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Orin Swift 8 Years in the Desert 750ML 2023

In general, taking breaks can help to reset expectations and reevaluate situations, and from 2008 to 2016, we had just that with Zinfandel. During that time, we focused on producing wines with other grape varietals, waiting for the day to come back to our gateway grape. 8 Years in the Desert is the culmination of our resurgent enthusiasm for Zinfandel, sourced from premier vineyards across California including Monte Rosso, Stefani Ranch and Barrelli Creek vineyards, just to name a few. Winemaker’s Notes The 2023 Eight Years in the Desert pours a dark mauve core with a red amethyst rim and aromatic notes of ripe blackberry and raspberry bramble. Further hints of chocolate covered espresso bean, black pepper and allspice emanate from the glass. The entry is dominated by black plum preserves and freshly baked mixed berry morning bun with an energetic yet concentrated mid-palate. Soft and textured tannins give way to a lifted finish with a touch of pluot and dried tarragon.

Orin Swift Abstract 750ML 2022

The 2022 Abstract pours a dark purple core with a neon, ruby rim. The nose is quintes sential Abstract but with a broodier twist—notes of ripe black plum, cacao, black pepper, cedar, dried porcini, forest floor musk and sweet oak. The entry is coating and flooding with hints of blueberry preserves, tarragon, balsamic glaze and anise. Bright and lifting thr ough the palate, the finish offers an umami note akin to eggplant yakitori.

Orin Swift Blank Stare 750ML 2019

Every now and then, you come across a wine that has the gravity to pull you in. One moment you’re enjoying a great time with friends, the next you’re stuck nose deep in the glass—time stands still, your face now caught in a blank stare. This is Blank Stare. The grapes are sourced primarily from the Laguna Ranch, MacMurray, and Two Rock Vineyards, all located in the Russian River appellation of Sonoma County. Tasting Notes: Glowing in the glass, the aromatics concentrate with notes of lemongrass, fresh-cut grass and hints of lavender, cream and jasmine. On the palate, the entry is all acidity but with a serious mid-palate—lively flavors of kiwi, lime and intriguing minerality. The finish is bright and youthful with a slight Meyer lemon rind closing out the wine.

Orin Swift Burnt Sacrifice 750ML 2019

In the after math of the 2020 Glass Fire, Dave Phinney swept a myriad of burnt leaves from his backyard. The fire had just burned through parts of the Napa Valley and destroyed vineyards, wineries, homes and memories. The one-off 2019 Burnt Sacrifice was created to help the region’s families and rebuild the community; a portion of these proceeds will be donated to the Napa Valley Community Foundation. Resilience and strength define our communities. Tasting Notes: Eye catching, the dark garnet core and vivid fuchsia rim draws one to the glass. On the nose, popping aromas of muddled black currant, candied sweet plum, boysenberry and anise abound. On the palate, the entry is lush with notes of black licorice, black cherry and crème de cassis that carry through to the mid, joined by freshly roasted espresso bean. The finish is prolonged with warm olive levain bread and plum preserves.

Orin Swift China Doll 750ML 2020

For our China Doll Rosé, we needed fruit that ripened well, but which also kept its natural acidity and flavors—the Central Coast’s Rancho Real Vineyard delivered. Using mostly Grenache and Syrah, we were able to bring the China Doll vision to life—delicate and nuanced, but with no shortage of complexity. Tasting Notes: A deep salmon color in the glass, the wine bursts with aromas of ripe raspberries, wild strawberries and juicy Honeycrisp apples. A quenching entry and mid-palate packed with ripe red fruits, rose hips and a touch of flint featuring a clean finish with lively acidity and sweet strawberry, inviting for more.

Orin Swift Machete 750ML 2021

Black ink that coats the glass and transforms it into an altered state , the 2021 Machete opens with decadent aromas of blue and black fruits, charred meat, a hint of funk and troves of minerality. The entry is more dense than expected with notes of black plum, other stone fruits and essence of game but yet tempered and balanced by candied orange peel and leveled acidity . Typical tannins for this Petite Sirah-based wine, the wine closes with voluptuous texture and intensity.

Orin Swift Mannequin 750ML 2021

The most widely planted white wine grape in California, Chardonnay is expressed in many different styles due to the state’s varied regions. Microclimates and unique soil types allow us to source Chardonnay that tell us about place, helping us achieve our goal of showing what California has to offer. Before everything is blended, each lot expresses where it comes from—some are acid-forward and mineral-focused, while others are robust, ripe and fruit-forward. But through blending trials, we’re able to bring them together and form a piece of liquid art. Sourced from the Russian River Valley, Atlas Peak, Santa Maria Valley and other prestigious AVAs across the state, Mannequin is our manifestation of California Chardonnay. WINEMAKER’S NOTES A blinding white gold and a chartreuse shimmer in the glass, the 2021 Mannequin opens with opulent, beguiling aromatics. Ripe golden apple, concentrated jasmine, citrus notes and a touch of cream and fresh brioche emerge. The entry is bright yet with a bit of weight; similar aromatic notes come through on the palate supplemented by rich honeydew and green apple. Tempered by a prominent vein of acidity, the wine closes at length with a seamless silk-like quality, finishing with pleasing minerality

94

pts

Orin Swift Mercury Head 750ML 2021

When we decided not to make Mercury Head in 2020, the anticipation for the next release was palpable. In the cellar, we were giddy, ready to assemble a blend worthy of the famed dimes. The 2021 vintage was fortuitous in both yield and quality, giving us a lot of components to make trial blends with. We’re very excited to bring back Mercury Head as 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from both the Stagecoach and Warnock Vineyards on Atlas Peak, the Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford and the Taplin Vineyard in St. Helena. WINEMAKER’S NOTES An almost-black, opaque garnet core sit s in the glass with slow-moving tears falling down the sides. Immediate aromatic notes of ripe cassis, charred ribeye, sandalwood and freshly cut oak pilfer—breathe deeper for more. The first sip is a complex, layered conundrum of blackberry, black plum, fennel, licorice and dark chocolate. More sips peel back the layers to reveal a rich and balanced wine with a deep cassis core. A sweet linger on the finish closes the wine with softly textured chalky tannins.

90

pts

Orin Swift Palermo 750ML 2021

Poured as a dark garnet, the wine opens with primary aromas of ripe cassis and blackberry. Supporting hints of dark chocolate, toasted oak and cedar support the typical Orin Swift Cabernet Sauvignon nose. The entry is flooding with notes of dark fruits and a mid-palate bolstered with redcurrant, bay leaf and a reemergence of cassis. The wine closes with well-developed tannins and a striking minerality despite the supple and soft finish.

91

pts

Orin Swift Papillon 750ML 2021

It's rare to find a wine from the Napa Valley composed of all five Bordeaux-style varietals, but for many years, that has been Papillon's focus. The raw strength and prestige of Cabernet Sauvignon buttressed by the opulence of Merlot, the spiciness of Cabernet Franc, the depth of Malbec and the sheer unctuousness of Petit Verdot come together seamlessly. The 2021 Papillon is sourced from Napa Valley growers we've worked with for decades-Stagecoach Vineyard, Indian Joe, Morisoli Vineyard and even a touch from the Monte Rosso Vineyard over on Moon Mountain, just to name a few. Our good friend and fellow winemaker, Greg Gorman, photographed the label. The 2021 Papillon fills the glass with an unmistakable dark crimson, a flash of neon purple and a ruby rim. Tears move glacially and the wine opens with aromatics of boysenberry jam, violets, chocolate covered blueberry and hints of Cara Cara rind, graphite and brioche. The entry and mid-palate are bright throughout with considerable weight-tones of cassis, blackberry and baking spices flourish. Enveloping texture, chalky, drying tannins and an enduring finish bows out the wine.

Orin Swift Slander 750ML 2022

A focus on geographic diversity has been a principle of ours or many years. Sourcing grapes from across California gives us the flexibility to produce wines when some regions are affected by forces outside of our control. But when the entire state experiences a great vintage, the diversity can sometimes be a problem…a good problem. Extensive tastings of trial blends are difficult when each blend is great for specific reasons. But in the end, we all agreed on the blend in front of you, comprised of fruit from across California — Sonoma Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands, Sta. Rita Hills and many more. WINEMAKER’S NOTES Crisp crimson in the glass, the 2021 Slander opens with notes of wild strawberry, pomegranate, Bing cherry and cedar. Secondary aromatics abound, with hints of redwood grove underbrush, white pepper and earth. Delicate on entry, the palate is flooding with red plum, cherry cola, rhubarb and spices. A touch of cocoa powder on the finish, the wine closes with confident acidity and length.

Orin Swift Trigger Finger 750ML 2019

California Grenache has been integral to the majority of our red wine blends at Orin Swift. It has the ability, depending on the vineyard and growing style, to be used as a primary component in our rosé, China Doll, as the backbone of Abstract or as a dessert-wineblender in Muté. Many years ago, we noticed that some of the Grenache lots were punching above their weight, so we decided to make a standalone wine to show off the varietal. The grapes are sourced from across the state—from Atlas Peak to Santa Barbara County—and we are honored to have the bottle graced by “Uncle Bobby.” Tasting Notes: A pale ruby core in the glass, a pleasing perfume of ripe strawberry, Bing cherry, rhubarb, quince and tomato leaf escape the glass. Muddled red currants, pomegranate and ripe fig dance on the palate and slowly give way to an incredibly soft finish framed with a touch of acidity and hints of vanilla and fresh raspberry.

Orin Swift Veladora 750ML 2019

In times of crisis, we quickly learn to appreciate the things we take for granted. Farmworkers are the bedrock of many communities, and without them, many products we use on a daily basis wouldn’t exist. The same is true for the wine industry; without a hard-working immigrant work force, grapes wouldn’t be picked, and communities wouldn’t have the same vibrancy and diversity that exists today. Knowing they need support, now more than ever, our brand and cause, Veladora, is focused on just that. The wine represents our commitment to Puertas Abiertas (Open Doors), through an annual donation. The Sauvignon Blanc is sourced entirely from the Solari Vineyard in Calistoga and the McGah Vineyard in Rutherford. Tasting Notes: A vibrant gold in the glass, the wine opens with aromatics of lemon meringue pie, white peach, jasmine, fresh lilies and intriguing musk. Flooding and enveloping on entry, the opulent nose gives way to a juxtaposed entry and mid-palate of green apple and key lime. Rich and round on the finish, the wine closes with notes of lemon custard, lemon pith and lengthy acidity.

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