Stopped into Lava Cap for a quick glass of wine. They were definitely short staffed - there was just one guy running the whole tasting patio. He was doing his best and was really friendly. The space itself is really pretty, especially with all the fall colors. There's plenty of seating and the view alone makes it a nice spot to hang out for a bit. I ordered a glass of the Cab Sauv. It was... fine. Decent, drinkable, but nothing that stood out enough to make me want to come back just for the wine. Overall, gorgeous scenery but pretty average experience. Probably won't make a special trip back! read more

It was a beautiful location and gorgeous weather. There wasn't wine that we loved enough to purchase, but the ambience was lovely. You can bring in food and there are plenty of tables on the patio and the grounds to eat at. read more

Lava Cap Winery - On the patio at Lava Cap - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

Some friends invited us to join them for some wine tasting. There was plenty of parking when we drove up. We got there just a little after they opened. A few tables were already taken. There is an upper patio for tasting and a lower grassy area to enjoy food. We were greeted right away and told to choose a table and they would bring the tasting menu and some glasses. Jeff was our host and he was very enthusiastic. There is a good selection and we tasted about 5 wines. Whites and reds were both good. While tasting the winery cat came by to say hello. We bought a couple of bottles and took one down to the lawn area to enjoy our picnic. The grounds are very nice and there were quite a few people there by the time we started eating our lunch. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Thanks to Jeff for a good tasting experience. read more

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Amazing service, views and membership! We went on a Saturday afternoon and we were able to enjoy a nice table overlooking the vineyard. We had amazing service with the waitress, checking in multiple times, even when the wind blew over the wine, she gave us more wine to refill our glass. There was great little crackers and snack, even the membership there is a steal! You can bring five friends for free to do a tasting if you get any level of membership. We picked the membership for two bottles of wine a year at $20-30 a bottle. Absolutely one of my favorite wineries and even for people who don't drink, it's super enjoyable! read more

Lava Cap Winery - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

Great venue with an amazing view of the vineyard. Service was excellent. Wine was decent. They also offer a free tasting if you buy a bottle. One of the prettiest vineyards that we visited. read more

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Lava cap is a great place to go for wine tasting, relaxing, or to have lunch. They have a patio overlook where you can bring your own food to enjoy the view! The service was friendly and kind! The wine was great! Highly recommend buying a bottle and enjoying some time during your Apple Hill visit! read more

Lava Cap Winery - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

Came here about a month ago. Thus is Such a beautiful and serene winery. I love everything here. Chris my somm was such an easy going guy and welcoming. I love how he was knowledgeable and warmth. Lots of great wine here and I ended up becoming a member because I can definitely see myself and my friends hanging out here on the weekends. A good stop if you are in Placerville area. Love the new Rose and Barbara. read more

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This is a gorgeous winery with the nicest workers! Dropped in for a quick wine tasting and was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful views, great prices, outdoor heaters, and blankets. read more

Lava Cap Winery - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

Had such a delightful wine tasting here - we went on a Sunday morning and it wasn't busy at all. The wines were so good we ended up buying 6 bottles to take home! They even let us sample their dessert wine which was so wonderful we also got a bottle of that. The value you get for the tasting is top notch. Service was above and beyond and the patio was beautiful and delightful. read more

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It was a very nice day and it was beautiful sitting out on the patio area. There was no food available. Service was quick and friendly. The tasting they gave you was very slight. It's the smallest amount I've ever had on a tasting. read more

Lava Cap Winery - Menu - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

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Lava Cap is one of our favorite wineries. They make excellent wine and their location in the apple hill area of the sierra foothills is a gorgeous setting. We are long-time wine club members and on this last visit, after tasting, took a chilled bottle of rose down to a table by their fragrant blooming lavender and shared one of their charcuterie boxes. Perfect way to relax and enjoy a beautiful day! read more

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Fun relaxing winery where you can have a tasting for $15. Service is great they explain everything and are very friendly without being pushy about purchasing or memberships. You might get to see the winery cat hanging around he's friendly. Fun place and stop when visiting Apple hill. read more

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Another great tasting experience as members! Even with the crowd from the concert series, the service is consistently the best--hands down the most attentive and friendly staff of any winery in the area. The wine was excellent as always, and the beautiful scenery never disappoints. One of our absolute favorites--highly recommend. Yum! Brought our own snacks! Love this place! read more

My husband and I stopped by Lava Cap, and wow--what a gem! The grounds are so gorgeous.. The staff? Absolute legends. They kept the wine flowing and the good vibes going for over two hours. We tried everything they had, and honestly, I'm not sure if I left with a favorite or just a new personality trait: "wine enthusiast." If you're looking for a spot that combines beautiful views, amazing wine, and people who make you feel like family, Lava Cap is it. 10/10 would sip again. read more

Wonderful scenery and staff. They also have a great deal where if you buy a bottle of wine, your tasting is free! I believe the wines were slightly underwhelming and quite frankly...a little watery. Really thin and lacking of potency. read more

Lava Cap Winery - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

We've been to Lava Cap a few times, and each visit is just so wonderful and positive. The staff here truly enjoy their jobs and love sharing and showing their estate wines to customers who are either local or visiting from out of town. The grounds are absolutely gorgeous - on a sunny day, there are tons of seats and picnic spots around the perimeter of the production facility. Their indoor seating is a bit more limited if the weather doesn't hold up, but it's still cozy enough along the bar to get your samples. Parking is plentiful and it's easy to find - a perfect stop if you're doing an Apple Hill weekend, or if you're just looking for a winery to check out and discover some fun bottles to take home to share with your family. Their prices are very reasonable and they also offer some prepackaged charcuterie/small bites to go with your tastings. Overall, highly recommended and will definitely be coming back soon. read more

From beautiful views, serene environment, friendly staff having fun entertaining guests. This was the perfect afternoon getaway to read a book and enjoy a fall day. They have charcuterie boards for purchase or bring a picnic, purchase a glass or wine, and sit and enjoy. The gentlemen working this day were high energy, knowledgeable, and full of recommendations. If you're in Apple Hill, be sure to go! read more

Lava Cap Winery - Tasting menu and festive fall decor - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

Celebrating a Birthday with friends and family. Beautiful setting and weather We brought our snacks and cake. The service was amazing and assisted us in every way. Thank so much!! read more

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This winery cannot be missed!Beautiful location and great staff to support your experience. I have been to many wineries in the area and this is my favorite. Have been here numerous times. I joined the club as I loved their wines. read more

Lava Cap Winery - The view from the picnic area. - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

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Visited on a crisp fall day; beautiful setting overlooking an amazing view of the vineyards. We had a delicious tasting with Jennifer; she was very sweet and friendly. We enjoyed the wine very much and bought a couple of bottles. Thank you! read more

The service is a 10/10. They were very attentive and served us some extra tastings based on our interest. We ended up getting the rose and Lover's Leap (which is a sweet wine infused with brandy). The place is beautiful. We wished they had a local chef to pair the wines with. But we are glad that they support local businesses, such as Annabelle's chocolate. read more

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Lovely winery, as most of them are in the foothills, but Lava Cap has a great view of their vineyard. Wine tasting is affordable at $15 (approximately 6-7 tastes) , and applied to a bottle if you decide to buy. I love that wine tasting is done at your table on the patio. A cold case at the counter provides purchasable snacks and payments are easily done at your table. read more

Generous wine tastings in a lovely location with a great view. The cost of tasting is waved if you purchase a bottle - win/win!

For a very nice afternoon, Lava Cap is an excellent choice for wine tasting. The tasting area has a view of the whole Vineyard and the services and wine are amazing. If you want a wine club, this is an excellent vineyard. read more

Lava Cap Winery - Beautiful day outside. - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

Wow, what a great deck. This place is beautiful and worth a visit. We sampled a few wines while we listening to a live band. I tried the Barbera. My wife had the Viognier). The Barbera was bold and fruity. The Viognier was light and refreshing. The staff was friendly and having fun. If you're touring placer wineries, definitely stop here. read more

Lava Cap Winery - View from the deck - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

The property was gorgeous! I was surprised by the amount of small children present on the tightly packed patio - it does make sense because it's in Apple Hill (popular family attraction), I guess this comment is just an FYI for future visitors. Another FYI for people of color who are sensitive to/anxious about being in predominantly white spaces...this was the case when we were there (we were the only POC table on the patio). The merlot is bomb. read more

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Absolutely love this winery and saved them for last on Nevada day weekend since they are on our way home to Reno. They have wonderful outdoor seating with gorgeous views. Also you can bring your own picnic lunch and sit below the tasting deck on their patio. We tasted then bought a bottle of Chardonnay to enjoy with our meal. Relaxing and no rush to leave by staff. They're all super friendly and wines very good with waived fees for Nevadans this weekend with purchase which is no problem! read more

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The view is gorgeous! The was great. I'll definitely be back! I didn't know this was an award winning winery!

Amazing. The people here are kinder than anywhere around. The view from the deck is amazing and the wine is a representation of Northern California. A phenomenal mix of wines but their Rose was too die for! read more

Lava Cap Winery - Backyard - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

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Lovely winery to chill and hang out. Super friendly service. Upper patio deck and lower patio with beautiful scenic views of the vineyard. You can order wine on either patio, but food can only be ordered or eaten on the lower patio, garden, and lawn area. Dogs and outside food are welcome in the garden area. There were 25-30 parking spots. $15 for 5 tastes of wine, which included 2 white wines and 3 red wines. The wine tasting fee can be applied towards a bottle purchase. My favorite wines were the Sangiovese 2020 and Cabernet Franc 2019. I enjoyed my wine while practicing my charcuterie skills with the family size antipasto tray, the same meat variety pack you can find at Costco. Food menu includes cheese, Italian cold cuts, salmon lox, crackers, and olives. I was given a large Ziploc bag to take home my remaining antipasto, which was very helpful. Lava Cap Winery sits on what used to be a volcanic landscape. A lava cap is a volcanic layer of lava. The 49ers struck gold underneath the lava cap! Lava Cap Winery is part of the Zinfandel Trail: https://zinfandeltrail.com/ With a Yelp check-in, you can receive a free wine cork with the beautiful Lava Cap Winery logo. If you are touring Apple Hill or Sierra Foothills wineries, I recommend stopping by Lava Cap. read more

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Uncork your spirit of adventure at Lava Cap Winery in El Dorado County and savor an array of exquisite red and white wines amidst breathtaking scenery. Indulge in delectable food pairings to complement your wine experience and receive attentive service from knowledgeable staff. Elevate your winery visit to a superior level and bask in the fabulous atmosphere! read more

Lava Cap is by far the BEST I've ever had. I've been sampling and drinking LC since I was 14. Mother insisted! And although mommy was wrong about most things, this, she was right! It's the best wine in the world! I'm now 43 and still love it! Highly recommend! read more

Wow, what a gem! The service and ambiance were amazing & the wines were spectacular. Our favorites were the Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, Sparking Blanc, and the old vine Zin. We ended up buying a bottle of their Rose to enjoy on the lower deck and thoroughly enjoyed it. We drove 1 hour from South Lake Tahoe and plan on making this trip again to return before going back to Texas. read more

Lava Cap Winery - View from upper deck - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

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I loved this winery so much, I joined their wine club! Lavacap is a beautiful winery hidden away in Placerville/ Apple Hill area. Their venue offers an inside tasting room, outside patio, downstairs area and wonderful view. Their staff is always friendly and they have great events! There are concerts in the summer free for every time along with free tastings if you're a wine club member. During the winter when it snows you can enjoy a wonderful white wonderland. Lavacap also let's you change your wine before order if you don't want what's in that quarter's picks. I really enjoy their reds, but their whites are good too. read more

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Mother's Day at Lava Cap was 10/10! Loved the atmosphere, and view. Music was great, service was wonderful and the wine was delicious. My family and I had a great time! The grounds are beautiful and this winery is a gem in the apple hill area. read more

Lava Cap Winery - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

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The tasting room patio was absolutely gorgeous! The had a great selection of whites and reds. My husband and I left with a bottle of moscato and some great memories read more

Lava Cap Winery - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

My experience at Lava Cap was nothing short of spectacular. The service and staff were only surpassed by the exquisite offering of varietals here. Personal favorites included the Grenache and OVZ. Joined the wine club. This is the quintessential foothill tasting experience. read more

Lava Cap Winery - Top deck. - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California

After my last review, the owner reached out to me to make things right. We returned and our experience was so pleasant. We were greeted by a gal at the front. She was so friendly and like mom told her at the end, she's charismatic. She gave us a welcome wine which was really great. The flight we had was a mix of reds and whites. The views are obviously stunning. The gal serving us was a different lady. Very professional. The Moscat wasn't part of the tasting but I absolutely love sweet wines and the gal poured each of us a tasting. Delicious. We were given crackers to munch on. They have food for sale and can only be enjoyed on the lawn, not the deck where we were to go along with our tasting. Just something to note. We saw folks set up picnic and bring their own snacks. There's a few picnic tables. You can buy a bottle to enjoy down there. Overall, our experience was much more pleasant this time around and we even bought a bottle of wine to take home. For next time, I would definitely pack my own picnic blanket and buy their snacks and a bottle to enjoy the beautiful views read more

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***3.5 Stars*** My first time wine tasting on Apple Hill, and I have to say that this winery is wonderful. Beautiful views with the most courteous and engaging service to match! Stopped here for a wine tasting pre-covid after visiting a nearby apple farm, and I have to say that I enjoyed my time here. The tasting room is small and intimate, but their back patio is super spacious and serene. You'll have some great views that overlook their vineyards and the gorgeous Sierra Nevada Foothills. This winery is super family and pet friendly with a large grassy open space that's perfect for picnicking and dog play. I spent most of my time in the tasting room. I feel like the further away you get from Napa Valley, the more reasonably priced your tastings and wine bottles will be. Lava Cap is no exception to this rule. A tasting is a nominal $5 fee and is waived with a bottle purchase. Bottles range from $18-$32 and they also serve wine by the glass here. But with those cheaper wine prices comes a difference in quality. Don't come here expecting Napa or Sonoma Valley type of wine. You should come here with the intention of trying some different types of wine while relaxing in a very casual atmosphere. With that being said, I wasn't really a fan of most of the wines here. Their higher end reds were definitely the best of their selection in my opinion. It makes sense since it's their best quality wine. Their Grenache and Petite Sirah were my personal favorites here. The Petite Sirah is actually not available for tasting (for purchase only), but luckily they had a bottle open and one of the sweet sommeliers was able to pour it for me. Would have loved to have tried their Barbera since this wine region is known to have some of the best, but again, they don't have this available for tasting. One thing I will say is that the service is top notch here! Every single sommelier that I encountered was super personable and knowledgeable about the wines. You can tell that they really love what they do. The wine pours were on the smaller side, but for a $5 tasting, I really didn't mind. All in all, I really liked tasting here. I've found that sometimes certain years and vintages of wines just don't taste as good as previous versions. I'd love to come back to try their more recent vintages. Maybe I'll find more wines that I like the second time around. read more

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Had a great afternoon at Lava Cap. Our hosts, Jennifer and Sarah, were fantastic. The wines are delicious. We ended up talking home with us the Viognier, American River Blend, Syrah, and Petit Sirah. The Petit Sirah is probably the best I've had in years. Full bodied, bold, with an incredible finish. Ready to drink now or in seven to ten years. It will be served with steak this weekend! read more

Lava Cap Winery - A view from Lava Cap's back patio. - Wineries Near Me - Placerville, California