Lively, smokey and down to earth. Perfect for campfires or picnics in the forest.
Bright ruby colour with a dense consistency
Intense on the nose with aromas of dark fruit, cherry, plum, tabacco, clove, black pepper and hints of liquorice and oak.
On the palate dry, high acidity, bold tannins, lots of cherry and berry flavours, smokey finish, nicely balanced and full of life.
A rich wine that is young at heart, a bit rough around the edge, but ultimately approachable.
86 points
Food pairings:
This wine is full bodied with lots of bold fruit flavours and structure which needs to be equally matched in the dish. The high acidity and prevalent tannins call for saucy, rich textures. Some examples: Pork chops with apple sauce, Beef pot roast, Braised pork, Pasta Bolognese
The El Dorado AVA is a sub-appellation in the Sierra Foothills AVA with vineyards at elevations between 1,200 feet and 3,500 feet above sea level. Besides being at California’s highest altitude, it is also one of the oldest wine growing regions. The soils are composed of fine-grained volcanic rock, decomposed granite and fine-grained shale. There is also a variety of microclimates influenced by direct sunlight in the daytime and cool breezes from the Sierra Nevada Mountains at night. The complexity of El Dorado’s “terroir” allows grapes to fully mature creating wines that are full of flavour and depth. This AVA produces mostly international varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, alongside Gewurtztraminer, Barbera and Zinfandel.
The development of viticulture in this area is entwined with the gold rush in the foothills where gold was first discovered in the nearby American River in 1848. The area flourished up until the time of prohibition which led to a drastic decline and depopulation. Since the 1970s the area has started to flourish as a wine producing region once again.
The Lava Cap winery is located at an elevation between 2,400 and 2,800 feet, the highest possible without the risk of frost. It takes its name from the characteristic volcanic soil of the area. Joe Norman, the winery’s winemaker, has a straight forward objective: “make wines that are seamless and that have a nice fruit forward entry, pleasant texture and a smooth, luscious finish.” In fact, the must of this Cabernet Sauvignon was cold-soaked for 3 days to maximise the extraction of colour and flavour. True to his word, this interpretation of the El Dorado “terroir” expresses the fruity and spicy notes common in Cabernet Sauvignon with mineral and smokey undertones.
Vinthropology 