2021 Orin Swift 'Abstract' Red Blend Napa Valley
An opaque purple core with a glowing mauve rim, the 2021 Abstract brings forth opening aromas of muddled blue and blackberries with a frame of dark chocolate brownie and seasoned leather. The wine enters with class, being soft and lush, with notes of ripe plum, boysenberry. Grippy, chewy tannins, the wine closes with pleasing sarsaparilla and blackcurrant.
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.
Decanter
Black cherry and kirsch, with pronounced oak, vanilla and chocolate notes. Broad and mouthfilling, with a deep concentration of blueberry fruit, black currant, vanilla and mocha. Grippy, angular tannins resolve with good acidity and a lengthy finish of earth, chocolate and cedar. This label was first introduced after the Prisoner sale, having debuted in 2009. 'With over 75,000 square miles of California represented in this blend, it is a true amalgamation,’ says Dave Phinney. The blend for Abstract begins with Grenache, and then they weave in Syrah and Petite Sirah, but the combination and blend differ from year to year.