As a child he used to collect coins including the silver winged Mercury Head dimes – it takes one to think outside the box to come up with a wine bottle where the label is merely a silver dime that is no longer in circulation. Grapes are also sourced from additional premium vineyards mostly in Rutherford and Oakville – the best barrels are selected once this wine has aged and are used to create the final blend.ĭave is known for his clever, catchy and creative labels. One winemaker we met with had to wait over 4 years just to acquire a small block of fruit from this vineyard. Some of the Cabernet Sauvignon for this wine is sourced from the well-regarded Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford. It is released in May and quickly sells out of wine shops often within a week’s time. Orin Swift’s Mercury Head is a wine that people go crazy for. When owned by Orin Swift this label was typically a five varietal blend including Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Charbono and Petite Syrah. The grapes for this wine are sourced from high quality vineyards throughout the Napa Valley. The label is an etching of a prisoner drawn by the famous artist Goya – Dave’s parents first gave him a print of this image as a Christmas present. In April 2016 The Prisoner label was again sold, this time to Constellation Brands who opened a new dedicated hospitality center to the The Prisoner wine and related brands in November 2013 along with an artisan community on site called The Makery.īefore Dave sold this label 75,000 cases were being produced annually (up from merely 385 cases during their first vintage!). The “Prisoner” label was their flagship wine (in 2010 Dave sold just the Prisoner label to Huneeus Vintners – also owners of Napa’s Quintessa Winery). When you combine excellent wines with creative labeling you are bound to grow fast and now his full time job is with Orin Swift. He started this winery when he was working for other wineries and as a result started small and worked part time. He paid tribute to his parents with the name of this winery – Orin is his father’s middle name and Swift is his mother’s maiden name. David has a long history of winemaking at high end wineries in the Napa Valley including Robeth Mondavi Winery and Whitehall Lane. Tax and gratuity included.Orin Swift Cellars was started by winemaker David Phinney. Orin Swift, Abstract Red Blend vs The Prisoner Wine Company, Saldo Zinfandel. Orin Swift, Palermo Cabernet Sauvignon vs The Prisoner Wine Company, Cuttings Cabernet Sauvignon. Orin Swift, Slander Pinot Noir vs The Prisoner Wine Company, Eternally Silenced Pinot Noir. Orin Swift, Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvignon vs The Prisoner Wine Company, Derange Red Blend. Orin Swift, Eight Years in the desert vs The Prisoner Wine Company, The Prisoner. We’re skipping the wimpy whites and doing all reds and including the high end Mercury Head Cabernet and Derange Red Blend. Join us as we blind taste five wines from Orin Swift and five wines from The Prisoner Wine Company side by side to determine who makes the better wines. The Prisoner Wine Company was then bought by Constellation in 2016 for $285 million and case production increased to 165,000. The wine soon had a cult following and Phinney sold the Zinfandel blend and a few other labels in 2010 to The Prisoner Wine Company for $40 million. Orin Swift’s winemaker, Dave Phinney, made the first Prisoner wine in 2000 with a 385 case production.
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