The Wine Makers – The “El Dorado Eight”, Edio from Delfino Farms, Starfield, Lava Cap

This week we invited Lee Hodo, a veteran in marketing and promotion of wine and destination brands, who is leading the charge to showcase the amazing wines from this historical yet lesser-known AVA. Lee brought winemakers from three of the top Wineries in the area; Lava Cap, Edio from Delfino Farms and Starfield Vineyards. At between 1,200ft-3,500ft, elevation is one of the defining features of the region. As air hits the Sierra Nevada Mountains it is forced to rise through orographic uplift. As the air rises, the adiabatic process causes cooling at a rate of around 4 degrees Fahrenheit per 1000ft of elevation gain. As a result, ambient air temperatures in the region are between 10-15 degrees cooler than the Central Valley below. The complex topography of El Dorado further distinguishes the region as a location for a diversity of premium grapes. As the sun sets, cool air from the Sierra Nevada settles in low lying pockets, creating areas of cold night-time air surrounded by relatively warmer hillside and hilltop sites. Lastly, the diverse soils offer a panoply of geologic and geographic settings that ensure maximum flavors will be concentrated within the grapes. Primary attributes of soils that are important to growers include, among others: mineral composition, soil texture, soil thickness, depth of root penetration, water retention properties, and resistance to erosion. The bulk of the vineyards in El Dorado are planted in young volcanic, granitic, and slate soils. www.lavacap.com www.starfieldvineyards.com www.delfinofarms.com [email protected] www.thewinemakerspodcast.com