True to the Heights

Oakville Ranch is the original mountain vineyard of the sub-appellation that produces the New World's most celebrated Cabernets. Covering just two square miles at the heart of Napa Valley, the Oakville district may be small, but its wines play a very big role in the connoisseur's collection. At 1,400 feet above the valley floor, the Oakville Ranch vineyards produce fruit that speaks from the appellation's signature red volcanic soil with a mountain accent.

In the two decades since Bob and Mary Miner purchased the 350-acre ranch, plantings have slowly increased from an initial 55 acres to today's 75 acres of predominantly Bordeaux varietals. The vineyards have seen a deliberate shift away from conventional farming methods intended to subdue nature rather than to harness its vitality. Vineyard blocks are cultivated to "grow" terraces naturally in conjunction with the vines. A holistic organic approach addresses the needs of the vines on an intrinsic level rather than simply layering on additives. The result has been an awakening of the vineyards' exceptional potential; they have begun producing fruit of the highest quality available in the appellation.