For my birthday I invited a small group of friends to join me for a wine tasting in Napa. We visited a few wineries, but our favorite was Miner [1] family vineyards. The excellent PR girl had arranged a private tasting and tour, complete with a surprise birthday cake for yours truly! Our guide, the jovial and informative Jaime, began by giving us a sampling of the Miner Sauvignon Blanc [2] and Rosato [3]. Next we moved on to the Sangiovese [4] and the Pinot Noir [5] — both of which were outstanding. However the best wine was the limited edition Benedetto blend series. A smooth and bountiful red, this wine was like heaven in a glass. Jaime lead us through the wine making rooms and into the Miner caves. Nestled in the base of a small mountain, the caves hold thousands of aging barrels of wine. We sampled a 2006 Malbec [6] which they plan on using to make their signature blends. Later he showed us the private cave dining room where we had an impromptu birthday party. If you are planning a trip to wine country, Miner winery is a MUST stop. If you won't be coming to California anytime in the near future seek out these wines [7] at your local wine shop. Miner wines have been served at the White House so I can guarantee you will not be disappointed. To check out the entire gallery of images from my trip there,