2023 Starfield Vineyards Miner’s Inch Blend – A Surprisingly Great Find
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Starfield Vineyards sent out a bottle of their 2023 Miner’s Inch for an upcoming Zoom call with Tom and Rob Stinton, owners and winemaker for Starfield Vineyards. This was held on the winter solstice concluding the shortest sunlight day to the longest, with daylight expanding ending in the summer solstice. It was a metaphor for planning and renewal for the coming year.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I was intrigued by the 2023 Miner’s Inch (named for a local mine in the Sierra foothills from the Gold Rush days) as it was either a “hodgepodge of varieties left over or creative genius”! The wine consisted of 30% Grenache, 17% Aglianico, 14% Tempranillo, 14% Petite Sirah, 9% Mourvedre, 9% Cinsault, 4% Roussanne all from El Dorado AVA. As I have previously expressed, I am not a big fan of “blends” yet have experienced some delish ones, this seems from reading the mix, a bit “far out”. Turns out it was wonderfully delicious.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes an iridescent red/maroon coloring that was beyond eye catching! I held a white paper towel behind it that only showed a portion of the color. Spice and floral notes on the nose combined with their Sierra Spice scents. On the palate is where this wine exploded with flavors coming primarily from Grenache, Aglianico, Tempranillo and Petite Sirah each being distinctly noted with each sip. Black and red berries, savory spices, smokiness, black pepper swirled happily in the mouth. The finish provided a bright acidity with checked tannins with a hint of a semi-sweet conclusion.
Only 208 cases produced and is sold for $38/bottle. SRP $38. They aged the wine for 18 months using 23% new French oak barrels and the balance being neutral barrels. This wine will make my annual list of Best Wines tasted for 2026 (Dec 16th, 2025, to Dec 15th, 2026). The conclusion is simply creative genius!
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
With such an all-inclusive blend, it was a bit of a shot in the dark which food to pair with the wine. Went with our chicken Pad Thai with a more spice than normal. The ingredients were fresh Udon noodles, virgin olive oil, minced garlic, cooked chicken, eggs, bean sprouts, sliced red bell pepper, green onions, peanuts and lime juice. The Pad Thai sauce included fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, siracha and creamy peanut butter!
Limes were plated to squeeze the juice over the top of the dish as well as ground peanuts and green onion slices. Accompanying the meal was a fresh garden salad. The meal was packed with a punch of flavor and warmth! The 2023 Miner’s Inch was a godsend. The wine was refreshing and quenched the palate from the heat of the meal. Every flavor in the dish found a partner in the wine blend!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The other note on the finish was the “Sierra Spice” which Starfield Vineyards describes as being its sense of place amongst the trees on the property of “Ponderosa Pine, Cedar, Douglas Fir and combined with the mountain air of resin, bark and needles” from the trees. They sent me a test tube to inhale the aromatics.
The Winery
Photo from Starfield Vineyards
The winery was founded in 2012 by Tom and Rob Sinton with plantings of 31 acres on the hillsides east of Placerville, California in El Dorado County. They are located at 2759 Jacquier Road.
Map courtesy of https://uscountymaps.com/el-dorado-county-map-california/
The names of the wines, especially their new labels starting with the 2023 vintages, highlight the history of the region from the Gold Rush with wine names as Miner’s Inch and Rising Hope. These two are for a nearby mine.
The winery produces 17 varieties of wines comprising of mostly Rhone varieties (66%) and Italian (30%) and a few Spanish varieties. The vineyards have been farmed using sustainable and fish-friendly farming since their inception.
The winery name, Starfield, refers to “Star Fields”, sites where in their words “fruit develops the optimal balance of aroma, flavor and texture”. They also consider what they refer to as Sierra Spice, the aroma and taste characteristics that come from the western facing forests surrounding the vineyards. The local trees are Ponderosa Pines, Cedars and Douglas Firs and their oils provide earthy and woodsy forest aromatics from their oils.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly