From left, Clay Shannon, the Lake County Winery Association's 2011 chair; Valerie Ramirez, board member; Eric Stine, secretary; Bonnie Sears, Treasurer; Gregory Graham, vice-chair; and Nick Buttitta, board member. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Winery Association (LCWA) nonprofit vintner organization representing over 30 wineries welcomes its 2011 slate of directors.

Clay Shannon of Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery and his newly opened Vigilance Winery & Vineyard has been elected to lead this organization as the Chair for 2011.

“I’m invested in my vineyard and winery projects, I’m invested in Lake County, and I’m invested in LCWA,” said Shannon. “This association has made great progress since its start in 2007, but we can do better and the time is now. I’m looking forward to an exciting and progressive year.”

Other board officers elected include Gregory Graham of Gregory Graham Wines, re-elected as LCWA Vice-chair; Bonnie Sears of Snows Lake Vineyard as treasurer; and Eric Stine of Langtry Estate & Vineyards as secretary.

The 2011 LCWA board of directors includes a total of nine volunteers.

In addition to Clay Shannon, Gregory Graham, Bonnie Sears and Eric Stine, the following individuals have been elected by the membership to serve on the 2011 board: Kaj Ahlmann of Six Sigma Ranch, Vineyards & Winery; Nick Buttitta of Rosa d’Oro Vineyards; Valerie Ramirez of Wildhurst Vineyards; Adawn Wood of Shed Horn Cellars; and Steve Tylicki of Steele Wines.

The Lake County Winery Association is a nonprofit organization founded in 2007 by a dozen wineries.

Today, LCWA serves more than 40 vintners and associate members who share a mission to promote awareness of Lake County’s excellent wine industry, high elevation wines and tourism opportunities.

Through partnerships with the County of Lake, Lake County Chamber of Commerce, Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, Lake County Winegrape Commission, Lake County Farm Bureau and other associations, LCWA strives to promote the County’s unique and distinct rural attributes – our lake, our mountain, our air and our land.

LCWA is committed to sustainable farming and winery operation practices and LCWA is committed to our community and its members.

To learn more about LCWA, visit www.lakecountywineries.org or call 707-355-2762.