2027 Wineries Los Angeles

Lava Cap Winery

2221 Fruitridge Rd., Placerville, CA 95667
lavacap.com

Region: El Dorado

Owner: Charlie & Noreen Jones

Winemaker: Nolan Jones

About: Lava Cap is a third-generation family farm located in Placerville, high in the Sierra Nevada foothills at an elevation of 2700 feet. Our estate mountain-grown grapes are sourced from some of the highest vineyards in California. Our unique volcanic soils, weathered from ancient ash flows, produce wines that are intensely aromatic and luscious with deep, rich fruit erupting with flavor.

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Barbera! Great acid, bright flavors, food friendly.

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? Planting and working with undiscovered grapes is part of the DNA of El Dorado winegrowers. Rather than being centered on a single “signature” variety, our region is still actively exploring its possibilities. Every time we plant a new grape, we’re asking how it will respond to our volcanic soils, our 3,000-foot elevations, and our steep slopes. It’s an ongoing search for the varieties that not only thrive here but that truly come alive in our mountain terroir.

You can experience that spirit of discovery in Lava Cap’s tasting room, and throughout the region. Instead of focusing on just one grape, guests are invited to explore wines from a wide range of varieties. It makes tasting here an adventure—you’re experiencing a kaleidoscope of expressions, from crisp Grenache Blanc to vibrant Barbera to mountain-grown Viognier. That sense of exploration and diversity is what makes El Dorado so distinctive, and it’s why planting undiscovered grapes has always been central to who we are.

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? What I love most is the sense of possibility. With undiscovered or lesser-known grapes, you’re not bound by consumer expectations or rigid tradition—you get to let the vineyard and terroir tell the story. In El Dorado, our volcanic soils and high elevation create natural tension, acidity, and aromatics in wines, which means these “undiscovered” grapes often shine in ways people don’t expect. Sharing them with guests is a chance to taste something authentic, distinctive, and new. 

Lyons Vineyard

3564 Sagunto St., Suite 302 Santa Ynez CA 93460
www.lyonsvineyard.com

Region: Santa Barbara County

Owners: Skye Lyons & Sarah Lyons

Winemakers: Ryan Carr with Skye & Sarah Lyons

About: Located in the Los Olivos District AVA, in the heart of Santa Barbara wine country, Lyons Vineyard is a small family-run vineyard founded in 2017 with a focus on Rhône varietals. After years of growing Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Viognier for some of Santa Barbara’s top winemakers, we launched our own label in 2022. We make limited-production, small-batch wines that let the fruit and the land shine through. Our signature style is balance; wines with depth and interest that still hold their freshness and acidity. We’re excited to showcase two Grenache clones side by side, showing just how different the same varietal can be. Along with two vintages of our 100% Mourvèdre that capture the influence of Mother Nature from year to year. We love how tasting these comparisons can spark curiosity, open up conversations, and remind us that wine is at its best when it’s bringing people together!

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? We LOVE Grenache! It can be incredibly elegant yet with layers of flavor. We always try to introduce Pinot Noir lovers to lighter-style Grenache because we think it’s a great gateway to new varieties; more people should discover it!

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? We have wonderful memories traveling to Tuscany with Skye’s late father (Stephen Lyons, to whom our vineyard name is a tribute) when we were much younger in our wine journey. We were hopping from one little town to the next to try the local food and wine. One of our favorites was a white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, produced from the ancient variety of the Vernaccia grape grown on the sandstone hillsides of the area. The wine was inexpensive yet expressive and full of character!

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? We love to show our friends how wonderful these grapes can be! Providing so many more options for different moods, food pairings, gatherings with friends or just a random Tuesday night. We believe part of the fun of being on a wine journey is learning and tasting! What better homework is there than that?

Marbeso

65 Los Padres Way. Buellton, CA marbesowine.com Region: Santa Barbara County Owners: Colin & Hannah McNany Winemaker: Colin McNany About: Marbeso is a small boutique winery based out of Buellton producing cool-climate wines in close proximity to the ocean. Sourcing organically farmed grapes from Santa Barbara & Santa Cruz Mtns., Marbeso was founded in 2019 by husband & wife duo Colin & Hannah McNany. After 15 years of making wines in Santa Cruz Mtns, they moved down South to launch the business with the intention of making delicious, lower alcohol acid driven wines that they love to drink. What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Aligote What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? Working with Pedro Ximenez out of the Cuyama Valley. What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? They are just as delicious if not more than the standard varietals you commonly see around. When you expose yourself and others to these grape varietals, you are opening the minds of people who least expect it and therefore are changed for the better.

Marchelle Wines

2064 Hwy 116 N Ste 102 Sebastopol, CA 95472
Tasting Room: 34 North St, Healdsburg, CA 95447
marchellewines.com

Region: Russian River Valley, Sonoma County

Owners: Kevin Lee and Greg La Follette

Winemaker: Greg La Follette and Evan Damiano

About: Marchelle employs traditional winemaking techniques combined with modern innovations to create wines that harmonize balance, finesse, and complexity. The resulting wines display a purity of fruit, precise acidity, and a seamless integration of flavors—a testament to Greg La Follette’s artistry and the exceptional vineyards from which the grapes are sourced.

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Cinsaut, as it comes from the oldest producing Cinsaut vineyard in the world at Bechthold Vineyard in Mokelumne River AVA in Lodi, originally planted in 1886

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? Colombard, it is Marchelle’s origin story as Greg La Follette nursed these old vines back to health at Betty Ann Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. The crisp acidity and green apple flavors pair so well with raw oysters.

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? It’s unique and interesting and something most people have not tried. Discovering something special and creating an exceptional wine from it.

McPrice Myers Wines

3525 Adelaida Road, Paso Robles, CA
mcpricemyers.com

Region: Paso Robles

Owner: McPrice Myers

Winemaker: McPrice Myers

About: As founder and winemaker of his eponymous winery, McPrice “Mac” Myers makes serious wines with depth and grace. His winemaking philosophy mirrors his approach to life: Dream big. Work hard. Have fun while making great things happen. Mac was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley. He earned a baseball scholarship to Rio Hondo College in Whittier, and around that time landed a job at a Southern California Trader Joe’s. That’s where he developed an appreciation for food and wine – and Rhône wines, in particular. These days, this tenacious, self-taught winemaker quietly crafts some of Paso Robles’ most lauded releases. He’s considered the region’s undiscovered genius, yet he’s also known for his low-key demeanor. As his wines rival those made by Domaine du Pégaü, Mac has earned the title of arm-wrestling champ of Châteauneuf-du-Pape on a Hospice du Rhône trip – all while sporting his signature style in Dickies-brand workwear. Mac is a humble individual backed by an amazing winery team. Together, they’re strengthening Paso’s reputation as a world-class wine region.

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Cinsault. It handles the warm, dry Paso Robles climate extremely well. It provides a lot of floral and more exotic aromatics, so it’s cool as its own and great to blend with.

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? Graciano. It’s got a surprising energy and color to it, and it surprised me with its complex aromatics. A little goes a long way in blending.

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? There is so much more to wine than what you find on the beaten path. Paso Robles’ climate is suitable for so many more grapes than just Zinfandel, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. You’re missing out by not experiencing what’s out there.

Nicora Winery

2945 Limestone Way, Paso Robles, CA 93446
nicorawine.com

Region: Paso Robles

Owner: Nick Elliott

Winemaker: Nick Elliott

About: Nicora winery was founded in 2009 in Paso Robles and we focus primarily on Rhone blends. We source our fruit from Bien Nacido, Edna Valley, and the westside of Paso Robles. We will be pouring our 100% Grenache called “Euphoric” and our 100% Tannat from G2 vineyard in Paso Robles.

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Tannat

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? We fell in love with Tannat after being introduced to it by Tablas Creek, which was the first in America to grow it. It has an amazing color, and it’s really fun to teach Cabernet lovers about Tannat because they always love it.

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? The challenge! It’s fun to ferment grapes we have never worked with before; we get to have a new challenge every year, and it allows us to make our blends more complex. It’s like cooking with a new ingredient.

Omega Road Winery

2135 S Vasco Rd, Unit C, Livermore, CA 94550
www.omegaroadwinery.com

Region: Livermore Valley

Owners: Alexandra Henkelman, Ken Henkelman, Nicky Henkelman

Winemakers: Alexandra Henkelman + Ken Henkelman

About: Omega Road Winery is more than just a place to enjoy great wine. Our passion is crafting beautiful wines, and our heart and soul go into each bottle we produce. We believe in the magic of wine to spark connection, build friendships, and bring people together.

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Torrontés is a delicious and delightful undiscovered varietal – aromas of orange blossom and ginger are present right from the moment grapes are picked in the field, all the way through crush, fermentation, and into the bottle. It’s a bold wine, not by being overpowering, but by the balance of softness and structure. It’s a grape that holds nuance, but also is ready to be enjoyed by everyone.

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? Our first foray into Torrontés was a bit of a harvest gamble. We took a chance on trying a new varietal that not only had we not tried before, but had never even heard of. With only a week’s notice of when the grapes would be harvested, we bought as many bottles of Torrontés as we could find (in the name of research, of course) and started reading up on the grape. With a lot of excitement and only a hint of trepidation, we jumped in a week later and brought in the grapes. That was in 2019, and we haven’t looked back since!

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? There’s something truly momentous about watching someone taste a wine that’s completely unfamiliar to them. It’s a moment of discovery… a moment of unbridled fascination… a moment of curiosity. That introduction to something new opens a whole new world – not just of wine, but of places and of people. For me (and our team at Omega Road), the beauty of Forgotten Grapes is that it allows our community to expand their palates while expanding their minds. Besides, who doesn’t love getting to be the first to tell their friends about the best new wine they’ve ever tried?