Orin Swift : Mercury Head 2015

A Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with Great Potential for Age

California-based winemaker Dave Phinney first fell in love with the world of wine while studying abroad for a semester in Florence. After working a few years in Napa Valley at the prestigious Robert Mondavi Winery and Whitehall Lane, Phinney finally decided to produce his own wine. With the inaugural 2000 vintage of his Prisoner cuvee, a 5-variety red wine blend, Orin Swift Cellars was born. Over the course of the next decade, Phinney expanded his portfolio of carefully chosen vineyard plots, while also forming close bonds with the wine growers whose grapes he was sourcing. Phinney's lineup today includes a wide range of different wines, made from sites selected by Phinney himself. Each of Phinney's wines tells its own intriguing story, beautifully represented by a creative and artistic label. The Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 by Orin Swift is single-variety red wine, a collection of the very best Cabernet Sauvignon lots included in the Phinney portfolio. These include the Morisoli vineyard in Rutherford, the Lewelling, Milat and Taplin vineyards in St. Helena, and the famous Stagecoach vineyard and Edcora property on Atlas Peak. The 2015 vintage brings together what are truly the most prized of Napa Valley microclimates. The wine was matured in French oak barrels (50% new) for 18 months. A rare gem, this wine bears as its only form of label an equally rare Winged Liberty Head dime, a precious piece that once formed part of Orin Swift's childhood coin collection.

The Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 by Orin Swift shows of a very deep and intense garnet-purple color in the glass. A rush of crushed black currants, plums and blackberries flood the nose on the entry, along with subtle hints of lavender, dark chocolate, graphite and smoked meat. A full-bodied entry leads to a luscious, generous presence on the palate, full of ripe cherry and blackberry flavors. The tannins are beautifully integrated and firmly structured. The finish lingers long on the palate, offering ripe black and red fruit notes. This Napa Valley Cabernet is known for its great aging potential, the perfect addition to any collection.