Lava Cap Winery

Lava Cap Winery is a family owned and operated winery located in the Sierra Foothills of Northern California. They implement old world labor-intensive techniques and sustainable agricultural practices to hand-craft their wines. Their small but dedicated team works passionately to produce full flavor, texture-driven wine.

Winemaker Thomas D. Jones is a member of the Jones family which started Lava Cap Winery in 1981. Thomas completed his B.S. in Geology from University of California, Davis in 1981 and proceeded to work a harvest at a micro-winery near the California Coast. Bitten by the winemaking bug, he attended graduate school and completed the Master of Science degree in Food Science (Enology and Viticulture) in 1990 from University of California, Davis while becoming the founding winemaker at Lava Cap Winery. University of California, Davis provided a valued scientific framework for his winemaking endeavors.

Tom’s winemaking artistic side, that is, the choices made concerning the formation and finishing of a wine, were learned largely by experimentation and observation, a process which is always ongoing. “Every vintage is an opportunity to learn more about the nature of wine and how to make the best wine possible” he says. “I believe a person’s preference for a particular wine style is largely a function of their genetics- you can’t please everyone because their palettes vary from birth. My palette responds favorably to rich, harmonious textures and complex, abundant flavors and aromas- these are attributes I seek in the wines I make.” Tom lives with his wife, who is on the faculty at UCDMC, and three children in the Sierra Foothills near Lava Cap Winery. All of his children work alongside him during the long harvest and bottling days, as their school schedules permit.

2006 Petit Sirah – Granite Hill

Our deeply colored wine has an intense nose of blackberries, blueberries, anise, and chocolate. It is rich and plumy in the mouth with raspberry and cherry fruit flavors. There are sweet French oak tones from the 18 months of barrel aging. Winemaker, Tom Jones, blended the 2006 Petite Sirah with 19% estate grown Zinfandel to add spice tones. Our Granite Hill vineyard has been part of our estate production since 1995. It consistently produces some of the most highly decorated Petite Sirahs in California.

2007 Barbera

The Barbera vineyard is located with a west-facing exposure and sheltered with a notable slope to allow the grapes a longer ripening period (hang-time) while maintaining natural acidity. These estate grown grapes yield fragrant and sophisticated textures reflecting our distinctive mountain Terrior. Our Barbera is picked late for enhanced flavor development. This rich, mouth-filling wine has an expansive texture and gentle tannins. To augment the depth and complexity of flavors, 3.5% Mourvedre and 2.5% Cabernet Franc were added. The aroma is multifaceted, showing notes of violet, anise, clove, plum, oak and orange.

Rominger West Winery

Rominger West Winery was founded in 2004 to showcase the beauty of western Yolo County and the quality of the wines produced here. Their family-owned winery, based in the heart of this agriculturally rich region, produces unique, hand-crafted wines that will enliven your friends’ and families' tables.

Rominger-West Winery is owned and operated by two families with long ties to the campus and to the University of California in general. The company was started with Mark West, Rick and Bruce’s late brother Charlie, with the formal ownership being the three Rominger brothers and Mark West and his wife Marilyn. Marilyn and Mark West both held Post-Doctoral positions at UC Davis in the early 1990’s, with Marilyn remaining on staff for an additional 15 years. In addition, both of Mark’s parents and all three siblings are UC Davis alums, with Mark’s father George B.E. West, DVM being the recipient of the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Achievement Award in 1998 following a career of teaching at the Veterinary School. Neither Richard and Evelyne Rominger (who received the same award in 2003) nor George and Audrey West, have any formal involvement with Rominger West Winery, though they all act as important ambassadors for the company.

They strive to build a sustainable business, integrating the production of artisan wines with their responsibility to the community, care for the environment, and support for the economic viability of rural Yolo County. They are pursuing these goals through the use of sustainable farming practices, an emphasis on local conservation, reuse of resources, and a long term focus on the impacts of our actions. Sustainable farming increases the biodiversity in their vineyard soils, improves the health of the vines and produces more flavorful grapes. A small lot, artisan approach to winemaking allows them to capture these characteristics in wines that are a clear expression of their site.

Rick Rominger, Owner/Winegrower. Rick Rominger is a fifth generation Yolo County farmer and a graduate of UC Davis with a B.S. in Ag Economics and Business Management. After school, he was a volunteer with the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic for two years before returning to the family farm. Along with wine grapes, Rick farms rice, wheat, sunflowers, alfalfa, corn and tomatoes. He lives on the ranch north of Winters with his wife Patty and their two daughters. His favorite Aggie memory is “The insect collecting trips for entomology classes to the different UC preserves in northern California.”

Bruce Rominger, Owner/Winegrower. Bruce brings fruit to the Rominger West table…literally! Bruce, his wife Robyn and 3 children reside in Winters, CA where Bruce oversees the production and harvest of our delicious grapes. With many different types of grapes to watch over (Syrah, Malbec, Tannat, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Semillon, the list goes on…) as well as the Rominger Brother’s Farm operations, Bruce keeps himself very busy. His B.S. in Plant Science from UC Davis has proved quite helpful as he and his brother Rick have continued to implement more sustainable growing and production practices on the farm. On the rare occasion that he has some time to relax, Bruce enjoys hiking with his family, cheering on the SF Giants and listening to some good ole 70’s rock n’ roll! Bruce’s favorite Aggie memory is “competing at the National Championships in 1978 with the Aggie Swim team.”

Mark West, Owner/Winemaker. Mark is a vital component of the Rominger West collaboration. His background includes a BS from UC Berkeley, a PhD from John Hopkins School of Medicine and more than 14 years of winemaking experience. Mark grew up in Davis and has returned with a passion for handcrafted, artisan wine and a dedication to the local community. He has a love for music and spent 4 years as a percussionist in the University of California Marching Band (yes, he was one of those crazy Cal Band kids). Mark can be found all over the winery doing a variety of tasks, but one of his favorite duties (besides making the wine, of course) is leading tours and tastings. He loves interacting with customers and having the opportunity to share his connection with each of our Rominger West wines; especially our Rose which he claims to make solely for his own personal enjoyment. He can be found sipping on a cool glass of Rose almost every day during the lunch hour. Mark and his family reside in Davis. Mark’s favorite Aggie memory is “performing at Picnic Day with the Cal Straw Hat Band”.

Andrea Connally, Enologist. Andrea is our enologist here at Rominger West, but a better job title would be Super-Woman. Andrea can be found anywhere in the winery doing a variety of tasks, from driving a forklift to pouring wine at the tasting bar, she is our go-to girl! Andrea graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. in Viticulture and Enology in 2009 and declares that she chose to major in V and E because wine is just so darn yummy. She found Rominger West through the glorious website Craigslist, and she says that she loves her job, the people, and most importantly, the constant availability of wine and cheese! She is the music junky that has us ever expanding our musical selection in the tasting room, from reggae to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Andrea likes to relax on her days off by watching some football and slamming on some tunes while playing Guitar Hero. During one of her first days with us, Andrea was working in the cellar when she turned the rheostat in the wrong direction. This means that a gushing flow of wine began to pour out from directly above her…let us just say that we are glad she didn’t get pulled over on her drive home that night because she reeked of wine. Andrea’s favorite Aggie memory is being part of the ‘05-’06 women’s crew team.

They got into the Winery business to have a product that could connect Rominger Vineyards with its customers directly. Instead of sending truck loads of grain or tomatoes off to processors who then send it in another fashion to consumers who had no idea where the food really came from, they now have a connection where they get to see their farm product all the way to the consumer and they know who is growing the crop and that it comes from a local farm.

2005 Syrah – Yolo County

Winemaker Notes: A medium bodied Syrah, full of flavor, that is sure to please your entire table. Lush, and silky plum in color. The nose is a dark fruit forward, followed by a subtly toasty element. This is a medium-bodied, elegant Syrah, with ripe berries lingering on the palate and a quiet earthy component, followed by a long, silky finish. A versatile wine that pairs eloquently with a variety of dishes, from a broiled pork loin to a rich sheep’s milk.

Awards: Bon Appétit! Silver Medal at the 2010 Winemaker Challenge International Wine Competition

2005 Herren Vineyard Red

Winemaker Notes: Our Herren Vineyard Red Wine showcases the quality characteristics of our Capay Valley Vineyard as the best of 3 worlds combine to create a truly elegant wine. This wine has a deep ripe pomegranate color, with a toasty clove and dark plum nose. This is an elegant, full-bodied red blend with spicy and herbal berries lingering on the back of the palate. A seductive, peppery finish will leave the drinker wanting more. It is designed to be enjoyed with food and pairs nicely with deep red meats, such as a braised leg of lamb and a bacon-wrapped filet mignon, or try a hearty vegetarian dish, like a thick vegetable stew.

Awards: Silver Medal at the 2010 Winemaker Challenge International Wine Competition

2007 Chardonnay – Yolo County

Winemaker Notes: Crisp and fruity with a subtle touch of oak. Succulent gold in color with a nose of baked apple, toasted oak and crème brulee, with hints of vanilla. The palate expresses notes of caramel and pineapple followed by a light, delicate finish. This wine pairs well with rich seafood and pasta dishes, such as poached salmon and pancetta alfredo pappardelle. Even those who don’t usually drink Chardonnay will rave about this one.

Why did our featured alums select these wines for it’s Vintage Aggies Wine Club members? We selected the three wines because they are great examples of our approach to producing quality wines that pair well with a variety of foods, and also showcase our three Estate vineyards.

The 2005 Syrah is made from Syrah grapes grown on two of our vineyards that combine the features of both sites. This wine exhibits the bright fruit core inherent in syrah grapes grown on our Arnold Vineyard, combined with the smooth, mouth filling tannins and earthy flavors from our Chapman Vineyard. The combination results in a medium bodied wine with complex flavors and a silky smooth finish. This is an extremely versatile wine that will pair well with wide range of flavorful meals.

Finally, the 2005 Herren Vineyard Red is one of our single vineyard ‘field blends,’ where we harvest all of the fruit on the same day and co-ferment the varieties to produce a unique, site specific blend. The wine is a blend of 50% Syrah, 26% Mourvedre and 24% Grenache, and is the entire production from this 1.3 acre, organically farmed vineyard located in the Capay Valley appellation of western Yolo County. This elegant, well-balanced, medium bodied wine fully expresses the beauty of this vineyard site.

The 2007 Chardonnay – Yolo County is 100% barrel fermented using older barrels to allow the beautiful Chardonnay fruit from our Arnold Vineyard to come to the fore, while creating the smooth, rich mouth feel associated with barrel fermentation and aging on lees.