UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio is hosting wine release parties and artist show receptions with Bryan Kane, consulting winemaker for Sottomarino Winery, and artist Jo Danehy on Friday, Sept. 7, from 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 8, from 4 to 7 p.m.

The $15 ($12.50 per person for studio club members) wine sampler and appetizers by Cache Creek Catering will showcase Sottomarino Winery’s new releases beginning with their 2014 Sangiovese paired with cherry tomato caprese, 2014 Primitivo with mushroom, spinach and Asiago pinwheels, 2014 Aglianico with roasted peppers and mini sausage skewers, and the 2014 Sopraffino (Super Tuscan Red Blend) with aged goat cheese tortellini with red wine tomato sauce.

Sottomarino, meaning “submarine” in Italian, is an urban winery located on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay, that offers a line-up of authentic, highly rated Italian varietal.

Produced in an old-world style, every wine they have released has received 90+ points ratings. The four wines to be featured were all made from fruit grown in Lake County.

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.

Artist Jo Danehy fell into photography unconsciously. It started with her dogs. She loved photographing them and to photograph them well and candidly in their natural environment, she had to learn to shoot fast.

The same goes for horses. When she started photographing horses and learned to do it well, the WOW factor exploded in the resulting photographs.

Danehy has always loved producing art in many different forms, but photography, especially digital photography, brings her instant satisfaction.

In a moment’s time a beautiful image is there before her eyes. Sometimes she leaves it alone making only minor adjustments or none at all. Sometimes she uses innovative techniques to make an image more beautiful. Her style is constantly evolving.

As much as she tries to define her style or brand, she is unable to box herself into a monotone style such as black and white photography, since often the beauty or “feeling” of a photograph is created through the color.

Color brings vibrancy, unifying the pieces of a composition while on the other hand the absence of color can draw attention to detail and pure light.

Since 2010, Danehy has been showing her work professionally in California and New Mexico, and has won 11 first place awards in less than 10 years. Danehy says, “When people tell me my work is excellent or beautiful and better yet if it moves them emotionally, I know I have done my job well.”

In the past five years Danehy has been devoting a large portion of her time and energy to visit and photograph America’s wild mustangs all over the western United States.

“To witness horses in the wild, to witness their way of life, to witness their power, grace and beauty is a euphoric, intoxicating experience for me,” she said.

In the spring and summer the mustang bands come together. Mares give birth to colts and fillies and the circle of life begins again with stallions fighting for breeding rights. She became addicted to their company and yearned to visit them year after year.

Danehy explained, “These horses are part of America’s history and their plight is tragic. They are routinely rounded up and ripped away from land they have inhabited for hundreds of years. And if not adopted by humans, languish penned up in corrals for years on end paid for by the American taxpayer. In my work I hope to bring awareness and hope to help people understand and appreciate horses and through their beauty, power and calm. Visit me on Facebook and www.danehyphotography.com.”

To get more information on the wild horse plight go to America’s Wild Horse Preservation Campaign page on Facebook.

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. It is open Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 7 p.m., and Friday from 1 to 8 p.m.

The Danehy art show will be on display for the full month of September.

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