Miner Family Winery

Please see our updated 2014 review here: MINER FAMILY WINERY REVISITED

Miner Family Winery is a very friendly family owned and run winery that offers wines that are far above average but are available at exceptionally reasonable prices. This very friendly, family run winery should be high on your list of Napa Valley Wineries to visit.

Our tasting began with the 2009 Viognier ($20) from Simpson Valley near Madera. It was a light, fruity, pleasant wine for hot summer days.  The $30 2009 Chardonnay from several different Napa Valley districts was decent and not too buttery.  I preferred the 2008 Wild Yeast Chardonnay at $50.

It was in the red wines, though, that Miner Family seemed to excel. The 2009 Rosella (Carneros) Pinot Noir at $40 was a lighter Pinot Noir that was okay.  I preferred the Pinot Noir Rosella's 777 at $75 which had a strawberry nose with balanced tannins and was one of the better Napa Valley Pinot Noirs I've had recently. Two surprise favorites were the 2008 Sangiovese from Gibson Ranch in Mendocino at only $24 and the 2009 Tempranillo from the Sierra Foothills at only $28.  We were very fond of both of them

Next time we visit, I want to try the Oracle, Napa Valley Red ($90), the Grenache (due out in June and about which we have heard great things) and the 2006 and 2007 Cabs at $125 each.  I might try the $48 Syrah, too.  This is a winery that obviously requires repeated visits, and this was just our first, but we will definitely return soon.  

Miner Family Winery

7850 Silverado Trail

Oakville, CA 94562

(800) 366-9463

Visited 3/23/2011