We have L for Latcham and Lava Cap!

So this one is a twofer!

LATCHAM VINEYARDS: 

Open Thurs. - Mon., 11:00 am - 5:00 pm or by appointment Tues. - Wed.
Our vineyards lie on the slopes above small, beautiful valleys around Fair Play, and they produce wines with unique depth and flavor. We've won hundreds of awards over the years, blending modern and traditional techniques that showcase the mountain-grown grapes in our Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvingnon and more.

2860 Omo Ranch Road (P.O. Box 80) • Mt. Aukum, CA 95656
(530) 620-6642 or (800) 750-5591
info@latcham.com
www.latcham.com

LAVA CAP WINERY: 

Open daily, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Celebrate with us the magic of our high elevation wines and the special beauty that surrounds our premium winery. We produce a select list of wines, including an enticing Chardonnay and estate bottled Zinfandel, Barbera, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Our wines are rich in flavors, vibrant fruit, and a tantalizing depth. Bring a picnic or enjoy food from our deli on the comfortable deck looking over our vineyards.

2221 Fruitridge Road • Placerville, CA 95667
(530) 621-0175
info@lavacap.com
www.lavacap.com

Anytime is a good time to visit Apple Hill and Boa Vista

Yep, that is right, Boa Vista is open all year!

   Open daily in the heart of beautiful Apple Hill, this family farm is nestled next to picturesque Carson Road.  The Apple Barn, Bakery, Picnic Grounds, and Wine Tasting is Open Every Day!

     Boa Vista fruit is highlighted during the Summer and Fall Apple Hill harvest seasons; Apples, Asian Pears, Berries, Peaches, Pears, and Plums to name a few!

     If you are unable to make the trip to Apple Hill in person, the Online Barn offers almost all of our non-perishable items as well as award winning Apple, Red, and Dessert wines!

J is for Jodar

JODAR VINEYARDS & WINERY: C

Open daily, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
The careful winemaking creates a balance of bold fruit framed with graceful oak. Enjoy our estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Barbera, Chardonnay, and world-class Port in the warmth of our country tasting room and wooded setting. Taste thier weekend food-and-wine pairings. Limos and buses are welcome by appointment.

3405 Carson Court • Camino, CA 95667
(530) 644-3474
jodartastingroom@foothill.net
www.jodarwinery.com

Car show and Farmers Market is back!

MAY 18th, 2014: Hangtown Car Show
9AM to 3PM on Historic Main Street, Placerville. Sponsored by the Placerville Lions Club. Participation is limited by the number of spaces available. Admission and parking are free for spectators. For info and pre-registration to show a car please call Mike at (530) 622-1731.

MID-MAY through OCTOBER 2014
Saturday Farmers Market, 8AM-Noon 
This event will feature fresh produce, flowers and other items from local farmers. On Historic Main Street in the Ivy House lot near Cedar Ravine. For info call (530) 622-1900.

Okei Memorial

This is a very cool spot in El Dorado County...and most people don't even know it exists....but we do.  And now you know too!

From our friends at Coloma.com... "For a few years, Gold Hill was the site of a small Japanese settlement. Encouraged by a German soldier of fortune named John Henry Schnell and a samurai named Lord Matsudaira, up to 26 Japanese — apparently the first Japanese group to settle in California — arrived here in 1869 to establish the Wakamatsu Tea Colony. Grandly, Schnell planned for extensive production of silk and tea. However, the relatively dry climate and investor difficulties doomed these crops, and the colony faded away. Schnell ran out of money, selling his land to Francis Veerkamp. A young Japanese girl, Okei, had arrived with the Schnell family as a nursemaid. She stayed on, working for the Veerkamp family until she died at the age of 19. She is buried on a lonely hill on private Veerkamp property close to Gold Trail School. Her story became the subject of a best-selling novel in Japan. A shrine next to the school honoring Okei was dedicated years ago by Ronald Reagan, then governor of California. Today the shrine remains a favorite California destination for visitors from Japan."

If you happen to be out tasting this way, or visiting Coloma State Park, stop by here and take a moment to enjoy this peaceful spot.

From today's Mountain Democrat! 105 years ago....

From the Mountain Democrat....

April 24, 1909

The Last Chance Mine to Have Another Chance

The famous old Last Chance mine at Coloma, which paid such fabulous sums in years gone by, is to be opened again by Messrs. L. N. Strickler, J. F. Owen and Albert Shafsky, of this city. This mine produced a pocket of $60,000 when owned by Messrs. Peterson and Nicolison, and a number of smaller pockets were taken out later by the same men. It has been operated by different parties since with varying results, one company working it eight months without any indications of further deposits of the yellow metal. It was abandoned for a year, when a couple of strangers bonded the property, and within ten feet of where the others quit work, took out something over $4,800. It has been worked since, but not systematically, and if Messrs. Shafsky, Strickler and Owen prove as lucky in their second mining venture as in their first, we may look for great things from the old Last Chance. Mr. Strickler is related to the Petersons, first owners of the mine, and we trust may be as fortunate. Operations will be under way by the first week in May.

I is for Illuminare Winery

Another favorite spot of ours up in Camino...tell Aaron we said "Hi" when you stop by to taste.

From their website....The Hill Family invites you to have an “enlightened” experience with the wines of Illuminare. We are a boutique El Dorado County winery specializing in small lots of very limited production wines. From our tantalizing “Seeing Red” label to obscure varietals such as Pinotage, our wines are unique and exciting. Our winemaking style strives for maximum extraction and intensity that is showcased in our wines. Join us in the celebration of family, friends, and of course, wine.They can be located in the Camino Wine Plaza Building in the heart of Apple Hill. Situated with 3 other boutique winery tasting rooms in the building, they offer a unique tasting experience. To find them, go East on Highway 50 from Placerville and turn left on the Carson Rd. / Apple Hill Dr. Exit. An immediate Right on Carson Rd.