Orin Swift 8 Years In The Desert Red 2018

Named for the number of years it took until Dave Phinney was allowed to make a wine with Zinfandel in it, 8 Years in the Desert is a fantastic come-back. He was required to take this hiatus as part of his non-compete when he sold his popular brand, "The Prisoner." Phinney pays homage to his "time in the desert" with this eight series release of 8 Years In The Desert.

Here Phinney has artfully blended Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah and Grenache. The wine opens with heady aromas of brambly raspberry, black fig and peppercorn. Dark chocolate, fennel and High Sierra forest floor follow. The palate is lush and opulent with blackberries, dark plums and currants. With visceral minerality, it has notes of fresh Herbs de Provence. Fully integrated with mouth-puckering tannins, the wine gracefully exits with exotic finesse. This wine will probably remind you of early Prisoner vintages...

FORBES REPORTS : "One thing is for certain, there are, three 'forces of nature' in California: El Niño. The San Andreas Fault. And David Phinney." June 25, 2018