The wine is their intense, full bodied 2004 Petite Sirah Reserve sourced from the Granite Hill vineyard located across the canyon from the estate. That this winery won such an award will come as no surprise to those who have tried the diverse portfolio of Lava Cap wines; but for those who haven’t, sit back and come with us as we find out what has made this such a great spot to try taste great wines.

The Winery:   
Located at nearly 3000 feet in elevation in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the wine region where Lava Cap is found is cooler than either St Helena in the Napa Valley or Dry Creek in the Sonoma Valley.   The region actually has more in common temperature wise with the Oakville area of Napa, known for its incredible Cabernet Sauvignons.  The majority of the soil found in and around the winery is weathered from 10 million year old volcanic rock which originated in volcanoes located east of Lake Tahoe.  It is these rich soils that the founder, David Jones, felt contributed to the deep flavor profiles of the estate wines. 

The original 65 acre estate, purchased by the Jones family in 1981, was a pear orchard that dated to the 1860s.  The adjoining 18 acres were purchased in 1990 and the Granite Hill vineyard (where the award winning grapes are grown) was purchased in partnership in 1996.  The first winery building was completed in 1986 and the tasting room with its inviting redwood deck opened for business in 1987.  The family owned and managed estate now consists of 130 acres, 74 of which are planted to vineyards and produces 20,000 cases of wine per year.  This is a spot to buy a bottle of wine to sip while watching the sun move across the horizon over the vineyards that fade to the lip of the American River Canyon in the distance; a great way to spend an afternoon.

This is a family owned and operated business like few others.  President of the winery is David Jones who earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Yale University and a PH.D. from Stanford.  A  professor of Geology at the University of California, Berkeley, for many years, Mr. Jones also helped found the Family Winemakers of California association in 1992, which strives to give the small, family owned wineries a louder voice in the industry and government issues that impact them.  He also served as president of the organization for 2 years.  Wife Jeanne is the General Manager, son Tom is the winemaker, daughter-in-law Noreen is the office manager and son Charles is the vineyard manager.  Continued ...