Miner Family Vineyards selected
as Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting Winery Of The Year 2006!
 "The winery's flagship wine is The Oracle, made with fruit contracted from Stagecoach Vineyards, in the hills just above Oakville Ranch. The 2002 was the winery's top-scoring red this year. It has sleek, generous texture and just enough granitic minerality to distinguish it from valley-floor Oakville wines. It tastes like it was grown in the hills."
To download press reviews for both current and previous vintages: click
here.
Red Wines - Current Vintage
The Oracle, Napa Valley Red Wine 2004
90 Points, Wine Advocate, December 2007
"A beautiful wine from this Napa winery... Deep ruby/purple, with spicy aromatics intertwined with some lush blackberry and cassis fruit, opulent on the palate, with full body, silky tannins, and low acidity, this is a beauty that should drink handsomely for at least a decade. Drink 2007 - 2017." - Robert Parker
91 Points, Wine & Spirits Magazine, December 2007
"This wine's cool edges bring a North Coast conifer forest to mind. Ripe cherry flavors and espresso coffee scents give it sweetness, though the wine is balanced and understated. For duck with roasted cherries."
90 Points, Wine Enthusiast, December 2007
"It's a distinguished wine, classic in the modern Napa sense of softness and ripeness to the point of decadent drinkability. There's a sweet olive-tapenade edge to the blackberry, cassis and cherry flavors. The finish, believe it or not, suggests blueberry pie, fresh from the oven."
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville
90 Points, California Grapevine 5/07
"Big rich intense,thick, concentrated, textured, cherry and dark currant flavors; well balanced and structured for bottle aging... Very highly recommended."
91 Points Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine April 2007
"Miner's big, very outgoing Cabernet places its emphasis on ripeness and rich oak, but beneath its immediate sweetness, it shows a solid measure of persistent black currant fruit. If presently roughed up by both tannin and evident heat at the finish, it finds plenty of fruit powering through at the end, and it has all of the depth and essential extract it needs to age comfortably for a half-dozen years."
2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville
92 Points Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, April 2006
"Focusing first on smells of ripe currants and adding in suggestions of
rich loam and hints of woodsy spice, this attractive wine is full and
somewhat open in styling at the front of the palate with just enough
firming tannin in the finish for a few years of cellaring. Its supple,
mouthfilling impressions make for a wine that some will enjoy in the here
and now, yet it has what it takes to grow over time, and our
recommendation is to let it alone until 2010 or later. "
90 Points, Best of Tasting "Very Highly Recommended"- California
Grapevine, March 2006
"Attractive, forward, spicy, herbal, cedary, complex, black cherry and
blueberry aroma with notes of green olive, mocha, and tobacco... rich,
plush, highly extracted, very ripe, black cherry fruit flavors with an
appealing, velvety mouth feel; well-balanced and structured; medium-full
to full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Approachable now though deserving of
another five years of bottle aging. Shows distinctive varietal character."
90 Points, Wine & Spirits Magazine, August 2006
"This shows refinement and care in its making, particularly in the rich
scents of expressive oak. The fruit is superripe, with flavors of
blackberries and baked cherries, a peppercorn edge to the tannins placing
it with a steak."
88 Points, Stephen Tanzer's Intern'l Wine Cellar June 2006
"Good deep color. Currant, tobacco, chocolate and smoky oak on the nose.
Supple round and plump, with restrained sweetness to the flavors of plum,
currant, mint, fresh herbs and nutty oak. Has enough acidity to maintain
its shape. Finishes with sweet tannins and good breadth."
96 points sommselections (Vintrust)
"Herb, eucalyptus, red/black cherry;sweet, red fruit, baking spice, cedar; weighty, good density yet bright; long, persistent with sweet red fruit;great density and harmony, cellar it."
Silver Medal Winner 2006 San Francisco International Wine Competition
Pinot Noir, Garys' Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands
2005
92 Points Wine Spectator, October 2007
"Smooth, rich and creamy with supple plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit that's well-structured, with ripe but firm tannins that turn rich, earthy and complex.Drink now through 2011."- J.L
California Grapevine 5/07
"Medium-light brickish ruby; attractive, forward, relatively mature, smoky red berry and cherry fruit aroma with notes of cinnamon, mocha, and charred oak; rich toasty, black cherry fruit flavors with good depth and a velvety texture… Developed with airing in the glass and will reward a few more years of bottle aging. Highly recommended."
Pinot Noir, Rosella's Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands
2005
90 Points, Wine & Spirits Magazine, October 2007
“Floral strawberry scents meld with musky complexity in this wine."
California Grapevine 5/07
“Medium to full body; forward, herbal, smoky cherry and raspberry fruit flavors with a touch of sweet oak… Shows some complexity and deserving of several more years of bottle aging. Highly recommended.”
Syrah Napa Valley
2003
Food & Wine Magazine's Wine Guide 2007
"A heavy bottle holds a wine of surprising delicacy, with dark fruit, cocoa, flowers and fine minerals. Drink now -- eight years. Excellent."
2005 Miner "La Diligence" Syrah Piedmont Post "Rhone Rangers Best of Tasting", April 2007
"Interesting nose of dark berry fruit with hints of eucalyptus and menthol. Monster fruit explodes on the palate and yet there is enough structure to balance out the wine. This blockbuster could use a few years of aging and will last for a decade."
Merlot, Stagecoach Vineyard 2003
91 Points Wine Enthusiast Magazine November 2006
"Ripe with blast-in-your-mouth cherry pie, blackberry jam, dark chocolate, cassis and run-soaked raisin flavors that go on forever, not to mention lots of rich, sweet new oak. All this flavor is balanced by fine acidity and an intricate overlay of dusty tannins, resulting in a delicious Merlot. Drink now."
91 Points Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, July 2006
"Lovely, creme brulee oakiness is everywhere apparent in this wonderfully rich and expansive, fruit-laden Merlot, and the wine displays a fine sense of varietal precision from its inviting aromas all the way through to its very long finish. It shows the plump and supple palatal feel that marks the very best renditions of the grape, and, if so carefully polished that it compels early drinking, it has the balance and commendable concentration to hold up for a good many years."
Petite Sirah, Napa Valley 2002
92 Points, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, August 2005
"Exuberant and lusty. This is a big red wine, dry and full-bodied and not at all reticent. Ripe, almost jammy flavors of blackberries, cassis, cherries and cocoa, with a sweet covering of oak, and rich, thick, ripe tannins."
Sangiovese, Mendocino 2005
KCBS Radio, All News 740 AM, San Francisco
Narsai David's Wine Reviews 5/30/07
"Fine, rich aromas of ripe berries and a toasty touch of oak on the aroma, leads to a very appealing mouthful. Splendid balance between fruit, tannin, and acidity. I drank this with a pasta full of springtime vegetables - mainly favas ... a perfect combo, but any spicy dish or roast chicken would be fine."
Click here for the audio review in .mp3 format. (second review :59)
Rosato, Mendocino 2006
KCBS Radio, All News 740 AM, San Francisco
Narsai David's Wine Reviews 5/30/07
"Bright, glistening color... Red enough to suggest something like a more serious rose. Aromas of a berry bramble and a bit of spice lead to a delicious wine. Just enough tannin to provide a little mouthfeel. Certainly the perfect wine as the weather warms up. Picnics for sure. Baked ham, pizza, or just a chilled glass of Rose. A delicious wine."
Click here for the audio review in .mp3 format.
Washington Examiner 5/10/07
"... a wonderfully unique blush wine featuring notes of strawberry and earthiness on the delicate nose. Fresh flavors of red cherry and pomegranate are kept in balance, resulting in a crisp, refreshing finish. Serve well-chilled alongside grilled or chilled shrimp."
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