The history of Orin Swift Cellars dates back to 1995 when on a lark, David Swift Phinney took a friend up on an offer and went to Florence, Italy to spend a semester “studying”. During that time, he was introduced to wine, how it was made, and got hooked. A few more years of university led to graduation and eventually a job at Robert Mondavi Winery in 1997 as a temporary harvest worker.
Deciding that if he was going to work this hard, it would eventually have to be for himself, so in 1998 he founded Orin Swift Cellars; Orin is his father’s middle name and Swift is his mother’s maiden name. With two tons of zinfandel and not much else, he spent the next decade making wine for others as well as himself and grew the company to what it is today.
Orin Swift Blank Stare 2018
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.
Orin Swift Blank Stare 2019
A glowing pale straw with a striking touch of chartreuse sits in the glass. Aromatically, the wine pops with lime zest, gooseberries, ripe passionfruit, fresh cut grass and lemon bars. On the entry, the acidity acts like a belt, constraining the voluptuousness; similar taste profiles to the nose plus crispy green apples and the faintest hint of fresh sage abound. The finish is reminiscent of ripe kiwi and limoncello, teetering on a beam of lingering acidity.
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Orin Swift Mannequin 2018
A lurid straw gold, the aromatics abound with bright lemon, butterscotch, honeysuckle and jasmine, with hints of Granny Smith apple, fresh butter and lime zest. Rich and layered upon entry, the palate espouses honeydew, yellow peach, vanilla with a lush, weighty viscosity. A vein of acidity is present through the finish with a pleasing close of minerality and lemon pith.
Varietal: Chardonnay
Orin Swift Abstract 2019
Immediate aromatics escape the glass: blueberry, Mirabelle plum, ripe raspberry, Bing cherry and enchanting musk. On entry, the wine is seamless and enveloping with notes of Black plum, sweet cassis and blueberry compote on the mid-palate. Textured and long on the finish, the wine closes with a hint of dried lavender and dark chocolate.
Varietal: Grenache, Petite Sirah and Syrah
Orin Swift Slander 2018
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.
Orin Swift Palermo 2018
A dark crimson with a blue band, the nose presents immediate aromas of boysenberry, currants, graphite, cedar, fir ash and vanilla. Seamless on the entry with resounding energy, the mid- palate features lush blackberry and bing cherry as well as a hi n t of sweet red licorice. Long, complex tannins punctuate the finish with an elegant and tapering note of black tea.
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Orin Swift Machete 2018
A gothic mauve with a vivid neon rim, the wine appears almost black in the glass. Notes of wet stone, black plum and crushed gravel reverberate from within. Bold upfront, the palate is all-enveloping with mixed berry crepe, black licorice and a touch of char. Layered and omnipotent in weight, the wine finishes with ripe Petite Sirah tannins, providing a pleasant closing texture.
Varietal: Petite Syrah, Syrah and Grenache
Orin Swift Slander 2020
In the seventh iteration of our Pinot Noir, Slander is solidifying its style and defining its own voice. As we strive to always overdeliver with each wine, Slander has proven difficult because of the fickle nature of the varietal. In many respects, we treat Pinot Noir differently than the rest of our red varietals; we pick it earlier and typically utilize the punchdown over the pumpover. Gentle handling in the vineyard and cellar allows us to capture these delicate aromatics and the enchanting palate of Pinot Noir. Sourced from across California, this 2020 vintage includes fruit from Annapolis, Del Rio, Radian and Our Lady of Guadalupe vineyards.
Pale ruby in the glass.
Nose: The wine opens with no-fuss aromatics of bright strawberry, candied cherry, crushed gravel, wet brick, white pepper and brushed violet.
Palate: Enveloping in a sophisticated, elegant manner, the palate has similar tones to the nose with some black cherry and a touch of minerality. Vibrant and energetic through the finish, the wine closes with a pleasant vein of acidity, capable of myriad pairings.
Varietals: Pinot Noir
"Plump and direct, offering mulled black cherry and plum notes, with dashes of sweet toast and licorice. Drink now. 4,140 cases made." - James Molesworth, Senior Editor and Special Projects Director at Wine Spectator
Orin Swift Papillon 2017
A Bordeaux-style red wine from the Napa Valley, comprised of all five varietals , is hard to find. We’ve been lucky to source quality fruit from long time growers on both the valley floor
and surrounding hillsides; and while finding Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec can be difficult, their contributions to the resulting wine make it worthwhile. A prime example of our
house style—accessible, massive, and memorable—the bottle empties quickly (a slight disappointment when discovered) for the bottle weight suggests differently, and searching for
another bottle ensues.
Our good friend and fellow winemaker, Greg Gorman, photographed the label.
Powerful aromatics escape the glass with rich notes of ripe blackcurrant, blackberry, peppercorn and a touch of chaparral supported by a frame of sweet oak. Intensely layered and decadent on entry, the wine exudes characteristics of black plum, boysenberry, kirsch and dark chocolate with a silky soft yet weighty texture. A prolonged finish of Provençal lavender, fig leaf and ripe currants close out the wine.
Orin Swift Papillon 2018
A neon indigo pours into the glass and sits with a dark garnet core and a lucid cardinal tint. A boisterous nose escapes the glass with aromatics of ripe boysenberry, kirsch, mixed dark berry pie, California Coastal sagebrush and chaparral. Delectable and plush on the palate, notes of blackberry and sweet black licorice culminate in a finish of dusty tannins and ripe black plum. Aged 15 months in French oak, 52% new
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petite Sirah
Orin Swift Papillon 2019
A true five-varietal Bordeaux blend is hard to find anywhere in the world. But lucky for us, we’ve been able to source all five across the Napa Valley to produce one of our flagship wines. From the mountain tops of Atlas Peak to the gravelly soils of St. Helena and everywhere in between, the resulting blend elicits a dialectic found on the label: a butterfly may be delicate and elegant while the hands of a farmer are anything but. Similarly, the sensory introduction to Papillon is overwhelming and breathtaking; yet, as the wine opens, it transforms slowly into a wine of elegance and opulence in one. It is truly the epitome of our style of winemaking.
The 2019 Papillon pours a neon crimson and settles into a dark core with a ruby rim—crimson through and through.
Nose: Aromatically, the wine opens with powerful notes of blackberry, kirsch, coastal sagebrush and evolves into ripe pluot and roasted fig.
Palate: An enveloping entry of grandeur, the palate reveals a more elegant side of the wine: black plum, blackcurrant, toffee and trace hints of sweet red vermouth, muddled mint, and orange peel. Polished, balanced and with an imagined sweetness, the wine closes with ripe but firm tannin and a mild drying character, capable of converting even the staunchest of Bordeaux-philes.
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot
Aged 13 months in French oak, 47% new
"Fruit fans will dig this for its open and inviting display of açaí berry, plum sauce and warmed cassis aromas and flavors, all laced with melted black licorice and given a light mocha cloak on the broad, polished finish. A subtle savory tobacco element in the background adds a counterpoint, but this is aimed squarely at the hedonist crowd. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc." - 93 points, James Molesworth, Senior Editor and Special Project Director at Wine Spectator
Orin Swift Mercury Head 2017
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