Orin Swift Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 – 750ml Johnson Brothers

96pts Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

Winemaker Dave Phinney expects to bottle a bit more than 6,000 cases of the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Mercury Head, what he calls a “typical volume” for it. Sourced from a couple of well-known valley floor sites and the Stagecoach Vineyard (sometimes a bit of Monte Rosso Vineyard fruit makes it in the blend as well) and aged 13 months in 58% new oak, the nose offers up hints of menthol and cedar over a base of ripe cassis and cherries. It’s full-bodied and velvety in the mouth, while a hint of dark chocolate creeps in on the lengthy finish.

Winemaker Notes

Dark violet with a ruby crown, the wine exhibits classic Napa Cabernet aromatics with our style: black fruits—plum and cherry—dark chocolate, leather and Rutherford Dust coalesce from the glass. The entry is elegant and begins to flood the palate with notes of cassis, blackberry, blueberry, caramel and a touch of brown sugar and cinnamon: rich and bold. Seamless and focused, the wine closes with lingering dusty tannins and a touch of baking chocolate.

Mercury Head is our physical manifestation of history, land and art in a bottle of wine.  Each dime has lived through at least 76 years of history while winemaking in the Napa Valley has existed longer. This wine brings those together in a unique way—a synthesis à la Orin Swift. We are extremely fortunate and lucky to have access to vineyards of excellent pedigree . This vintage of Mercury Head is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stagecoach, Emerson Day and Morisoli vineyards with a small percenta ge from the historic Monte Rosso vineyard overlooking Sonoma Valley that was too good to leave out. Together, they combine to create a wine of intensity , nuance and complexity , worthy of our flagship wine.

Winery Notes 

Orin Swift Cellars, led by winemaker Dave Phinney, is a brand known as much for its creative and evocative expression of art on the front of the bottle as it is the bold, yet finessed styling within the bottle. Based out of Saint Helena, within the prized Napa Valley, Orin Swift features a portfolio of wines that appeal to a variety of senses. It all begins in the vineyard. Sourcing for the Orin Swift family takes Dave across the state of California, with special interest in the Napa Valley, Sonoma County and Santa Barbara area. He sets his sights on small lots within the most coveted vineyards while ensuring that only fruit of the highest quality makes it into the final blend. Every wine in the portfolio, from the vineyard source to the distinct artwork adorning the label, offers a unique point of view while creating a heart-skipping impression.

“There’s a soul to this business.. that soul isn’t just from the people who make wine, it’s from everyone who loves wines that make them feel something.”—Dave Phinney