Oracle Oaks Winery

Oracle Oaks is new to the Coro program with the 2003 release; the winery belongs to Greg Lolonis of Mendocino’s well-known organic winegrowing and winemaking Lolonis family. The fruit comes from Redwood Valley, a warm inland area of rolling terrain and varied soils. Like the majority of other producers, Lolonis built his wine almost completely with the three grapes in Coro’s top tier (Zinfandel, Syrah and Petite Sirah). His secret ingredient, however, was Valdiguié (3%), which he grows in Redwood Valley and bottles varietally. This grape (also known in California as “Napa Gamay”) is a backbone-stiffener in many wines of southern France, and here it plays the same role.

The day I tasted the Oracle Oaks Coro 2003, it was aromatically mute – an unlikely result with such outgoing grapes making up 97% of the blend. Not to worry, however: when I took a mouthful everything lit up. The wine is warm, ripe and rich on entry, emphasizing red and purple fruit, tooth-coating tannins, and a cool dense core of fruit that makes it all the way to the finish. This has the stuffing and legs to run for some years to come, but it should drink well in the near term, too.

Reviewed July 4, 2006 by Thom Elkjer.