15.50%

Every now and then when tasting wine, you come across one that makes you fall into its gravity. One moment you’re having a great time with friends and the next you’re stuck with your nose in the glass—time stands still and you appear to have a blank stare on your face. The gravitational pull makes time stop. In fact, the third iteration of Blank Stare follows in the footsteps of two great vintages for Sauvignon Blanc. Sourced primarily from the Laguna Ranch, MacMurray and Two Rock vineyards, the wine’s main premise is to do just that, make time stand still with glass in hand, just for a few seconds.

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.

Sitting in the glass as lucid ruby in color, bursting aromas of traditional, elegant Pinot Noir are presented: from classic strawberry, cherries and slight savory tones of lavender, thyme and sage to exotic Asian spice, hints of wet earth, chalk and smoky oak. Upon entry there is an overwhelming envelopment of crème de caramel and the same red fruit flavors present on the nose. The wine transitions with subtle soft tannins, showing the sophisticated integration of balanced oak that finishes with a creamy mouthfeel. Overall, the wine’s surprising complexity characterizes this vintage of Slander with classic notes of Pinot Noir on the nose and New World boldness on the palate.

A bold representation of the signature grape varietal of the Napa Valley, Palermo is a portrayal of the patchwork of vineyards across the region. With fruit sourced from the warmer Calistoga and St. Helena AVAs down to the cooler AVAs of Coombsville and Oak Knoll, across to the unique microclimates of Pope Valley and Atlas Peak and finally to the famous soils of Rutherford and Oakville, this truly is the Napa Valley in a bottle. Working in the vineyards to meet our strict quality standards, we were able to produce a wine that is both classically Cabernet, while staying true to our Orin Swift ethos.

Winemaker’s Notes

A dark garnet hue sits in the glass with immediate aromas of ripe cassis and blackberry. Hints of cocoa, new oak and fir complement the juicy fruit mélange. A full-bodied entry is succeeded by a mid-palate of dark fruits and a smooth, integrated minerality. The tannins are well developed, allowing the wine to finish with length.

Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc

Maturation

Aged for 10 months in French Oak, 35% new

2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

When asked about our winemaking philosophy, we keep it simple: treat every lot as if it were destined for Mercury Head. And while there are limitations as to what we can eventually include in the resulting blend, we’ve been surprised before about what makes that cut. In 2016, we incorporated for the first time ever, a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon from the historic Monte Rosso Vineyard up in the hills above the Sonoma Valley—and this year, have done similarly. Year after year however, there are a few standouts that have become the wine’s backbone—the Morisoli vineyard in Rutherford, the Milat vineyard in St. Helena and a few of blocks from the Stagecoach vineyard on Atlas Peak. Blind tastings, trial blends and 15 months in barrel, the finished wine is our true representation of the best Cabernet from the Napa Valley.

Winemaker’s Notes

A familiar nose of pedigree, the wine opens with aromatics of ripe raspberry, blackcurrant, cigar box and a hint of fresh sandalwood shavings and Herbs de Provence—mysteriously intriguing at first but evolving into a thoroughbred with time and air. Dense and layered on the palate, an immediate note of mixed berry strudel topped with fresh cream, fresh black raspberry and soft tannins akin to baking chocolate transition to a finish of both nuance and concentration. Still young, the wine will continue to evolve gracefully while retaining its luscious quality and classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon nature.

Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon

Maturation

Aged for 15 months in French Oak, 51% new