2020 | Orin Swift Cellars | Abstract

The 2020 Abstract pours a neon purple splash and an opaque maroon core with dark aromatics upfront. Black plum, boysenberry and hints of bing cherry and lavender invite a taste. On the palate, the aromatics turn into the sense of taste along with a touch of dark chocolate and reduced blackberry. Supple drying tannins and a slight chalky texture close the wine with a calming finish.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: While the exact blend of the 2020 Proprietary Red Abstract hasn't been disclosed, winemaker Dave Phinney allows that he starts with Grenache and builds on that, usually with Syrah and Petite Sirah. The wine also includes some Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. The wine offers up scents of black cherries, accented by garrigue-like herbs and spice, including a hint of lavender. It's full-bodied without being heavy, rather open-knit and easy to drink, with a long finish that's both mouthwatering and gently dusty. I wouldn't bet on cellaring it for a decade, but it's delicious now, so why wait?

• Wine Spectator: This blend offers a potpourri of hearty aromas and flavors, with black raspberry and cherry flavors accented by smoked pepper, orange peel and black olive notes that finish with medium-grained tannins. Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Tempranillo and Malbec.

Producer Information

Orin Swift Cellars is trailblazing Californian wine brands, going from a tiny production project to an empire of wines distributed across the world. The distinctively packaged 'The Prisoner' wine further becoming a commercial success. The company was founded by David Swift Phinney, who fell into wine on a trip to Italy during his college days. After graduating, he took a job at Robert Mondavi Winery as a harvest worker, before founding his own company in 1998. Orin is his father's middle name, while Swift is his mother's maiden name. Orin Swift's most well-known label is 'The Prisoner' – a wine made predominately from Zinfandel with smaller amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Charbono, Syrah, and Petite Sirah, sourced from all over Napa Valley. It was launched in 2003 with a mere 385 cases. It quickly became a cult wine, however, with its rich, fruit-forward profile, and striking label – a drawing of a prisoner by Spanish artist Goya. In 2010, Phinney sold The Prisoner label to Huneeus Vintners for an undisclosed sum. By this time, production had reached over 75,000 cases and was being distributed nationwide and internationally. As part of the sale, Phinney signed a non-competition agreement, undertaking not to make a return to Zinfandel production for eight years. His subsequent 8 Years in the Desert label – a Zinfandel-based wine released by Orin Swift in 2018 – was a direct reference to this period. By this stage, Orin Swift Cellars had been sold to California wine giant E&J Gallo in 2016, with Phinney staying on as winemaker. Wine giant Constellation Brands acquired The Prisoner from Huneeus in the same year. Orin Swift produces a number of other well-known labels, the most sought-after being the Mercury Head, a varietal Cabernet Sauvignon wine in a bottle adorned with silver-winged Mercury Head dimes that Phinney collected as a child. The dime was minted between the years 1916 to 1945, so the winery sources the coins from recycled bottles and brokers. The wine is known for selling out in a matter of days between club members and retailers. Additional labels include Papillon, a Bordeaux blend; Mannequin, a white blend mostly made from Chardonnay; Machete, a Petite Sirah blend with a lineup of twelve different racy labels; as well as several others.

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