Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
Orin Swift Cellars, led by winemaker Dave Phinney, is a brand known as much for its creative and evocative expression of art on the front of the bottle as it is the bold, yet finessed styling within the bottle. Based out of Saint Helena, within the prized Napa Valley, Orin Swift features a portfolio of wines that appeal to a variety of senses. It all begins in the vineyard. Sourcing for the Orin Swift family takes Dave across the state of California, with special interest in the Napa Valley, Sonoma County and Santa Barbara area. He sets his sights on small lots within the most coveted vineyards while ensuring that only fruit of the highest quality makes it into the final blend. Every wine in the portfolio, from the vineyard source to the distinct artwork adorning the label, offers a unique point of view while creating a heart-skipping impression.
“There’s a soul to this business.. that soul isn’t just from the people who make wine, it’s from everyone who loves wines that make them feel something.”—Dave Phinney
A major force on the global playing field, California is the world’s fourth largest wine-producing region on the planet and the majority of land under vine here is devoted to red varieties, covering nearly double the vineyard acreage of whites.
While the state’s incredibly diverse terrain and microclimates allow for countless red wine styles, the one factor unifying all California red wine is the abundance of sunshine and a long, consistent growing season, which leads to well-developed and fully ripened fruit.
The most famous region today, of course, is the acclaimed Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as king.
Sonoma County, nestled between Napa Valley and the Pacific Ocean, claims great variability in geography and microclimates. Here world-class Pinot Noir is possible from Sonoma’s cooler sites while old, gnarly Zinfandel vines survived Prohibition.
The Central Coast, Lodi and the Sierra Foothills also excel in the production of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and remain active frontiers for newer varieties, namely Rhône and Spanish.
The cool Anderson Valley in California’s North Coast region is a fantastic source of Pinot noir.
