“My philosophy is, wine is made in the vineyard. I try to let each vintage speak for itself with minimal interference. By using organic farming methods and leaving our wines unfiltered and unfined, the beauty of the fruit shows through.”
—Eric Hays, Winemaker
Château Davell's Estate Vineyard is situated at an 3000' elevation in the El Dorado AVA. We use sustainable vineyard management methods, eliminating the need for conventional herbicides and pesticides, and supporting the vitality of the surrounding ecosystem. We use cover cropping and other natural farming techniques in our estate vineyard. Our soils are made up of rich clay, decomposed granite, and volcanic rock making it the perfect place to grow grapes. We are thankful to have relationships with other sustainable and organic growers in both El Dorado and Lodi Counties to source additional quality fruit for our winemaking. Pictured here is our vineyard nestled among the beautiful pines of our region.
Château Davell produces handcrafted wines in extremely small lots, combining old-world methods with new-world style. Winemaker/Owner Eric Hays approaches winemaking more as an artist than a scientist. He strives to make all of our wines, from our signature red blends to our Zander Zinfandel and Davell Cabernet Franc, well balanced, smooth, rich and velvety. Because none of our wines are filtered or fined, they have a beautifully pronounced bouquet, flavor and body not found in mass produced wines. Our labels feature the winemaker's paintings of our family members and the original artwork used for the labels is on display in the Tasting Room.
Being able to spend time together as a family is a really important element of our business. Eric developed a passion for wine during his 15-year tenure as a restaurant and club manager, and honed his winemaking skills on the job as an Assistant Winemaker at a local winery. If your lucky you might find the wineries namesake Davell and her husband Terry behind the bar pouring wine. With some hope the kids Charlotte and Auguste pictured with Eric will take over operations some day.
Living an eco-friendly lifestyle, being good stewards of the land we farm, and creating a healthy environment for our children and animals are all integral parts of our family philosophy and business practice. We use no herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Bottling by hand using recycled-content glass, labels produced with 100% post-consumer waste papers, and FSC Certified corks helps keep our production and packaging as sustainable as possible. We never add dyes or fining agents to our wines and we strive to work with other local growers using organic farming practices whenever possible. Thank you for letting us share our passion with your, and for supporting our family business!
Château Davell's daily tasting menu varies, but always showcases six of our current vintages of unique varietals and blends, each paired with a different local / farmstead cheese or other pairing. Our reserve wines, as well as some library vintages are also available for purchase at the Tasting Room, along with an assortment of artisan picnic supplies and hand-crafted chocolates. Our seasonal hard apple cider, Avery Sparkling Rosé and Cuvee Blanc, all on tap, are only available by the glass at the Tasting Room.
Stay and enjoy our wines by the glass or bottle in one of our relaxing picnic areas. Our eclectic Tasting Room is a fun and funky mix of our winemaker's original artwork, repurposed and sustainable building materials and scenic and relaxing vistas. We offer live music and wood fired pizzas during the Summer from June through October, and our venue is available to reserve for all your private events, weddings and special occasions. We look forward to seeing you soon!
If you're interested in wholesale purchasing, please use our contact form.
Want to make it an overnight visit? Check us out on Harvest Hosts.
We believe one should always have a bottle or two of fine wine on hand. Become part of our extended Château Davell family, and receive two bottles of wine quarterly. Benefits of membership include:
Wines are selected by the Winemaker. Due to limited production, substitutions are not allowed. We ask that you keep your membership active for one year or four shipments, then you may cancel at anytime. You may choose to pick up your wines at the Tasting Room or have them shipped. (Shipping rates apply.)
Call Today to Join our Club: 530-644-2016 or sign up online.
In addition to limited production wines Château Davell offers a small menu of locally sourced seasonally inspired cuisine available daily. We also have a small culinary garden on site. Please call/text 530.919.6588 for current menu.
We offer periodic winemaker dinners in our cellar and on our lawn. These dinners are multiple courses paired with wines. We design the menu according to the season and our current wine selections. These often sell out. Please call or text for information about our next dinner. 530.919.6588
The ultimate farm to table. Our culinary garden is a few steps from our kitchen. We grow high quality fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables. We farm completely organic. We only use home made or organic certified fertilizers, pesticides, and hand pick all the weeds. We emphasize heirloom varieties for their rich full unique flavors. Our favorite to grow are heirloom tomatoes for our caprese salads and margherita pizzas. We love picking fruits and vegetables and serving them while they are still warm from the sun.
