to sustainable farming practices, Kane 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, 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.

The featured artist for April is Linda Marshbanks. Marshbanks knew she wanted to be an artist at the age of 5 when she watched her mother draw a picture of a woman’s face. She practiced drawing that picture over and over until she got it just right.

Self-taught, she won her first trophy for art when she was in kindergarten and by her own admission, became a perfectionist.

During her 30-year career as a cosmetologist, Marshbanks began to enter nail art competitions. She won 35 trophies in one year and went on to win the world championship in 1987.

She has written 21 nail painting instruction books to teach people how to paint the dot method she invented and during a 10-year period she traveled the United States to teach the method.

Marshbanks’ recent works of art are a series of detailed whimsical wine scenes with chickens that she has named “Fowl Play.”

Her paintings are about having fun, enjoying life and making people smile. Her works are painted on wood, canvas, furniture and just about everything she sees.

Many of her pieces are first painted onto paper towels and are then applied to recycled wooden pallets. Also designing and making jewelry, she has created over 500 designs of earrings that are lightweight and made to fit the curve of the ear. The latest design is a 3D butterfly.

Lake County Wine Studio is a gallery for display and sale 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 located at 9505 Main Street in Upper Lake and 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 Marshbanks art exhibit will be on display through April 29.

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