UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio will be hosting Fore Family Vineyards and Sol Rouge during the two day Wine Adventure this year May 16 and 17.

The theme this year at the Studio is “Springtime fun with the Bordeaux Boys and Rhonettes.”

Fore Family Vineyards will be pouring Grenache Blanc, Mourvèdre, GSM and Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sol Rouge will be pouring Gypsy Blanc, Rosé, Gypsy Rouge and Syrah.

Guests who purchase any combination of six bottles of Fore Family and/or Sol Rouge wines will receive a Lake County Diamond while supplies last.

Musical guest on Saturday is guitarist and luthier, Mark Grant.

Musical guests on Sunday will be David Glass and Justin Levitt on keyboards.

Mark Grant comes from a musical family and taught himself how to play guitar at the age of 12. 

Golden Era (1950s to 1960s) electric guitars became and still is an obsession.  As a young man he learned the craft of auto restoration/fabrication/modification working directly under master craftsman Bob Clouse. Grant went onto a career in real estate sales while burning the midnight oil building hot rods.

A few years ago he was fortunate to meet master luthier Michael Dolan. Dolan took Grant under his wing and taught him nearly everything he knows about building guitars.

The kind of education Dolan provided in lutherie coupled with Grant’s automotive finishing/fabrication skill set put him on the fast track to becoming a luthier.

His guitar designs start as a pencil drawing and the entire building and finishing process is carried out by hand.

“I feel very grateful for my teachers and the overwhelming support from my family, friends and strangers,” Grant said. “The universe has basically told me that I need to be building guitars. Who am I to argue?”

Grant will have a number of his custom built guitars available for viewing on Saturday.

Pianists David Glass and Justin Levitt are a rare commodity in today's contemporary music.

Side-by-side they have entertained audiences for years with their four-hand piano improvisations that intermix a variety of musical genres that vary from classical, jazz, new age, blues, rock and so much more.

Distinctive in their own musical styles, Glass and Levitt merge together musically to make two pianists sound like one.

Always willing to break new boundaries musically, Levitt and Glass bring a theatrical energy to the stage. Their innovative approaches include switching positions while improvising and David performing underneath the piano. 

Lake County Wine Studio is located at 9505 Main St., Upper Lake.

For more information, call Susan Feiler at 707-725-8030.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Sierra Club Lake Group will host a forum on sustainable viticulture at its next meeting on Wednesday, May 27.

The forum will begin at 7 p.m. at the Lower Lake Methodist Church Community Room, 16255 Second St. in Lower Lake.

Panelists will include Erica Lundquist from the Mendocino County Natural Resource Conservation Service, with local viticultuists Christian Ahlmann, (Six Sigma) Tracey Hawkins (Hawk & Horse), Randy Krag (Beckstoffer Vineyards) and Thurston Williams (Clover Creek Family Farm).

About 10 years ago, when Lake County was in the early stages of what has turned out to be a dramatic increase in vineyard acreage, the Sierra Club sponsored an informative discussion on sustainable practices in viticulture, with stimulating presentations by an expert panel followed by a rousing question and answer session.

A lot has changed since then, not only within the wine industry but also in the community – so the group determined that the time was ripe for a sequel.

Subjects will include an overview of best management practices, creative ways to integrate animal husbandry with vineyard management, organic and biodynamic practices, and – the hottest of topics these days – the best ways to use and conserve water.

As always the meeting is free and open to the public.

For details, contact Chair Ed Robey at 707-994-8304 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the new docks at Library Park will be held on Thursday, May 21.

The event will begin at 5 p.m. at the park, located across from Lakeport City Hall – which is at 225 Park St. – with the ribbon-cutting to take place at 5:30 p.m.

Bring your blanket or chair and plan to stay and picnic while listening  to the music being provided by the LC Diamonds.

The Lakeport Main Street Association will be selling beer and wine.

The city of Lakeport, Lakeport Main Street Association and the Lake County Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring the event.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Life happens. Sometimes we get advance warning of a big change in our lives and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes there is not much we can do about it, and sometimes we can.

The one thing we always have control over is how we choose to respond … to everything.

The Middletown Luncheon Club's guest at its meeting on Wednesday, May 20, will be licensed marriage and family therapist Linda Laing, who will offer some insight on navigating through the difficult times in our lives and using the installation of hope to face challenges, both large and small.

Changes in our attitude can affect the outcomes in our lives. As manager of bereavement services for Hospice Services of Lake County, Laing has a wealth of experience in helping people move through tough life challenges and make positive adjustments to their outlook and their lives.

Lunch will be served by the South Lake County Fire Sirens at noon at the Middletown Senior Center, 21256 Washington St. The program will end promptly at 1 p.m.

For only $5 per person, enjoy baked ham, potatoes au gratin, spinach salad and an orange wedge.

Reservations are required. Please call 707-987-3113 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information or to make a reservation.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Lake County Chapter of California Women for Agriculture (CWA) is hosting the Spring Social on Wednesday, May 20, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Ely Stage Stop.

All CWA members, their spouses, and their friends will enjoy hors d’oeuvres and wine and meet this year’s scholarship recipients at the historic site.

Women interested in becoming members of CWA are invited to attend the event.

“The Spring Social is designed for our members to mingle with each other outside of our volunteer activities and formal meetings,” said CWA President Sharron Zoller. “It is also an opportunity to bring friends interested in promoting sustainable, safe food sources to join us. We’re proud of our 40-year history of being ambassadors for Lake County agriculture and of the programs we created, like AgVenture, a hands-on experiential course created to educate the public about agriculture. We extend an invitation to anyone who has a passion for agribusiness to join us on May 20. If you eat food and wear clothes, you are involved in agriculture.”

The social will be held at the Ely Stage Stop located at 9921 Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville.

Please RSVP by May 15 by calling 707-279-4364 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

California Women for Agriculture is a nonprofit organization with 2,000 plus members across the state.

CWA is the most active, all volunteer agricultural organization in the state with members actively engaged in public promotion, education and legislative advocacy on behalf of California agriculture.

The Lake County Chapter of CWA (LCCWA) actively educates their members and the local public about matters impacting agriculture at the County State and Federal levels.

LCCWA also awards scholarships to students pursuing agricultural-related education and provides mini-grants to teachers in local schools who are educating their students about agriculture and food.

In addition, LCCWA sponsors AgVenture, an educational program for community leaders who wish to learn more about agriculture in Lake County.

To learn more about the Lake County Chapter of California Women for Agriculture, visit www.lakecountycwa.org .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Graduates of the Upper Lake High School classes of 1965 and 1966 will hold a joint "Big 50" reunion of their respective classes on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Robinson Rancheria Casino in Nice.

Faculty, staff, other students and guests are welcome to attend.

The event starts off with a meet and greet at 6 p.m. with a no host bar. A buffet dinner follows at 7 p.m. 

Tickets are $45 per person. For an optional extra $5, attendees will receive a CD after the event from photos taken during the reunion.

Reservation deadline with full payment is Aug. 31.

The reunion committee that has worked nearly a year on planning this event is comprised of Jerry Barney and Susie Dorsett LaPointe from the class of 1965, and Dianne Sleeper Rodrigues and Emalee Morrison Schmitt from the class of 1966.   

More details, and all reservations, can be obtained by contacting Emalee Morrison Schmitt at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 360-452-7146.