Belated comments on the Orin Swift tasting of a couple weeks back:
We had a great turnout, which I expected given the popularity of the brand – The Prisoner has a cult following, and Papillon’s not far behind. For those not familiar with Orin Swift, it’s a Napa Valley-based winery founded and run by Dave Phinney (there is no Orin Swift; the name comes from his father’s middle name and mother’s maiden name). It’s a relatively new winery (started in 2000) but quickly achieved recognition with The Prisoner, a full-throttle Zin-based blend.
First wine was the Veladora Sauvignon Blanc, a single-vineyard wine from the Tofanelli Vineyard just south of Napa. Nice thing about this wine is that all of the profits go toward migrant worker health care, so you can feel virtuous while you enjoy it. It’s a polarizing wine; some people love it and others don’t, but very few are ambivalent. Fairly lavishly oaked and with some lees contact, so it’s a much creamier, richer, and oakier Sauv. Blanc than most people are used to. It’s a bit over the top for my personal preference, but people who like oaky, buttery California Chards really enjoy it. Very well made for the style.
Next up was the 2007 Saldo, a Zinfandel sourced from top regions throughout California (primarily Sonoma, but also Napa, Mendocino, Amador, and Contra Costa counties), using fruit from more than 20 vineyards. This is the first vintage of this wine, and it’s gotten a great response. Like all Orin Swift wines, it’s big (15.5% alcohol) and lush, but with great Zin character. It was a hit; we sold a bunch of this wine. Only a few bottles left, and then it’s gone until the next vintage.
The 2007 Prisoner was the third wine; many attendees were already familiar with it since they’ve been buying it from me faithfully, but for those that weren’t it was a nice chance to see what the hype is about. The blend on this one is 50% Zinfandel; 24% Cabernet Sauvignon; 14% Syrah; 9% Petite Sirah; 2% Charbono; and 1% Grenache – definitely a kitchen sink wine! More tannins than the Saldo thanks to the Cab and Syrah, but still with that ripe, juicy red and black berry fruit. I ran both this and the Papillon through the Vinturi aerator to open them up a bit, which really helps soften up the mouthfeel, but this will easily benefit from a couple of years in the cellar. I can see why this gets the high scores; it’s very well made for the style, with great intensity, concentration and balance. (Personally, though, give me a nice elegant Pinot Noir any day).
Finally was the Papillon, a Bordeax blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon; 27% Merlot; 4% Petite Verdot; 2% Malbec; 2% Cabernet Franc. Like all of his wines, the label is fantastic; the label artwork is a photo taken by photographer Greg Gorman, and the hands are vineyard owner Vince Tofanelli’s. This is my favorite out of the four wines – it’s big, yes, but had more structure and finesse than the previous wines. (Plus, I just like Cab better than Zin). Another candidate for medium-term cellaring, with a fair amount of tannins and tight fruit. It’s all there, though, and is already showing great complexity and layers of flavor.