The Milliers
Milliaire Winery is a small family-owned winery founded by Liz and Steve Millier in 1983 in the cellar of their former home in Murphys CA. In 1990, the winery moved to an old Flying A gas station on Main Street in Murphys. The whole building was utilized for daily operations; barrels stacked in the repair bays, wine tanks in the backyard, bottling in the front yard and the tasting room in the office. There were jokes about what was in "those tanks" and a friend of the Milliers' dubbed it the "Roadside Chateau". Following their dreams of making premium wines from the Sierra Foothills, today Milliaire Winery has expanded and occupies over an 8,000 square foot winery with a dedicated barrel room and modern crush pad facility. The Milliaire Winery tasting room still resides in the old "Roadside Chateau" at 276 Main Street.
Where It All Began
We balance each other, each partner brings their energy and talent to the winery. We discuss every detail of winemaking and share all the ups and downs of the creative process. - Steve Millier
It was October 4, 1975 in Santa Cruz and Steve was attending a dinner for local winemakers on the eve of the David Bruce Chardonnay harvest. This was the night where Steve and I met. I graduated from Santa Clara University with a history degree, but had an interest in wine and food. Before long I was hired to work in the office at David Bruce Winery.
This began our lifelong partnership as husband and wife, and winery owners. During our time at David Bruce, a daughter, Catherine, and son, Robert, were born. From their earliest years both Catherine and Robert have grown up in the wine business.
After seven years of mastering his craft at David Bruce, Steve was offered the winemaking job at the new Stevenot Winery in Murphys. This opportunity began our love affair with the Sierra Foothills. It was vastly different territory going from Santa Cruz's misty coastal mountains to Murphys' oak and conifer forests. Steve began exploring the many beauties of Zinfandel. During his time at Stevenot, he worked to supply the newly emerging White Zinfandel trend. A tradition which he continues today with our "Christmas Cuvee" made in a Rosé style. He also continued to make vineyard designated Zinfandel and Late Harvest. At Stevenot, Steve's 1986 Late Harvest Zinfandel from Clockspring Vineyards won the inaugural Best of Sierra Foothills Region award at the revitalized 1988 California State Fair.
The Winemaker
In 1975, Steve got his first winemaking job at David Bruce Winery in Santa Cruz after graduating from Fresno State with a degree in enology with an emphasis in viticulture. He knows the science and art of winemaking and grape growing from the ground up. After over 40 harvests, Steve is still exploring, learning and, most importantly, having fun in the winery. He is part alchemist, part artist and part farmer. The rest of us are fortunate to enjoy both his company and the fruit of his life's work - great bottles of wine!
