New!
Exclusive new limited release (#5) from Orin Swift Cellars: 8 Years in The Desert. Eight limited edition bottles will be released – one at a time – for the next eight years.

previous vintage 93 Points Robert Parker: "Medium garnet-purple colored, the Orin Swift Zinfandel Blend 8 Years in the Desert delivers notions of stewed plums, baked raspberries and fruitcake with hints of powdered cinnamon, clove oil, tree bark, hoisin and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of ripe, spicy black and red fruits, supported by chewy tannins and tons of freshness, finishing long and earthy. 8 Years in the Desert is a blend of 56% Zinfandel, 34% Petite Sirah, 10% Syrah."

The Story: Dave has included a personal note for everyone selling the wine on the attached and as to what this release means to him after 8 Years of having not worked with Zinfandel which in context is the varietal that helped cement his career in the industry. Unlike other varietals Dave had to draw on an 8 Year memory of making Zinfandel and knowing that there would be a certain level of expectation of quality from both a wine and packaging elements. During the 8 Year hiatus, there has been a focus and thought regarding the wine and label every single day up until the actual harvest and design could begin which multiplied the effort by a factor of 20.

Winery Notes: The fifth chapter in the eight-part Zinfandel epic from legendary winemaker Dave Phinney is finally here. From the beginning, the concept behind 8 Years in the Desert involved creating eight unique labels—one for each vintage. It all started in 2008, when Dave Phinney sold The Prisoner brand. By doing so, he entered an 8-year non-compete where he could barely utter the word Zinfandel. In that 8-year exile, Dave published a book named 8 Years in the Desert which would become the name of his next ode to the Zinfandel grape. With the fifth chapter of 8 Years in the Desert, Orin Swift Cellars has taken the art of Zinfandel to yet another level. We hope you enjoy this wine as much as we enjoyed creating it.

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