About the Winery
Lava Cap Winery is a family-owned estate in El Dorado County, where second-generation winemaker Charlie Jones continues work rooted in high-elevation vineyards set on decomposed granite soils. The winery focuses on estate-grown varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel, with mountain conditions and diurnal shifts contributing to structure and balance. This combination of elevation, soil, and continuity defines a style that reflects both place and long-term vineyard stewardship.
The tasting experience is set in a quiet, forested environment that feels removed from more traveled wine routes, with views that reinforce its mountain setting. Tastings are relaxed and centered around the estate wines, allowing visitors to move through a lineup shaped entirely by the property. It’s a setting that encourages a slower pace and a closer look at how site influences the wines in the glass.
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For current releases and full wine details, visit the winery’s website.
Expect wines that reflect mountain growing conditions, with structure and freshness shaped by elevation and granite-based soils. The lineup leans heavily on estate fruit, so what you taste is closely tied to the vineyard itself.
Take your time working through the wines and pay attention to how they evolve across the tasting, especially between varietals. This is a place where slowing down and comparing styles will give you a clearer sense of what high-elevation El Dorado fruit can do.