Nancy and Barb seem to be off to their next destination in El Dorado County. "Our next destination brought us to Lava Cap Winery on Fruitridge Road number 26 on the Apple Hill Scenic Drive map. I do want to point out that from Rainbow Orchards #10 to the winery there was another great Fall scent. The smell of wet autumn leaves! How I miss that from growing up on the East Coast in Massachusetts.
Upon our arrival to Lava Cap I first noticed the rolling hills and the golden sun at 11 am. Yay sun! We met one owner from this family owned business, Beth Jones. She told us the whole story behind the winery. There is certainly a lot more to learn than just grapes!
The land of Lava Cap is rich in history. The land was bought by Beth's Father-In-Law David Jones and his wife Jeanne in 1980. He was a well-known geologist and his two sons started this venture from an old small pear orchard they purchased. David Jones (vs. Davey Jones)and family wanted to preserve the fields and maintain the space and beauty by preserving this rural landscape. The grapes are grown in Volcanic soil along with the sloping terrain. Gold was found under the Lava Caps making it a famous area for gold miners because of the deposits (vs. withdrawals. Later, this region was recognized and known for its pears.
In 1981 the plan to convert the orchard to vineyard was developed by the family. Beth explained that there is a lot of sun exposure and for the grapes to obtain more sun they pull off the leaves from the grapevine. Their grapes are harvested after the Sonoma and Napa Valley grapes. These grapes at Lava Cap are at a higher elevation than the previous areas mentioned providing cooler evenings and prolonging the harvesting of the grapes. This allows the grapes to mature to their best potential.
As for wines, Lava Cap is known mostly for their Zinfandel, Chardonnay, and Petite Sirah. It was a proven fact when I walked by their display case full of award winning medals. Lava Cap produces on average 20,000 cases of wine every season.
I like to budget my money and how can you go wrong with no tasting room fees, a smaller production area, and supporting a family run business? I have heard Napa Valley wineries charge tasting fees! For more information to their website visit lavacap.com
At this point in our travels Barbara, Jody, Bailey, and I were ready for lunch...on to our next stop. Photos by Nancy Kozicki. Tech by Barbara Coletta
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