Renaissance man, Nello Olivo approaches his craft in many ways. The day I arrived for an interview, he was wearing a tux and waxed poetic about his creations, family, and very inventive ideas like a sparkling spiced red wine. A little ginger, vanilla, and a few other flavors make it a light crisp low (6%) alcohol alternative to beer or safe for those driving home after a tasting. He even gave it a clever name.

We finished with a quick tasting with his version of limoncello. While most are made with vodka, he artfully uses some of his grape juice to make this lovely lemony liquid that’s as tart as it is slightly sweet. Cleverly, he named it Limonello.

We’ll return for more tastes on this lovely patio that also hosts live music under the El Dorado County sunshine.

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