
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio is hosting a wine tasting event featuring wine releases from award-winning winemaker Gregory Graham, and artist reception with photography by Eden Manus.
The reception will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8.
Graham’s wines will be paired with appetizers by Fit Food for Foodies cookbook author, Peggie King. Musical entertainment during the receptions will be acoustic guitarist Stephan Holland.
While working as head winemaker at Rombauer Vineyard in Napa Valley, Greg Graham envisioned producing wines under his own label. He began to do so in 1992 using fruit purchased in Napa, Carneros and Knights Valley.
In the year 2000, Graham seized the opportunity to grow his own winegrapes when he and his wife Marianne purchased a 13-acre Zinfandel vineyard in the Red Hills Appellation of Lake County.
In 2004, purchase of an adjacent property planted to Cabernet Sauvignon expanded the Grahams’ operations to 27 acres, and their winery was built at the base of the vineyard hills.
The vineyard soils are red, rocky, well drained, and ideally suited for the grape varietals that Graham grows.
Graham harvests his grapes at the peak of fruit flavor development. In the winery, he uses boutique winemaking techniques to control the quality and to bring out superior characteristics from the fruit, and early bottling to preserve the flavors. The result is wines with bright, fresh fruit aromas and flavors with intensity and softness.
Eden Manus is a photography student at Academy of Art University San Francisco, specializing in fine art still life photography.
Manus’ interest in art developed at a young age while living in Burbank, surrounded by all different forms of arts and entertainment.
After high school she chose photography as her preferred medium, and now freelances with her camera, shooting everything from abandoned buildings to commercial jewelry.
The $12.50 ($10/ per person for studio club members) wine sampler with paired appetizers will feature 2011 Sauvignon Blanc with white bean and red chard dip, 2011 Chardonnay with roasted and spiced Leonardis Organics Delicata squash and Bosc pears, 2008 Cinder Cone Reserve with Shannon Ranches lamb meatballs in thick and chunky marinara, 2008 Syrah (new release) with marinated crimini mushrooms, and 2010 Zinfandel (new release) with “Q” (quinoa) bites made with 72 percent cacao.
There is no charge to those who wish to view the artwork and meet the artist without partaking of the food and wine. Reservations are not required.
Lake County Wine Studio is both 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 Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Manus art show will be on display for the full month of December.
For more information call Lake County Wine Studio at 707-275-8030.