2018 Orin Swift 'Blank Stare' Sauvignon Blanc
Aglow with aromatics of fresh-cut grass and ripe fruit adrift on a sea of cream and jasmine. The impressive 2018 Orin Swift ‘Blank Stare’ Sauvignon Blanc is dripping with exuberant green guava, gooseberries and citrus flavors on a medium to full-bodied palate. The entry is bright acidity, the palate long and rewarding, the finish youthful with a lingering hint of Meyer lemon. As Robert Parker puts it, “This vintage is a knock-out.”
It's long been official – Dave Phinney of Orin Swift is a phenomenon. Whether it's the throngs of people we see jammed in his Saint Helena tasting room all summer long, or the constant stream of great press about his projects – not just in Napa, but around the world – this guy is on a serious roll. The fire that he sparked with The Prisoner shows no sign of abating. Phinney's genius was simply to perfect and popularize something that already had deep roots in California wine: the "mixed blacks" wine of yore—sweet-fruited, dark as night, served in a whiskey tumbler. His wines are unapologetically ripe, hedonistic, and just plain delicious. Simple as that.
Wine Advocate
The 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Blank Stare was 30% barrel fermented and aged for three months. The total amount of new oak in the blend if 17%. This vintage is a knock-out, giving up exuberant green guava, gooseberries and white peaches scents with touches of wild thyme, chalk dust and musk perfume. Medium to full-bodied, the palate bursts with citrus and gooseberries flavors with loads of herbal accents and a lively finish.