2021 | Orin Swift Cellars | Eight Years In The Desert

A deep maroon core with a ruby rim, the 2021 Eight Years in the Desert opens with aromas of wild blackberry, pepper, oatmeal raisin cookie, Sequoia forest floor, bay leaf, and spices. The entry is broad and opulent with a mid-palate of brambly raspberry, black cherry, ripe blueberry, and a hint of cacao. The wine has superb length through the finish with ripe tannins and a close of sweet oak.

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. Many of Orin Swift's wine are limited to the winery's club members. Recently, Phinney bought 95 hectares (235 acres) of vineyard near the village of Maury in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. He built a winery called Department 66, and launched an old-vine Grenache-based wine called D-66 with the 2009 vintage. Phinney also established the Savage & Cooke distillery on Mare Island, Vallejo, some 35 miles (56km) north of San Francisco, in 2018.

DISCLAIMER** This is a single item listing unless otherwise noted in the description. Retailer advises either in stock or in route to their location. Usually ships within one to four business days. Longer processing times may occur especially around holiday(s). Some items may become backordered or delayed without notice due to demand & will ship out upon arrival. Overseas 700ml products typically have longer processing/transit times. You can always verify product availability by calling 1-888-548-0333. Please refer to our cancellations & returns agreement or reach out to our support team at help@caskcartel.com for any additional questions.

Our dedicated team specializes in creating personalized shopping experiences. If you’re looking for a specific item or collection that isn’t appearing on our marketplace, please reach out to us at concierge@caskcartel.com or fill out the product inquiry form and one of our dedicated team members will be in touch.  Whether it’s a product you’ve experienced while traveling or a rare, hard to find item you’ve been searching for, we have an established global network of retailers with the ability to locate and source the rarest and hardest to find products.