Lava Cap Winery

My lady and I love their wine. We are very partial to the Rose and the Chardonnay. The prices are great and the little picnic baskets they offer are very nice. I’ll take Lava Cap any day over Napa.

I was there on their 30^th anniversary and it was really nice. They had free tastings, cake until it ran out, and a band. It was a real nice atmosphere as well.

Lava Cap offers a wide variety of wines so be sure to take advantage of their tasting. They range from good, great or amazing! The people working in the tasting room are wonderful, and very quick to make you feel at home. Very friendly and knowledgeable! After making the difficult decision on our favorite, we enjoyed a bottle on the beautiful deck. Great way to spend the afternoon with our friends!

Sorry, while the place is nice and the staff was great, I was disappointed with the wine and found it to be over hyped and overpriced. The Barbera and Zinfandel were a letdown.

From the outside you know this is how i roll, fancy and classy.
When we got into the building, first thing i sampled was some Chardonnay paired with fresh baked oysters with 2 different type of sauces. First thing i say to my wife is get your portion because i will help you eat it, since your a vegetarian. The oysters were like bomb juicy fresh with a nice settle sauce to go with the wine.
Next up we had the sample of Syrah paired with bake potato, sour cream, and butter. The wine was so settled, where the bake potato didn’t over power it. A plus is the potato soaked up the wine.
The memorable moment of the wine tasting is when the chef hooked it up with extra slices of tri tip, because i was tearing up that meat while the wife networked. The wife doesn’t eat meat, so she told the chef to give me her portion. He even informed us his family owns Smith Flat Restaurant nearby, so i made sure we had to go at the end of the day for our anniversary dinner.
Overall i really like their outdoor patio with such a nice view. I am wanting to come here for some of the charcuterie boards with a nice bottle of wine. I liked how it was nice and dark inside with all the stringed lights above us. I am a fan of the environment and some of favorite wine is the petite syrah. I will be back back soon for more wine. Thanks for reading and stay sipping.

Great place for a picnic. They have added more tables and umbrellas. Nice view and secluded area makes for a pleasant day. The wines are varied and haven’t had a bad one yet. Knowledgeable staff (family) make you feel welcome. Put this on your list of places to visit. DOG FRIENDLY

Really good wines and friendly people. The Syrah was great if visit again in the summer, they have a nice sitting area

Nice to sample Zinfandel, one grown in full sun and one from the rocks. Same grape completely different flavor profile.

Hey! You! Unilocaler looking to find out whether Lava Cap is worth stopping in while on an Apple Hill excursion. The quick answer? YES. For details, read on you crazy reader you.
The location is beyond beautiful. Lava Cap has a paved parking lot, great wooden structure that leads out to an also great wooden deck with several umbrella’d tables sprinkled about– yes, I know, umbrella’d isn’t a word. But you know what I meant by that, and you know you did. Beyond the deck are rolling hills to gaze upon while you sip your wine.
The tastings are fairly priced and the associates behind the bar are very friendly and knowledgeable about their wine, and what best to pair it with. They offer snack packages for you should you decide to enjoy the deck with a bottle and a picnic.
Their wine is of exceptional quality. I tried several red and several white and enjoyed each one. Now, personally my pallet enjoys a smooth, smoky, Pinot Noir. I have NEVER encountered a Chardonnay that I have enjoyed. To me, they have all been awful. I share this with you, because the Chardonnay I tasted at Lava Cap undid my cultivated perception that all Chardonnay was God awful and should be prohibited henceforth – yeah, I was that serious. Lava Cap produced a Chard unlike any others I’ve tasted. I was so surprised by the fact that I actually liked it, that I bought a bottle to take home.
Oh! And hey! If you buy a bottle, your tasting fee goes from $ 7 – 10 to nothing! That’s right! When you buy a bottle, your tasting fee is waved.
I’ll definitely be going back, and you should most certainly stop in.

If you have one winery to stop at during a visit to Apple Hill, this is the one.
I frequent the area, bring up lots of friends, and this winery is always the fan favorite of any group I have ever brought up for years — well before I ever became a member of the Wine Club.
A great Petite Syrah is not the easiest to find for me, so when I saw the consistency of theirs over the years I became a fan. Zinfandel here is also amazing year after year.
Recently attended a wine event for members that allowed me to bring a group of 10 friends to introduce to the winery. What an amazing time! They pulled out all the stops, paired delicious bites to each wine, had a great jazz band playing live, and even had Clyde the Great Dane roaming around to greet everyone. And, thankfully, they cracked open the library so I could buy a few more bottles of the 2010 petite syrah :)
Even if you’re not a member, this winery is hands down a must try for the area. They have a cozy patio where you can sit and enjoy a cheese plate that they offer to nibble on as you sip outside overlooking their vineyard. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon I assure you.

I don’t give 1 star reviews often. in fact, this is my first one. In order for me to rate a locally owned business a single star, something terribly wrong had to have happened, and it would have had to have happened on more than one occasion on the same day. I rabidly support local businesses because I truly believe that they are the lifeblood of commerce. If I’m giving a one star review it’s meant to bring attention to something that truly needs fixing.
Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened to my group who came to visit yesterday.
I came with a group of close friends to enjoy all the bounty that Apple Hill had to offer, along with trying some wines at local wineries in the interest of purchasing a few bottles. Sure, we were relatively young, ranging in age from 21 to 31, and may not have appeared to be as well-​heeled or monied as some of the customers who were walking about the premises. However, that should *never* determine how to treat your customers. I spend about $ 175 on vintages from all over each month personally, and with my baby face and non-​brand name clothing, you’d never be able to tell.
The lead member of our group called in, and asked to make a reservation for our group. She was told that they could not accommodate a reservation, but to come over nevertheless for wine tastings. I was especially looking forward to visiting Lava Cap, as I am a huge moscato/​muscat fan, and I’d been looking for some wonderful Muscato/​Muscat from relatively local wineries, being that our home of Nevada has none as yet. I’d noticed that Lava Cap had a Muscat Canelli available, and if that was as wonderful as I’d hoped, I’d be going home with either a bottle or a few bottles for enjoyment throughout the next few months.
When we entered the tasting room, we were greeted by an absolutely sweet and astute older woman who cheerfully introduced herself, welcomed us to Lava Cap, checked IDs, offered us wine glasses and gave a pour of one of the estate grown reds. We were immediately impressed, and took the menus to figure out what varietals to try next. I work in customer service for a large company that prides itself on proactive, courteous and kind service to all customers, and this woman was a credit to Lava Cap Winery. I’m so sad that I didn’t note her exact name, I believe that it may have been Joan or Jane.
This is when our visit when from wonderful to tear inducing. One of the staff members, a woman with a brunette pageboy was working behind the counter and when our first group came up in twos and threes to ask politely for a pour of another vintage, this person looked at all of us and said «So, how many are in your group?» We answered truthfully «Ten». She said «You’re supposed to call us.» We indicated that we had in fact called and were told to come in for a tasting only in the tasting room. This staff member huffed when we’d politely ask for a new vintage to taste, and we felt like we shouldn’t have even come to the door.
I noticed a sign for tasting of new vintages at an event going on at the moment, and asked this staff member about it. She looked at me quite haughtily and said «That is only for our wine club members.» I asked «Well, it says that there is a five dollar fee for admission.» She said again «That is ONLY for our wine club members.» She didn’t ask me if I’d consider joining the Wine Club, not even after I purchased the two bottles that I’d hoped to buy shortly afterward. As a customer service representative, if you see someone who is genuinely interested in your product, it’s prudent to suggest considering other means of securing future business. I was truly surprised by this, and a bit hurt.
As the time went on, perhaps about thirty minutes, my group tried other vintages and discussed them quietly, their merits and if we’d each want to purchase a bottle of a specific vintage of choice. After our taste of a third wine, we we were told:
«This is the last pour that we’ll do for you. You need to move along so we can serve other people» There was no one else in line, and the menu promised five tastings. She poured four for everyone else in my group. I was the only one to have five, and I wonder if that was because I sidled up to the counter alone after awhile, and made it clear that I wanted to taste in order to see if I wanted to purchase two specific vintages, the Muscat Canelli 2013 and the Reserve Estate Grown Grenache 2014. I tasted both, and purchased a bottle of each. Her rudeness left one of my friends in tears. This is not acceptable. No customer should ever leave an establishment in tears, unless they were tears of joy or happiness.
After our experience, we didn’t want to visit other wineries, on account of how we were treated by this staff member at Lava Cap. I was considering joining the Wine Club, and will never patronize Lava Cap again, let alone join the Wine Club.
It’s a shame, but it’s important to remember that Excellent Customer Service speaks volumes.

Nice stop in Apple Hill! on a beautiful fall day with complementary wine tasting and a picnic basket to share on the patio with a glass of wine perfect.
love the Chard and Muscat! they offer a $ 20 basket with salami, cheese, bread sticks and olives enough for 3 to share with your favorite glass of wine. They have a grass area with picnic tables and offer group tours
NICE!

Nice find in Apple Hill! This was easily the most picturesque of the venues we visited in the area, and had a very welcoming staff on top of enjoyable wines.
Wines were reasonably priced for a local winery; we purchased the reserve Merlot and Barbera. I was also quite partial to the Zin, nice and jammy!
Just $ 5 for the reserve tasting, which is waived with the purchase of a bottle. Flip over the wine menu for a bonus surprise: great snack menu! $ 20 for a picnic basket with local cheese, salami, tasty breadsticks, and olives. totally worth it! Really a high point of our visit.

friendly and helpful staffs
With its breathtaking scenary, it is a great place to enjoy wine tasting and relax.
you have to bring your own food. I would give it a 5 star if they have even a small menu.

I wasn’t here very long! Maybe 15 mins or so! They do have a nice patio area. Nothing huge, but enough space for a fairly large group of people. The wine was okay. Nothing I was crazy about. The staff was nice.
Overall the experience was just, okay. I don’t plan on going again, since it wasn’t mind blowing (the wine that is).

One of the wineries in the Apple Hill Camino area.
Staff here are friendly and prompt to help with tasting purchases. Plenty of staff around.
There are several wine selections here. There is something for most people.
Some dry and some wet. Nothing spectacular or noteworthy for my palette. Reds and whites. Most are reasonable price compared to the other wineries in the neighborhood.
Grounds are large and well kept. A nice little shop is nestled within the tasting room.
Good: easy access, large tasting room, beautiful grounds.
Bad: nothing.
Tips: have no expectations and you will be objective to review the wines
I might come back some day.

The winery itself is very pretty. Great view of the local forests. Complementary Tastings or $ 5 for the reserve.
I was not a huge fan of the red wines. I did not try the whites. My favorites were the Zinfandel and the Merlot. the Barbera was good, but after you try Boeger’s Barbera (down the street), it is hard to compete. Its definitely worth the stop, just not my personal taste in wines. Wines range from $ 14 to $ 30+

Lava Cap Winery sits on a gorgeous hillside with a great view. They have plenty of outdoor seating if you’d like to get some snacks from the tasting bar and a bottle of their wine and sit outside enjoying the gorgeous weather and ambience they’ve created. The tasting room is very small and the young woman helping us was rushing between a few different parties. While my mom is a huge fan of Lava Cap wines, the only one we liked was the American River Red, which is a blend. The tasting was free, and you could pay for a reserve tasting. I would absolutely tell anyone interested in El Dorado county wineries to come for a taste and to take in the exquisite scenery!

UPDATED 8÷20÷14 (changed to 3 stars):
Since posting this review about Lava Cap the owners personally contacted me. We are talking and will be back in a couple months to re-​do our experience. I have many friends who personally know the owners… and this seems to be just a bad first impression. Our bridal party will be going back and we are VERY excited especially since I LOVE their wine! Thank you Charlie and Noreen for making this right. We can’t wait!
–Jennifer
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1^st review (had only 1 star)
I LOVE their wine… but how they treated my group was rude. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE THEIR WINE AGAIN. Please see below. BTW: we live in the area… I’m a local… and my local purchases… NEVER again will come from me, my family, or friends.
My girlfriends and I showed up for tastings this past weekend. When we pulled up there were TWO cars there. I was VERY excited to finally come to one of my fav. tasting wines. Not only that but everyone talks about how awesome they get treated so we were all very excited!
Upon entering an older man asked if we had an appointment while glaring at us. I know that we should have booked an appointment, but there is a classy way to deal with issues AND A WAY TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE. The one who planned this whole trip said no and then the other older woman said with the WORST attitude that we HAVE to make appointments and continued to talk to us like she was our mother.
*** I feel that I need to point out that the group of ladies I had in tow with me were between the ages of 30 — 50’s as well so it isn’t like we were fresh 21 year olds looking to get drunk for free. We were there to taste their wine and buy! ***
After this, a group decided to continue with the wine tasting for a price (which is normal) but the couple behind the counter was so rude the other half of our group went back out into the limo. WHILE we were IN the limo… the older man came out and yelled at our driver for not calling ahead and to never bring a group back there if there is no appointment. Ummmm… hello? We were right there in the car!
On a side note while we were getting yelled at for having about 9 people wine tasting total, a group of ladies came in (6) and they were spoken to much nicer AND got to do the wine tasting for free. Interesting.
Another side note… while our group was wine tasting… the paid wine tasting… the older man came out with all their ‘free’ wines for tasting. Thankfully one of the girls noticed that they weren’t serving the reserve tastings. In which he went back in and go the right bottles… but come on. Don’t be a jerk. You knew we paid… there were 2 of you working.
Over all… and what is really sad… I LOVED this wine and still do. But I will NEVER purchase their bottle again. I told my family and my friends… along with the 13 other people in our party… and they told their family and friends.
I don’t care if you have one of the oldest vines in the Camino area… you still aren’t Napa but their snobby attitude and the way they treated us at least 100 people in this area and whoever else reads this hopefully will think twice before they go there.
There are TONS of other wonderful friendly wineries in the area. Please go there before going here. We went as a group to 3 other well known places… and non of them had a problem. We paid the $ 5 – 10 for the tastings, went outside, and it was wonderful.

I may be spoiled because every time I come here they have transformed their property into a magical tasting experience. Last year, they went full force with Gone With the Wind. Hats, photo ops, live music, amazing bites and wonderful wines. This year, they rocked Don Quixote. They paired many of their wines with tasty bites. Pulled me in hook, line & sinker with the 2013 Sauvignon Blanc paired with an olive tapenade. I purchased the wine and know it will pair excellently with many things. They extended a discount on 3 bottles of certain wines. Unlike some other places that try to unload their less popular bottles this way, Lava Cap highlighted their shining stars in this deal. We couldn’t resist & walked away with a couple bottles of Syrah and a smile. The staff is always friendly, patient and knowledgable. I love this winery!