UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Wine Studio is hosting a wine release party and artist show reception with Scott Simkover of Smiling Dogs Ranch and artist Anu Ylonen on Friday, June 7, from 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, June 8, from 4 to 7 p.m.

The $15 ($12.50/per person for studio club members) wine sampler featuring selected appetizers by the Blue Wing will showcase the 2018 Four Blondes white blend paired with fried green beans with a spinach/artichoke/bacon dip, 2016 Tempranillo with seasoned shrimp in Creole sauce, 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon with fig/bacon jam and goat cheese on artisan crostini, and the 2013 Zinfandel with crimini mushrooms stuffed with sun dried tomato, thyme, paprika and Pt. Reyes Toma cheese.

Named for the friendly, furry, smiling Samoyed dogs Sophie and Vino, Smiling Dogs Ranch is a boutique winery located in the Kelsey Bench AVA of Lake County, where winemaker Scott Simkover crafts his artisan lots of wines from grapes grown using ecologically friendly and sustainable farming methods.

He uses renewable energy to power his winery and supports local farmers by sourcing grapes from others who farm with the same respect for nature.

Creative in all respects, Simkover is often seen with his camera or flute in hand, and is a champion of musicians both local and traveling, regularly inviting them to share their music at his downtown Kelseyville tasting room.

The artist for June is Anu Ylonen.

Ylonen became interested in photography at an early age when she received her first camera as a child. She first studied and practiced photography in Europe. After immigrating to the United States in 1980, she continued her photography classes in the United States.

Ylonen began working with digital photography in 2001. As she became more familiar with digital techniques, she realized that she had better control of the images, which she developed herself.

She started her photography company, Photo La Quinta, in the town of La Quinta in Southern California in 2004. Since then, she has relocated to Lake County. Over the years, she has photographed retail products, landscape scenes, real estate, family events, business events and native american events. She has also done nature scene photography, which she has digitally developed as art photographs.

Ylonen received the second place award in the Cloverdale Citrus Fair 2014 with her art photography. Her photography business, Photo La Quinta, currently specializes in business events, product shoots, landscape photos and exterior/interior shooting as well as photos for advertising purposes.

Ylonen is a member of the Professional Photographers of America, Lake County Chamber of Commerce and Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce.

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.

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., Friday from 1 to 8 p.m., and by appointment on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The Ylonen art show will be on display June 1 to 30.

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