2016 Orin Swift Papillon

Napa Valley, California

EXTREMELY LIMITED! Wine Advocate 92+ points!

Orin Swift Papillon is a beautiful Napa Valley red blend from gifted winemaker Dave Phinney. Owner of Orin Swift Cellars, Dave Phinney has come a long way since beginning his winemaking career with 2 tons of purchased Zinfandel grapes just a year out of college in 1998! Following big successes with wines such as Papillon and The Prisoner, Phinney has launched several new labels in recent vintages, including Abstract and Palermo. Papillon is the winery’s Napa Valley Cabernet-based Bordeaux blend—proudly consisting of all five of the varietals. Sourced from hand-picked vineyards across the various Napa Valley AVAs, this vintage of Papillon epitomizes the house style at Orin Swift—accessible, powerful and complex.

Grapes for this vintage of Papillon were sourced from Howell Mountain, Saint Helena, Rutherford, and Oakville to gain better complexity and structure. Many of the same vineyards that created this wine in previous vintages are here again; Taplin, Lewelling, Moorhead, Ink Grade, Morisoli, and Sommerston to name a few. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc that is aged for 16 months in French oak, 40% new.

An intense ink with a garnet rim, the wine opens with powerful aromatics of cassis, ripe boysenberry, and chaparral with hints of graphite, sage, fire-roasted meats and fresh brioche. The entry floods the palate with ripe dark fruit flavors of blackberry and black cherries as well as fresh minerality and a touch of kir and crème de menthe. With traces of tannin, the wine finishes with a lingering sweet licorice and a smooth acidity. Overall, this vintage of Papillon truly characterizes the theme —bold and massive yet also delicate and complex.

Enjoy Orin Swift Papillon with steak, lamb chops, BBQ ribs, grilled vegetables and aged cheeses.