Winemaker Notes
Blend: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdo
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Miner's top wine, the 2019 The Oracle Red Wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, sourced from the Stagecoach Vineyard and Volker Eisele Vineyard. It nicely marries red and black fruit on the nose, adding some slightly herbal nuances, maybe even a hint of eucalyptus. It's a medium to full-bodied effort that finishes crisp and mouthwatering, a distinctly different stylistic option compared to the 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Volker Eisele Vineyard.
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Wine Spectator
Sleek and still a bit tight, this offers a fine-grained, lengthy structure that supports a core of dried cherry, red currant, sandalwood, red tea and worn leather hints. Reveals a loamy echo at the end. Shows nice range and depth, in a reserved style. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2035. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.
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James Suckling
A fragrant nose of mulberries, plums, dark cherries, dried thyme and dark chocolate. Full-bodied with firm tannins. Framed and layered, with a fleshy texture and a polished finish. A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 25% cabernet franc, 13% merlot and 2% petit verdot. Drink from 2024.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.