2012 The Oracle - Miner Family Winery

Dense cassis, dried tobacco, blackberry preserve. Rich dark cherry, vanilla bean, candied hazelnut. Fresh rosemary and basil, young cedar and cool graphite. Complex violet and primarily black fruits rise over frozen chocolate and crème de menthe with tremendous polish and poise. Shiny smooth tannins point to a new oak framework that is nearing the point of integration. Young, deep, and muscular yet remarkably well balanced at this stage. This 2012 The Oracle by Miner Family Winery is Napa Meritage done right.

Miner Family Wines was founded in 1996 by Dave and Emily Miner. The two first met while working at Oakville Ranch Vineyards and eventually decided to start their own project together. Miner quickly grew from a small custom crush operation to one of Napa's premier producers, in part because of their flagship Bordeaux blend dubbed The Oracle. This bottling, from the legendary 2012 vintage, is crafted from a blend of 54% Cab Sauv, 25% Cab Franc, 15% Merlot, and 3% each of Malbec and Petit Verdot. It carefully toes the line between being intellectual and hedonistic in a style that is well executed and distinctly Napa. At 6 years from vintage this is showing quite well with considerable air - we used our vSpin to speed up the process - but this should continue to improve and develop with time. Miner has a wonderful tasting room off of Silverado Canyon in Oakville and should absolutely be on your must-visit list for your next Napa trip.