93pts Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Still not bottled at the time I tasted it, the 2021 Papillon Red Wine is a five-variety Bordeaux blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot) that spends 13 months in 44% new oak. While not that complex, it does offer up bold cherry and cassis aromas on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and velvety, with a long, almost zesty finish. Best After 2024.
Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Papillon fills the glass with an unmistakable dark crimson, a flash of neon purple and a ruby rim. Tears move glacially and the wine opens with aromatics of boysenberry jam, violets, chocolate covered blueberry and hints of Cara Cara rind, graphite and brioche. The entry and mid-palate are bright throughout with considerable weight—tones of cassis, blackberry and baking spices flourish. Enveloping texture, chalky, drying tannins and an enduring finish bows out the 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
Aged 16 months in French oak, 52% new.