Lava Cap - Nolan Jones

Lava Cap - Nolan Jones

Author: DKPS Media September 16, 2026 Duration: 38:44
Lava Cap — Where Family, Fire & Wine MeetWhat if the secret to a great California wine was buried deep beneath the vineyard?In this episode of Wine Soundtrack USA, host Allison Levine takes us to the heart of California’s Sierra Foothills and into the story of Lava Cap Winery, a family-owned winery whose roots go back to 1981.Founded by the Jones family in Placerville, Lava Cap was born from a very particular piece of land—and a family of geologists who understood exactly what made it special.The answer was volcanic soil.The unique “lava cap” gives the vineyard its name and provides the foundation for grapes that benefit from warm Sierra sunshine, cool nighttime breezes, and the distinctive character of the foothills.From its first vintage in 1986, Lava Cap has built a reputation for handcrafted wines that have earned gold medals and awards across the country, while remaining deeply connected to the land and the family behind them.Their philosophy is simple but demanding: reveal the elegant and complex character of each grape variety and each vineyard block through careful, artisan winemaking.And the commitment doesn't stop in the cellar. Sustainable vineyard practices and integrated vineyard management help protect the environment while nurturing the quality of the fruit for generations to come.Join Allison Levine as she discovers how geology, family, craftsmanship, and a remarkable sense of place came together to create Lava Cap.Wine Soundtrack USA goes beyond the wine to uncover the stories that make every bottle worth remembering.Produced by Claudio Latagliata, the series brings the voices and personalities behind American wine directly to you.Listen to Lava Cap and discover what happens when a family follows the land—and lets the land tell the story.


Crossing the Atlantic from its original home, Wine Soundtrack-USA brings a deeply personal format to American listeners. This podcast, produced by DKPS Media, sits at a unique intersection where the arts of storytelling and winemaking converge. Instead of tasting notes or vintage charts, each episode is built around a candid conversation where a wine producer answers thirty questions. That framework reveals the person behind the label-their history, their philosophy, and the daily realities of running a vineyard. You’ll hear the unscripted hopes and challenges that define a vintage long before the bottle is ever opened. It’s about the landscape, the family decisions, and the quiet moments in the cellar that most never get to witness. Originally launched in Italy in 2017, this series has built a reputation for intimacy, and its U.S. launch extends that same thoughtful inquiry to American soil. For anyone curious about what it truly means to craft wine, this podcast offers a direct line to the source. The conversations are less an interview and more an invitation to listen in on a story that’s been years in the making, one that gives context and character to every glass. It’s for those who believe the best part of wine is the human connection it represents.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Wine Soundtrack - USA
Podcast Episodes
Peltier Winery & Vineyards - Farin Schatz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:57
Peltier Winery & Vineyards is a fourth-generation farming family operation where the winery itself was established in 2001 by third-generation farmer Rodney Schatz and his wife Gayla in the heart of California's Lodi App…
Cambria Estate Winery - Jill Russel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:24
Cambria is a women-owned, women-led producer of 100% certified sustainable, estate-grown Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the Santa Maria Valley AVA in Santa Barbara County, California.Founder Barbara Banke was an early cham…
CMB Family of Wines Courtney  - M. Benham [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:50
CMB Family of Wines is a family-owned and operated portfolio of premium wine brands based in California’s Russian River Valley, on the Laguna Ridge at Martin Ray, one of the state’s oldest continually operating wineries.…
Alma Rosa Winey- Samra Morris [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:40
Alma Rosa Winery in Santa Barbara County's Sta. Rita Hills is dedicated to making Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Rhône varietal wines that express the unique terroir of the appellation. Alma Rosa’s wines are layered, vibrant…
Rodrigue Molyneaux Winery - Meredith Sarboraria [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:05
Nancy and Garry Rodrigue started Rodrigue Molyneaux Winery in 2004 with a passion for making the best wine possible in the Livermore Valley – a cornerstone of California wine. Today, Nancy and Garry aim to share that mes…
Wood Family Vineyards - Harrison Wood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:35
Founded in the year 2000, Wood Family Vineyards blossomed from a side hobby (Rhonda was initially a commercial airline pilot, while her husband, Michael Wood, was a regional CFO for Pacific Coast Trane) into a thriving w…
Retzlaff Vineyards Estate Winery - Salome Taylor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:27
We are dedicated to living a sustainable lifestyle at Retzlaff to honor Gloria’s vision of a balanced land and community. It’s common to see neighbors and employees picking tomatoes from the garden, or community members…
Pruett Farms - Bob Pruett [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:10
Pruett Farms is a historic property in Livermore which was established as a farmstead in 1879, and the first grapes were planted in 1880. The house and winery building were built in 1881. The farm residents include horse…
Occasio Winery - John Kinney [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:14
Occasio Winery, founded in 2008 by John Kinney, is a boutique winery in Livermore Valley, California, a historic wine region with roots dating back to the 19th century. Named after the Latin word for “opportunity,” Occas…
Murrieta's Well - Jordan Wente [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:27
Murrieta’s Well is a Livermore Valley wine estate defined by its distinctive blended wines, stunning location, and a rich heritage. Boutique and family-owned, it remains one of California’s original wine estates, and the…