Orin Swift - Wine Tasting in California

Because I am a fan of Orin Swift The Prisoner, I was looking forward to visiting their tasting room in Rutherford. (Since they source their grapes, locally, from various vineyards they do not have a winery.)  I was anticipating tasting the wines I could not find in stores, especially Abstract.  Unfortunately, I was disappointed in the tasting (NOT in the wine) as most of the wines I wanted to taste were limited production (3,000 to 5,000 cases) and sold out.  Below are the wines we were able to taste.

Note:  Orin Swift's wines are all blends; their roots are in inventing new blends. 

Orin Swift 2010 Veladora - a Napa Valley blend of 88% Sauvignon Blanc, 9% Muscat, and 3% Semillon.  The aroma is very fruity with grapefruit and muscat.  The flavor was grapefruit, citrus, and honeysuckle.  Enjoyable.  (All of the profits from this wine are donated to Puertas Abiertas (Open Doors).)  

Winemaker's Notes:   The 2010 Veladora has bright floral aromas of honeysuckle and wisteria. A soft entry opens into a complex mid-palate with citrus and melon complimented by subtle acidity that leads into a soft, lingering finish of pear and kumquat.


Orin Swift 2009 D66 (Department 66) - a blend of 80% Zinfandel, 8% Syrah, 9% Petite Sirah, and 3% Grenache.  This wine is made in France (their first release), unlike the other Orin Swift wines which are made in California.  The aroma was fruit and smoke with a great flavor of raspberry (reminded me of Chambourd), oak, and spice.  The tannins were light and it was a very dark color.   

Winemaker's Notes:  The wine has a very dark, opaque red color with subtle aromas of toasted oak, ripe blueberry jam and dried rose petal. The entry is mouth coating and lush. Opulent plum and ultra ripe cherry are balanced with Asian spices and a bright vein of minerality and acidity that give great structure, weight and balance to the long finish. The tannin chains are long and will lend to ageability for 5 to 10 years.

Orin Swift 2009 Saldo which I reviewed on May 9th. 



Orin Swift 2009 The Prisoner  - a Napa Valley blend of 48% Zinfandel, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Syrah, 7% Petite Sirah, 3% Charbono, and 1% Greanche.  An aroma of dark fruit and oak. A flavor of dark fruit with a slight creamy texture and medium tannins.  I enjoyed The Prisoner 2008 and this is equally good.  Originally there were 200 cases of The Prisoner made.  Now they make 70,000 cases.  

Winemaker's Notes:  This vintage has a deep ruby hue that is nearly opaque. The aromas elevate from the glass starting with black currant, dark blackberry, cherry, and cassis rounded out by subtle hints of seasoned French and American oak. The entry of the wine is massive and leads into a lush middle framed by bright acid and supple tannins. The finish is long, lingering and filled with soft velvety tannins lasting for nearly thirty seconds.

On my list to taste, but SOLD OUT, were: Abstract, Macheti, Mercury Head, Papillon, and Palermo.  Oh so disappointed.  I'll have to hope they increase production and these wines make it to the stores near me.