Deep ruby with a violet edge, really gorgeous color. Rich cocoa on the nose with a ton of red and black fruit; the nose attacks you from the glass with its rich, delicious, intense smells. The first sip is like a punch to the face with its intensity and richness. The glass explodes with boysenberry, blackberry, sweet cocoa, with a thick, syrupy, velvety texture. Thinks as California as it is possible for a wine to get and it’s French.
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OK - time to eat my words - I wrote some notes on this vintage in 2011, and slammed it a bit as being too "hot". I was completely wrong - with time, it has integrated, and I can now say this is delicious. Black ink to the eye, deep garnet at the edges, dark fruit on the nose, cool and thick entry. Yes, there's a sense of some sweetness, but it totally balanced by the fruit and acid - wow, this is so different to the last bottle I wrote about. Fine smooth tannins, broad and fulfilling across the palate, and a long finish with ample cigar tobacco. Wine of the night
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Read R93/100. Delicious red nose, mild minerality, sweet first on the palate then round red Red fruit. Later dark currant with a nice bite of acidity. Silky tannins and an elegant, long finish... Wish I had more than this one bottle!
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When I first sampled this wine almost 10 years ago, I thought that this was the biggest, baddest Grenache that I ever tasted. I purchased 2 bottles. Now, after cellaring, I think that it’s overly extracted, overly sweet, and so alcoholic that it makes your mouth burn. It’s very out of balance. Aging has softened its tannins, but has not improved this wine.
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Seems to be falling off a bit. Wife really didn't like this. Thought it had too much cough medicine to it. I am not a hater, but def don't recall being this ambivalent about the wine.
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Pop and pour. Age has helped this become more approachable. As everyone has said, high alcohol, but I didn't find the heat particularly offensive. Dark a brooding. Blue berry and spice.
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Dave Phinney is the only winemaker that can take the Terroir out of any venerated wine region. There are earthy undertones to the black and blue fruit and cassis profile. But make no mistake, this is big, bold, melted, and extracted. Luckily it's integrated, which tames the high alcohol content.
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This is overextracted, which I don't always mind, but when it's this hot it just isn't enjoyable. Finally on 3rd day drank the last small glass from the bottle and it was a little better.
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Opaque, dark garnet in color with aromas of camphor and mulling spices, some of which reaches the palate. Racy 15.2% alcohol slightly buries otherwise dense and abundant black fruit flavors. The tannins are medium fine and lead to an enduring, warm finish. Enjoyed with roasted beets and pistachio dust, arancini and sugo meatballs. 92 pts.
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massive style typical of Orin Swift. This drank better than the last bottle. Better integration. Consumed over two nights. Good both nights, but def need to be in the mood for that style wine
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looks like I held this a little longer than other raters, but generally the same assessment. very powerful aroma,. taste & color. It didn't change much through the course of the evening. Very good.
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This iteration (inaugural vintage) of this wine is an excellent showing and expression of what Grenache should be like. It is a monster!!!! Big and Bold. Enjoyed with a Filet but could have easily handled a ribeye. Truly phenomenal wine.
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Way too over the top. Jammy black fruit and hot alcohol. Settled down a bit on day 2 but not much. A well made wine for those that like this style, but not for me.
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When I bought this two years ago it was too strong to drink. It settled down nicely. Very spicy and enjoyable to drink right now. For my wife it was too much alcohol so it's not for everyone.
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This surprised me. Not my favorite region in the past, but this combined an earthy nose of mushrooms with a lush palate. My wife described the smell as truffle. I would've preferred more restraint and acidity, but this had character.
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Decanted for about 45 mins and I think this wine needs a lot more time. I also think that more time in the cellar will be helpful. Quite a bit of kirsch on the nose. Strong tannins. There is fruit in there, mostly dark, and a fair bit of acidity. I think this wine could go another 10 years in the bottle. Try again in 2 years.
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I enjoyed my last bottle with an after dinner cheese plate on 7/11/13. It had a rich opulent bouquet of black cherry, plum, blueberry, spice box, cola and mocha aromas. The palate was big, rich and powerful with flavors of black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, plum, licorice, pepper and spice…jammy and, perhaps a little over the top, but thoroughly enjoyable.
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Popped and poured. Although this is not what I look for in grenache, it was a very nice swallow after a couple of hours. It is a swarthy, masculine approach to the grape with an initial impression of a melding of oak and mature fruit. Round and supple, it finishes very old vine with sagebursh, lavender, mineral, and cigar box type flavors reminding one that this is a french vineyard in the hands of a California winemaker.
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Opened and ran through the vinturi, served at 60 degrees. Definitely a big wine, but the cooler serving temperature kept the alcohol in check - I am very sensitive to alcohol and it wasn't too noticeable to me. Some structure behind it from the oak. Much more new world than old world style. Had it with jambalaya, stood up to the flavors well.
Not bad, but this was a gift, I guessed the price at around $15-18. At the community value of $38 it is vastly overpriced.
We had the Orin Swift Abstract last weekend, I'd rate this above that.
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Opaque and deep purple color showing heavy concentration and bright reflections. After 4 hours decant the alcohol starts to subside, allowing lavender scents to come forth with wood, white pepper, blackberry liquor, blueberry, spices, burnt toast and hot rock aromas. The palate is enormous, with wood, vanilla, blackberry reduction and blueberry syrup with spice. This wine starts with the oak and ends with the oak. Acidity and tannins are moderate but play a back seat to the high alcohol content. The finish is intense with heat, sweet over ripe fruit, vanilla and oak.
Trust me I know what I was in for, Normally a fan of Dave Phineys wines, but this is a palate wrecker, monolithic in its enormity with none of the subtleties that make Grenache what it is.
- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's balanced with a full body. Round texture with a long finish - Big with serious structure. Well supported favors throughout. Very consistent......
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A Very Casual BYOB Evening: A big disappointment, highly extracted and jammy (amply dosed with residual sugar?), almost defiantly "New World" but cloying and imbalanced.
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Real Dark Red to Prune color, but some light passing. This nose has changed alot in the last year. Much lighter, and more floral. Less of the candied fruit and alcohol nose of the first bottle I had. This has mellowed into something that tastes alot more like a Calif Grenache, than a French grenacha on steroids. It's actually quite nice now, and went with Roasted Turkey and Herb veggies nicely. Don't know that I agree with the price point, but I'm sure Phinney is happy selling this bottle as is. Good stuff and enjoyable, but not yet great in my review. Would take a Paso Grenache over this.
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Drank over three days ... I found this less interesting than my first go round. The fruit has faded, leaving this screaming hot on day one, and still quite warm even on day three (without special preservation).
Without the big up front bold fruit bunch--still there, but definitely dimmed--this is just a so-so effort and, for the money, definitely inferior to what I expect at this price point. I will say in its favor, that it did hold together all three days, which means it may still be developing.
But, so far, anyway, nothing going on here that makes me think I need more.
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Inky black, hot and huge, gobs of dense black fruit. Almost needed a knife and fork to cut it. I had to keep looking at the bottle to believe it was from France.
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Although the bottle says Grenache, this Vin de Pays is big, rich and fruity, which makes me think there's a healthy dose of Carignan and/or Syrah in it. If it was tasted blind, I would have guessed it was a blend from west Paso Robles, not the south of France. It's lush with fruit, slightly hot, and slightly sweet without any detectable savory elements at this point. Some vanilla oak notes at the finish, and even a hint of cough syrup.
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Decanted 1.5 hrs. Mellowed significantly from prior tastings. Very nice. Not quite as " hot" as prior tastings. Paired nicely with a mustard crusted pork roast.
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One of many tasted at Debbie and Brad's first wine dinner at Bella Ranch. Bottle decanted for about 20 minutes and then ran through a vinturi when tasting. A little less liked from 9/2011 compared to the 2010 when tasted side by side as it was here. These two wines look and pour identically. However, the nose here is much more floral in addition to the blackberry and smoke. The palate is mostly blackberry and figs. The finish is heady, paint lacquer! A very new world wine in its approach with 1.5 vodka shots on the finish. Wow. I think this wine has 3-4 years of aging potential at the least....perhaps the alcohol will blow off soon?
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In typical Phinney style, this is a big purple monster, right down to the googly eyes - which you'll have due to the ABV. It's loaded with jammy black fruit, it's heavy bodied and practically a meal in and of itself. It's HOT and it's too much. Sigh. I had hoped that since this was coming from France and it's a Grenache (though a Grenache Blend...), that I would be drinking a, perhaps, more restrained wine. Something that spoke of place and its grape, a more refined sort of wine. Alas, that's not what is in this bottle. Never has 'It is what it is' been more appropriate - This is Orin Swift.
This is a great Grenache. I've run across a lot of Orin Swift haters lately but I think Orin stuff is always solid. This was med-full bodied with lots of dark berries and stain you teeth purple goodness. Go get some.
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This had a powerful, dense and ripe bouquet of cherry, blackberry, plum, licorice, spice and alcohol aromas. The palate was big, ripe, hot and jammy with flavors of cherry, blackberry, plum, licorice, pepper and spice. It was a big “in your face” style that some people don’t like. It was high in alcohol, but no more so than a lot of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. I found it to be thoroughly enjoyable.
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Dark garnet ruby with med-heavy viscosity in the glass. Oak (burnt toast), currant, pepper and reductive black fruit on the nose. Med-full body with oak dominating the palate. Some black fruit and heat. Bitter on the back…can't tell if it's burnt toast or third-rate fruit. Unpleasant med-long finish. I disdain these overpriced, over oaked, blousy and uninspired market wines with pretty labels. Also had the same experience with a Prisoner recently. Mandatory spit and rinse.
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I don’t understand why Dave Phinney goes all the way to Southern France to make an extracted over-the-top Cali wine. You would never guess that this is a French wine, particularly since it has 15.2% alcohol. It has to be served around 65 degrees to keep the alcohol in check. This wine is too young to drink with the tannins still tight so I would wait for 2014 or 2015. Orin Swift makes another wine from the southern France called “Others,” made in a style that is more approachable and sells for only $16. In a blind tasting, people preferred the Others to D66.
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Decanted approx. 2 hours ... Smoky, meaty, rich and over-the-top lush plum and blueberry pie. Inky purple and unctuous. No matter where it's made, this is a very New World, Orin Swift-signature (read: polarizing) take on Grenache. And, yeah, it's hot--the alcohol is screaming. Even after a decent decant the finish is a bit vodka-like. Except for that, I enjoyed it, especially for its somewhat indescribable "bloody" quality. (This one just screams to be served with red meat.)
Though clearly overpriced for what it is, it's a yummy, hedonistic experience ... But I can absolutely see how it's not for everyone. If you're looking for a subtle, refined take; look elsewhere.
There are people out there doing a New World take on Grenache with more finesse and less brut force, but in the same general style ... My own personal preference would be Herman Story or Alto Moncayo, which I think provide a far better experience at a similar price point.
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After an hour decant this wine really starts to open. Oak, vanilla and chocolate covered cherries. This is a very pleasant wine. I wonder how well it would age though.
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Part 2 -No doubt that this bottle was opened before it's time. While there is potential, even after 24 hours, its hard to guess how this wine will taste in the future. Reminds me of the 1986 Bordeaux tasting I attended when they arrived. According to the professionals, lurking under the hard finish and tannins there was a great wine waiting to blossom. Considering the fact that this is a fairly new wine without much history and the fact that it costs over $40 a bottle, I will spend my money on wines that have proven their ability to evolve and please. We have some many wines from the 80's that we only purchase wines currently to lay down. With all of the wines available in this price range that have already proven themselves to me, I am not sure I have the confidence to invest much more into this wine.
Part 1 - Inky dark color. Opens right away with a plummy berry nose, licorice and some candy violet. Starts off closed with a very hot finish, will decant. Not surprised why others mentioned grain alcohol. After 1 hour still very closed. Will give it until tomorrow evening to render my final opinion. Being generous with the 87 based on being a democracy.
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Inky dark color. Opens right away with a plummy berry nose, licorice and some candy violet. Starts off closed with a very hot finish, will decant. Not surprised why others mentioned grain alcohol. After 1 hour still very closed. Will give it until tomorrow evening to render my final opinion. Being generous with the 87 based on being a democracy.
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I think previous drinker hit it on the mark with "Warm dark berry liqueur, hot loam, crushed hot rocks. Viscous, concentrated, candied red fruits with graphite. Fairly intense yet integrated charred oak and road tar, persistent on the finish." Nice eval Weingutwilhelm.
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Consumed over 2 days. Day 1: Nose and palate completely dominated by the alcohol on initial pour. Hot, hot, hot. I let it sit in my glass for a while, and really jammy fruit started to emerge, but it was still overwhelmingly dominated by the heat, which was dramatically out of balance and overpowering. Stopped drinking after half a glass and saved the rest for Day 2.
Day 2: Big, syrupy, jammy black and blue fruit starting to come through on the nose and palate. Still dominated by the abv, though. I have trouble believing that it's just the 15.2% marked on the bottle. Maybe it started with 15.2% before someone dumped some grain alcohol in.
I like a number of Phinney's other efforts, I don't expect restraint, and I wanted to like this going in, but for my tastes, the D66 really missed the mark, as it's over the top on all counts, with nothing in balance anywhere. Maybe some age will help it settle down, but I don't really see it. I can't help but contrast this to Herman Story's On the Road, which has higher (posted) alcohol levels, is at a comparable price level, but is sooooo much better.
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Warm dark berry liqueur, hot loam, crushed hot rocks. Viscous, concentrated, candied red fruits with graphite. Fairly intense yet integrated charred oak and road tar, persistent on the finish.
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Tasted non-blind at a restaurant with dinner. Overwhelming heat on the nose that made it hard to smell much else (seemed even hotter than the glass of bourbon I had before dinner). The palate was also dominated by the absurdly high alcohol level. It resembled blueberry pie liqueur more than any sort of legitimate wine. The only positive was that it did make for good conversation around the table as there were several wine enthusiasts present. It was sort of a Gary Busey experience in that it was such a caricature it was enjoyable. Leave this one for the bachelorette parties.
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One of the few bottles of grenache my wife will drink. Dark purple in color this has a hint more sweetness than say a Herman Story On The Road. No decant and seamless finish. Impressive and an excellent price point.
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Not what I expected. This is a massive wine. Alc 15.2% is alittle hot. Black fruits. Licorice, blackberry jam, with good tannins. Will age well. Pretty bold right now. Drank with Lamb stew. Worked well. I would love to get more.
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Orin Swift does France! Old-vine Grenache (80%), Syrah (12%) and Carignan (8%). Inky purple in the glass. On the nose, plum and blackberry. Full-bodied, massive, extracted, jammey, oakey, earthy, rustic, peppery, and raisiny. Long and hot finish. This is a completely over the top, unbalanced beast of a wine that no serious wine critic would ever describe as “elegant.” But like Phinney’s other efforts (Saldo, Prisoner, Veladora), I can’t help but like it. A good match with spicy Mexican or tomato-based Italian cuisine or pungent cheese. As an aside, the 2010, D66 is a very good wine (I give it 90 points), but not the full-throttle experience of the 09 vintage.
Blackberry, black currant, peat, tar, also aggressive alcohol burn on nose. I do get the rosemary and iron ore noted by others.
On palate, rather shocking acid, up front, with candied/jammy fruit following, sweet tannins which are also fairly smooth for its young age - also some tannic oak bitterness at back of mouth. Rather concentrated.
The alcohol heat is present on the palate also - NOTICEABLY so. This is not balanced. Got to be close to 16% alcohol - I was feeling it before the end of the first glass.
With air the tannins started becoming more powdery.
Great first effort, needs a few years to settle down, will revisit. Worried about the alcohol heat. 88 or 89 for now, but hoping for improvement with age, as I have 7 more of these.
Highly recommend decanting this well if you are going to drink it this young. It'll help take off some of that alcohol too.
All of the above said - I did enjoy 3 glasses of this before being forced to call it a night - it is very drinkable, if not perfect.
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Massive, big, black, brooding, hot, extracted, tannic, extreme oak, ripe chewy black fruits. This will knock you out if your not careful. Leave it to an iconic American winemaker to blow French terroir right out of the water! You'll love this if you're a fan of The Prisoner (91); if you like balance, then maybe you wont (86). Blind I thought this was an over extracted super oaked California Zinfandel. Extremely heavy bottle with a little surprise in the punt.
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Deep purple, with shine upon pour. Some oak, crushed rosemary, iron.ore, and purple fruit. The frontal attack is very fruit forward on this grenache, and if anything became stronger and sweeter throuout the evening. While I see this as a well made wine, this is a sweeter form of grenache than I typically prefer. Very new world in style, not out of place. I will hold the second bottle to see how this evolves, but no rush to buy more at this point.
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nose: complex with lots of fruit, bright raspberry, cherry and spices taste: blueberry jam, some vanilla with spices up front, bold tannins other: could use some aging, grapes from France, 80% grenache, 12% syrah, 8% carignan
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We are in love with Orin Swift products, this one no different. The wine is served in champagne shaped bottle. Pulled cork with less than 1mm cork bleed. Cork was not dark - medium purple in color actually. Wine poured a light purple/deep red. Nose is instantly permeated with plum, licorice, chocolate, and dark fruit. Didn't seem to go with what we saw on the cork. With 80 grenache and 12 syrah, we were concerned about the grenache grit. This wine doesn't drink like a grenache at all. On the palate, there is no sediment on the tongue either front or back. This is a well smoothed out Grenache. Velvety finish. Tannin wasn't there. Spice appeared on the palate towards the end and lingered all the way through to the next sip. Enjoyed with Tomato and brie Bruschetta Hatch Green Chile soup and a nice rare Filet Mignon. This is a wine to pair with spicy food. I can't say I'd put this in a Grenache category - it is highly reminiscent of a fully leaded, mature shiraz. Excellent wine, though not extraordinary.
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The wine needed a few hours to open up (no decanting), so it either needs to be decanted next time or given a few years. Once it opened up, blue fruits started to come out nicely - blueberry and plum. There's some good acidity to it, too, so I probably wouldn't have this on it's own next time. Otherwise, it went down very easily - I ended up drinking the whole bottle myself at a party. By the end of the evening, I was out on a bench swing on our patio with the last two glasses. Best non cab-based blend from Orin Swift I've had yet.
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Rich dark color. Blackberry, plum on nose. Dark fruit, chocolate, hint of tobacco on the palate with moderate tannins. Served with antipasti plate of cheese and chacuterie. Paired nicely. Will look for more if I can find it.
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Decanted for 30 minutes, then poured back into bottle and consumed 2 hours later. "Only" 15.2% alcohol, but smells and tastes much hotter -- like young, dry port spiked with brandy, cognac, or tequila. Intense jammy black fruit. Paired OK with flour-less chocolate torte. Not a food-friendly wine.
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Not the least bid remoninscent of grenache. Would have pegged as a Barossa shiraz. Dark, glass staining purple- black color. Dark fruits, plum and oak on the nose. Silky mouthfeel ( I guess from the alcohol). Overoaked and hot. I don't think that time will do this wine any favors.
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92 Points just because I enjoyed the flavor so much!! :-D Good nose with spicy, kirsch, underbrush, and terroir noted. Very fruit expressive with nose suggestive of raspberries, mulberries, boysenberrries, and blackberries. Almost jammy on the palate; very highly extracted & certainly c/w old Grenache vines and fruit expression. Good balance with still plenty of spice and terroir. Still a bit hot & young and certainly needs more bottling time or decanting & airing time! The classic Orin Swift heat & zing present but integrating well (always makes me wonder if they use a bit of oak chips in the barrels -- oh no . . . say "no"). Overall found it pleasing & will get more.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Thick and dark in the glass. Dark cherry and cinnamon, it seemed almost port like. Long finish. I will drink this with a meal next time and probably on a cold night. It did not work well on a hot Virginia night by itself.
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I tasted this at a friends 6/26/11 Paella dinner. It had a powerful ripe bouquet of black cherry, blackberry, plum, pepper, cinnamon and spice aromas. The palate was big, spicy, complex and very tasty with flavors that followed the nose.
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Another phenomenal product. On the nose I get a strong berry aroma and the palate bursts with fruit flavor. I felt the alcohol was well contained and it was smooth. I went back for more. It is a stock up wine for me.
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bought out of sheer curiosity, dark color with a ruby rim, some raisin on the nose along with violets and crushed berry, very rich on the palate, blackberry, spice, cocoa, cappuccino, and maybe some dried herb on the back end, lengthy finish, modern, complex, firmly structured, big and powerful, not a summer wine, put away for a future winter
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Nose: slight alcohol. Dark fruit, not bright. Over ripe pomegranate. Slight leather. Freshly mowed hay. Taste: concentrated fruit. Quite tight after being opened only 15 min. After 45 min: alcohol gone on nose. Taste has nice long tart finish. Fruit still very concentrated. No oak. Complex. Really lush. Nice round tones of elderberries, cherries and pomegranate.
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Excellent wine, decanted for 30 minutes. Swift somehow made a Grenache that was well balanced and not too raisiny. A good wine to pair with food - not a fruit bomb.
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Pours almost black with rich aromatics consisting of ripe black cherry and cinnamon sticks. Full body, good acidity, moderate tannins and plenty of booze. This does make an impression on a large scale at first but does become more subdued after a while. Straight forward and with length at finish. I feel the ABV is what holds this specimen together.
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Excellent color. Primary aroma of Ginger snaps. Fruity, meaty with a distinct bitter cherry character. This is an excellent example of what Grenache can do! Still could use a little time in the bottle, but is enjoyable now.
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Opened for 2 hours and gently decanted. Nose shows some heat (surprise!), blueberry creme,mint, moist earth, and some tempered vanilla/oak. The front palate strikes first with some level of sweetness/alcohol, the remainder is driven by some rough tannins, blueberry, blackberry, plum, oak, and mushroom. The finish is all about drying tannins and black plum. This is an exciting wine but it needs a year or two to settle down and round out (once the tannins integrate some I would probably score this 92+). One can definitely sense and appreciate the French influence on Mr. Phinney but his style remains. Cheers.
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9/2/2023 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep ruby with a violet edge, really gorgeous color. Rich cocoa on the nose with a ton of red and black fruit; the nose attacks you from the glass with its rich, delicious, intense smells. The first sip is like a punch to the face with its intensity and richness. The glass explodes with boysenberry, blackberry, sweet cocoa, with a thick, syrupy, velvety texture. Thinks as California as it is possible for a wine to get and it’s French.
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3/9/2022 - Wamrod wrote: 93 Points
OK - time to eat my words - I wrote some notes on this vintage in 2011, and slammed it a bit as being too "hot". I was completely wrong - with time, it has integrated, and I can now say this is delicious. Black ink to the eye, deep garnet at the edges, dark fruit on the nose, cool and thick entry. Yes, there's a sense of some sweetness, but it totally balanced by the fruit and acid - wow, this is so different to the last bottle I wrote about. Fine smooth tannins, broad and fulfilling across the palate, and a long finish with ample cigar tobacco. Wine of the night
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11/29/2021 - dlf-48 wrote:
Good wine good finish
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12/15/2019 - DukeDochter Likes this wine:
Read R93/100. Delicious red nose, mild minerality, sweet first on the palate then round red Red fruit. Later dark currant with a nice bite of acidity. Silky tannins and an elegant, long finish...
Wish I had more than this one bottle!
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11/23/2019 - Endodr Does not like this wine:
When I first sampled this wine almost 10 years ago, I thought that this was the biggest, baddest Grenache that I ever tasted. I purchased 2 bottles. Now, after cellaring, I think that it’s overly extracted, overly sweet, and so alcoholic that it makes your mouth burn. It’s very out of balance. Aging has softened its tannins, but has not improved this wine.
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1/13/2019 - Vagolfer wrote:
Sooooo good.
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8/20/2018 - sayward wrote: 88 Points
Seems to be falling off a bit. Wife really didn't like this. Thought it had too much cough medicine to it. I am not a hater, but def don't recall being this ambivalent about the wine.
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11/12/2017 - sayward wrote: 90 Points
Pop and pour. Age has helped this become more approachable. As everyone has said, high alcohol, but I didn't find the heat particularly offensive. Dark a brooding. Blue berry and spice.
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11/5/2016 - Baron Slick wrote: 88 Points
Dave Phinney is the only winemaker that can take the Terroir out of any venerated wine region. There are earthy undertones to the black and blue fruit and cassis profile. But make no mistake, this is big, bold, melted, and extracted. Luckily it's integrated, which tames the high alcohol content.
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10/29/2016 - SICILIAN-SOLE Likes this wine: 91 Points
Solid wine. Big, a little sweet, solid backbone. It'll stay around a while but it drinks just fine now.
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9/27/2016 - ddingley Does not like this wine: 85 Points
This is overextracted, which I don't always mind, but when it's this hot it just isn't enjoyable. Finally on 3rd day drank the last small glass from the bottle and it was a little better.
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8/21/2016 - tourproto wrote: 88 Points
Big, bold and hot. Prisoner is a much better value
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8/10/2016 - acristiani Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark and deep ruby. Strong, scented, round. Blackfruit, oak, some cocoa; soft tannins and full lengthy finish.
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1/14/2016 - JHall106 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opaque, dark garnet in color with aromas of camphor and mulling spices, some of which reaches the palate. Racy 15.2% alcohol slightly buries otherwise dense and abundant black fruit flavors. The tannins are medium fine and lead to an enduring, warm finish. Enjoyed with roasted beets and pistachio dust, arancini and sugo meatballs. 92 pts.
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12/15/2015 - Mtpisgah Does not like this wine:
Hot and overly ripe
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5/11/2015 - sayward Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ran through a vinturi and decanted for 30 mins. Time in the bottle has helped. Same as previous note from 2013. I will check in again in 2016.
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3/25/2015 - ChewyTannins Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Big bold fits the description but it is hot.
A bit disappointed in this one. I've tasted a lot of Orin Swift wines and this one was way too hot.
There's a bit oak and dark molasses underneath but the heat is overwhelming. Even after a three hour decant, this one is still not tamed.
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1/6/2015 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
massive style typical of Orin Swift. This drank better than the last bottle. Better integration. Consumed over two nights. Good both nights, but def need to be in the mood for that style wine
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12/13/2014 - rremiker wrote: 86 Points
not ready for primetime yet, rough edges, potent, a bit "in your face"
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12/6/2014 - Dibby Likes this wine: 89 Points
looks like I held this a little longer than other raters, but generally the same assessment. very powerful aroma,. taste & color. It didn't change much through the course of the evening. Very good.
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10/9/2014 - nicksala Likes this wine:
Drank as part of wine club tasting
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9/21/2014 - Castle Peak wrote: 88 Points
Big, dark, gamey, earthy and tannic. Barely approachable.
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7/5/2014 - SeattlePaul Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark, inky, spicy, big. Needed about an hour for it to blow off and really open up. Perfect match to marinated grilled flank steak.
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5/23/2014 - Alro Likes this wine: 93 Points
This iteration (inaugural vintage) of this wine is an excellent showing and expression of what Grenache should be like.
It is a monster!!!! Big and Bold. Enjoyed with a Filet but could have easily handled a ribeye. Truly phenomenal wine.
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5/13/2014 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big, bold. with a long finish, it opened up in about an hour, and was best on day three. BlackBerry, spice and just a little hot, delicious.
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4/5/2014 - Varnerhome Likes this wine: 89 Points
Still a little hot! Needs some time to decant and then it is much better. Jammy Grenache.
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3/14/2014 - folsomarndt wrote: 89 Points
Big, powerful, with black berries and loads of spice.
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2/27/2014 - dfarley wrote: 86 Points
Way too over the top. Jammy black fruit and hot alcohol. Settled down a bit on day 2 but not much. A well made wine for those that like this style, but not for me.
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2/2/2014 - BSZach1 wrote: 90 Points
When I bought this two years ago it was too strong to drink. It settled down nicely. Very spicy and enjoyable to drink right now. For my wife it was too much alcohol so it's not for everyone.
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12/15/2013 - hawk30 wrote: 91 Points
This surprised me. Not my favorite region in the past, but this combined an earthy nose of mushrooms with a lush palate. My wife described the smell as truffle. I would've preferred more restraint and acidity, but this had character.
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11/6/2013 - sayward Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for about 45 mins and I think this wine needs a lot more time. I also think that more time in the cellar will be helpful. Quite a bit of kirsch on the nose. Strong tannins. There is fruit in there, mostly dark, and a fair bit of acidity. I think this wine could go another 10 years in the bottle. Try again in 2 years.
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10/27/2013 - Chriskrueger wrote: 93 Points
Very surprising and very good - even people who don't like "French style" wines were impressed
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8/27/2013 - Monsieur le Comte wrote: 93 Points
very full and pleasing if you like grenache...
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7/11/2013 - garambler wrote: 91 Points
I enjoyed my last bottle with an after dinner cheese plate on 7/11/13. It had a rich opulent bouquet of black cherry, plum, blueberry, spice box, cola and mocha aromas. The palate was big, rich and powerful with flavors of black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, plum, licorice, pepper and spice…jammy and, perhaps a little over the top, but thoroughly enjoyable.
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7/5/2013 - midtownmac wrote:
Overrated, overpriced. If you like rubbing alcohol you ll love this!
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6/12/2013 - jeagle wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Although this is not what I look for in grenache, it was a very nice swallow after a couple of hours. It is a swarthy, masculine approach to the grape with an initial impression of a melding of oak and mature fruit. Round and supple, it finishes very old vine with sagebursh, lavender, mineral, and cigar box type flavors reminding one that this is a french vineyard in the hands of a California winemaker.
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6/1/2013 - EducatedDrunk wrote: 87 Points
Opened and ran through the vinturi, served at 60 degrees. Definitely a big wine, but the cooler serving temperature kept the alcohol in check - I am very sensitive to alcohol and it wasn't too noticeable to me. Some structure behind it from the oak. Much more new world than old world style. Had it with jambalaya, stood up to the flavors well.
Not bad, but this was a gift, I guessed the price at around $15-18. At the community value of $38 it is vastly overpriced.
We had the Orin Swift Abstract last weekend, I'd rate this above that.
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5/26/2013 - bjamesclark wrote: 85 Points
Opaque and deep purple color showing heavy concentration and bright reflections.
After 4 hours decant the alcohol starts to subside, allowing lavender scents to come forth with wood, white pepper, blackberry liquor, blueberry, spices, burnt toast and hot rock aromas.
The palate is enormous, with wood, vanilla, blackberry reduction and blueberry syrup with spice. This wine starts with the oak and ends with the oak.
Acidity and tannins are moderate but play a back seat to the high alcohol content. The finish is intense with heat, sweet over ripe fruit, vanilla and oak.
Trust me I know what I was in for, Normally a fan of Dave Phineys wines, but this is a palate wrecker, monolithic in its enormity with none of the subtleties that make Grenache what it is.
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5/25/2013 - Alro wrote: 91 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's balanced with a full body. Round texture with a long finish - Big with serious structure. Well supported favors throughout. Very consistent......
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4/28/2013 - ravbik wrote: 88 Points
Big, dark red, full body, bitter chocolate, sour cherries, rose petals. Too much alcohol for my taste. Would go well with steak.
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3/15/2013 - JonnyG Does not like this wine: 82 Points
A Very Casual BYOB Evening: A big disappointment, highly extracted and jammy (amply dosed with residual sugar?), almost defiantly "New World" but cloying and imbalanced.
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2/16/2013 - mpricher wrote: 89 Points
Real Dark Red to Prune color, but some light passing. This nose has changed alot in the last year. Much lighter, and more floral. Less of the candied fruit and alcohol nose of the first bottle I had. This has mellowed into something that tastes alot more like a Calif Grenache, than a French grenacha on steroids. It's actually quite nice now, and went with Roasted Turkey and Herb veggies nicely. Don't know that I agree with the price point, but I'm sure Phinney is happy selling this bottle as is. Good stuff and enjoyable, but not yet great in my review. Would take a Paso Grenache over this.
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2/2/2013 - markandsusanw wrote: 87 Points
Drank over three days ... I found this less interesting than my first go round. The fruit has faded, leaving this screaming hot on day one, and still quite warm even on day three (without special preservation).
Without the big up front bold fruit bunch--still there, but definitely dimmed--this is just a so-so effort and, for the money, definitely inferior to what I expect at this price point. I will say in its favor, that it did hold together all three days, which means it may still be developing.
But, so far, anyway, nothing going on here that makes me think I need more.
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1/17/2013 - jwkagel Likes this wine: 87 Points
Still an enjoyable wine. Was a little fruit forward and the alcohol was a bit heavy on the finish but still enjoyable.
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1/13/2013 - ddingley Likes this wine: 87 Points
A little disappointing, have to agree with many of the notes about it being a little hot. Lots of flavor but doesn't end as well as it should
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1/7/2013 - WDSteers wrote: 90 Points
cherry, port like . good appertif wine , not enough acidity with masked by fruit and alcohol for food.
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12/25/2012 - gjetson Likes this wine: 90 Points
Inky black, hot and huge, gobs of dense black fruit. Almost needed a knife and fork to cut it. I had to keep looking at the bottle to believe it was from France.
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12/23/2012 - Jwd12 wrote: 89 Points
Smooth, blueberry and coffee. Moderately long finish
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11/24/2012 - Wineholio wrote: 87 Points
Although the bottle says Grenache, this Vin de Pays is big, rich and fruity, which makes me think there's a healthy dose of Carignan and/or Syrah in it. If it was tasted blind, I would have guessed it was a blend from west Paso Robles, not the south of France. It's lush with fruit, slightly hot, and slightly sweet without any detectable savory elements at this point. Some vanilla oak notes at the finish, and even a hint of cough syrup.
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11/18/2012 - alohaboys wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 1.5 hrs. Mellowed significantly from prior tastings. Very nice. Not quite as " hot" as prior tastings. Paired nicely with a mustard crusted pork roast.
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10/28/2012 - mflesh wrote: 90 Points
One of many tasted at Debbie and Brad's first wine dinner at Bella Ranch. Bottle decanted for about 20 minutes and then ran through a vinturi when tasting. A little less liked from 9/2011 compared to the 2010 when tasted side by side as it was here. These two wines look and pour identically. However, the nose here is much more floral in addition to the blackberry and smoke. The palate is mostly blackberry and figs. The finish is heady, paint lacquer! A very new world wine in its approach with 1.5 vodka shots on the finish. Wow. I think this wine has 3-4 years of aging potential at the least....perhaps the alcohol will blow off soon?
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10/4/2012 - Mtnmd1 wrote: 89 Points
Hot on the nose, a huge wine that needs a little more time to come together well. Will revisit in a year or two.
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9/24/2012 - RobbieC wrote: 88 Points
Decant 2 hours. Big fruit, dark color. Medium fine tannins. Lacks balance; too big. Would be swell if it was $20.
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7/7/2012 - rjwex wrote: 87 Points
Needs time to breathe and develop, even with aerator.
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7/4/2012 - tfharris wrote: 88 Points
Thick. Big fruit.
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6/10/2012 - 1H2oMan wrote: 90 Points
One of my favorites
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6/8/2012 - cookiefiend wrote: 87 Points
In typical Phinney style, this is a big purple monster, right down to the googly eyes - which you'll have due to the ABV. It's loaded with jammy black fruit, it's heavy bodied and practically a meal in and of itself. It's HOT and it's too much. Sigh. I had hoped that since this was coming from France and it's a Grenache (though a Grenache Blend...), that I would be drinking a, perhaps, more restrained wine. Something that spoke of place and its grape, a more refined sort of wine. Alas, that's not what is in this bottle. Never has 'It is what it is' been more appropriate - This is Orin Swift.
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4/28/2012 - copdyke wrote: 91 Points
This is a great Grenache. I've run across a lot of Orin Swift haters lately but I think Orin stuff is always solid. This was med-full bodied with lots of dark berries and stain you teeth purple goodness. Go get some.
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4/7/2012 - garambler wrote: 91 Points
This had a powerful, dense and ripe bouquet of cherry, blackberry, plum, licorice, spice and alcohol aromas. The palate was big, ripe, hot and jammy with flavors of cherry, blackberry, plum, licorice, pepper and spice. It was a big “in your face” style that some people don’t like. It was high in alcohol, but no more so than a lot of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. I found it to be thoroughly enjoyable.
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4/4/2012 - christophee Does not like this wine: 70 Points
Dark garnet ruby with med-heavy viscosity in the glass. Oak (burnt toast), currant, pepper and reductive black fruit on the nose. Med-full body with oak dominating the palate. Some black fruit and heat. Bitter on the back…can't tell if it's burnt toast or third-rate fruit. Unpleasant med-long finish. I disdain these overpriced, over oaked, blousy and uninspired market wines with pretty labels. Also had the same experience with a Prisoner recently. Mandatory spit and rinse.
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4/3/2012 - JohnnyShiraz Likes this wine: 90 Points
I don’t understand why Dave Phinney goes all the way to Southern France to make an extracted over-the-top Cali wine. You would never guess that this is a French wine, particularly since it has 15.2% alcohol. It has to be served around 65 degrees to keep the alcohol in check. This wine is too young to drink with the tannins still tight so I would wait for 2014 or 2015. Orin Swift makes another wine from the southern France called “Others,” made in a style that is more approachable and sells for only $16. In a blind tasting, people preferred the Others to D66.
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3/19/2012 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted approx. 2 hours ... Smoky, meaty, rich and over-the-top lush plum and blueberry pie. Inky purple and unctuous. No matter where it's made, this is a very New World, Orin Swift-signature (read: polarizing) take on Grenache. And, yeah, it's hot--the alcohol is screaming. Even after a decent decant the finish is a bit vodka-like. Except for that, I enjoyed it, especially for its somewhat indescribable "bloody" quality. (This one just screams to be served with red meat.)
Though clearly overpriced for what it is, it's a yummy, hedonistic experience ... But I can absolutely see how it's not for everyone. If you're looking for a subtle, refined take; look elsewhere.
There are people out there doing a New World take on Grenache with more finesse and less brut force, but in the same general style ... My own personal preference would be Herman Story or Alto Moncayo, which I think provide a far better experience at a similar price point.
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3/16/2012 - jfpwine Likes this wine: 90 Points
After an hour decant this wine really starts to open. Oak, vanilla and chocolate covered cherries. This is a very pleasant wine. I wonder how well it would age though.
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3/16/2012 - 1H2oMan wrote: 90 Points
I decanted this for 3 hours and it made a huge difference to the wine . It opened up really nice, very good still have one left.
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2/26/2012 - Nyindallas wrote: 87 Points
Part 2 -No doubt that this bottle was opened before it's time. While there is potential, even after 24 hours, its hard to guess how this wine will taste in the future. Reminds me of the 1986 Bordeaux tasting I attended when they arrived. According to the professionals, lurking under the hard finish and tannins there was a great wine waiting to blossom. Considering the fact that this is a fairly new wine without much history and the fact that it costs over $40 a bottle, I will spend my money on wines that have proven their ability to evolve and please. We have some many wines from the 80's that we only purchase wines currently to lay down. With all of the wines available in this price range that have already proven themselves to me, I am not sure I have the confidence to invest much more into this wine.
Part 1 - Inky dark color. Opens right away with a plummy berry nose, licorice and some candy violet. Starts off closed with a very hot finish, will decant. Not surprised why others mentioned grain alcohol. After 1 hour still very closed. Will give it until tomorrow evening to render my final opinion. Being generous with the 87 based on being a democracy.
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2/24/2012 - Nyindallas wrote: 87 Points
Inky dark color. Opens right away with a plummy berry nose, licorice and some candy violet. Starts off closed with a very hot finish, will decant. Not surprised why others mentioned grain alcohol. After 1 hour still very closed. Will give it until tomorrow evening to render my final opinion. Being generous with the 87 based on being a democracy.
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2/15/2012 - J-Sho wrote: 89 Points
I think previous drinker hit it on the mark with "Warm dark berry liqueur, hot loam, crushed hot rocks. Viscous, concentrated, candied red fruits with graphite. Fairly intense yet integrated charred oak and road tar, persistent on the finish." Nice eval Weingutwilhelm.
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2/9/2012 - Fugu Me wrote:
Consumed over 2 days. Day 1: Nose and palate completely dominated by the alcohol on initial pour. Hot, hot, hot. I let it sit in my glass for a while, and really jammy fruit started to emerge, but it was still overwhelmingly dominated by the heat, which was dramatically out of balance and overpowering. Stopped drinking after half a glass and saved the rest for Day 2.
Day 2: Big, syrupy, jammy black and blue fruit starting to come through on the nose and palate. Still dominated by the abv, though. I have trouble believing that it's just the 15.2% marked on the bottle. Maybe it started with 15.2% before someone dumped some grain alcohol in.
I like a number of Phinney's other efforts, I don't expect restraint, and I wanted to like this going in, but for my tastes, the D66 really missed the mark, as it's over the top on all counts, with nothing in balance anywhere. Maybe some age will help it settle down, but I don't really see it. I can't help but contrast this to Herman Story's On the Road, which has higher (posted) alcohol levels, is at a comparable price level, but is sooooo much better.
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2/4/2012 - weingutwilhelm wrote: 90 Points
Warm dark berry liqueur, hot loam, crushed hot rocks. Viscous, concentrated, candied red fruits with graphite. Fairly intense yet integrated charred oak and road tar, persistent on the finish.
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2/1/2012 - Bigfresser wrote: 92 Points
Delicious
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1/28/2012 - floydtp wrote: 75 Points
Tasted non-blind at a restaurant with dinner. Overwhelming heat on the nose that made it hard to smell much else (seemed even hotter than the glass of bourbon I had before dinner). The palate was also dominated by the absurdly high alcohol level. It resembled blueberry pie liqueur more than any sort of legitimate wine. The only positive was that it did make for good conversation around the table as there were several wine enthusiasts present. It was sort of a Gary Busey experience in that it was such a caricature it was enjoyable. Leave this one for the bachelorette parties.
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1/27/2012 - russdan60 wrote: 92 Points
One of the few bottles of grenache my wife will drink. Dark purple in color this has a hint more sweetness than say a Herman Story On The Road. No decant and seamless finish. Impressive and an excellent price point.
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1/25/2012 - winelover1 wrote: 88 Points
Drank without a decant and it could've used one. This wine will evolve for many more years. I would wait 5-10 years to drink.
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1/4/2012 - WDSteers wrote: 92 Points
Cherry swizzler with tannins
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1/2/2012 - Cubatobaco wrote: 92 Points
Color - dark. opaque, purple
Bouquet - blackberries, loads of spices, earth
Flavor Profile - oak, plums, minerality, licorice,
Feel - aggressive finish, great acidity, enjoyable spiciness
Impression - full, yet very balanced, long cherry-like finish, 45+ seconds
3 hr Decant time
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1/2/2012 - Irouleguy wrote:
Fairly ripe in style and showed little indication it was from France. Good or bad, depending on your preference.
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12/24/2011 - osodoro wrote: 91 Points
Not what I expected. This is a massive wine. Alc 15.2% is alittle hot. Black fruits. Licorice, blackberry jam, with good tannins. Will age well. Pretty bold right now. Drank with Lamb stew. Worked well. I would love to get more.
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11/28/2011 - alohaboys wrote: 91 Points
Once past the alcohol, we loved the jammy fruit forwardness. Nice wine. But the "vodka shot" qualities made this not quite the best weeknight pour.
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11/24/2011 - Adam T 12 wrote: 90 Points
Holy grenache, lots of tannin but I like it. Needs time.
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11/22/2011 - mmrmag wrote: 86 Points
Good, but does not taste or feel or look like Grenache, which I count as a fault.
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11/16/2011 - Justin B wrote: 79 Points
Very hot. There are some decent flavors in there, but couldn't get over the vodka shots in there...
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11/12/2011 - Wamrod wrote: 86 Points
I revisited this wine tonight.
Ok , Mr Phinney- I've liked what you've done before, but this wine is just a bit too far up there with heat.
You have taken some amazing grapes, with great fruit, tannins and acid - and turned them into a carnival ride.
There is just WAAAaay too much alcohol here..
You could have made an amazing wine with these grapes, but I feel you just got this one a bit wrong.
10 years can't help this wine. The alcohol is just way too pervasive. It's like taking shots.
I hope you do better next year.
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11/10/2011 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine: 91 Points
Orin Swift does France!
Old-vine Grenache (80%), Syrah (12%) and Carignan (8%). Inky purple in the glass. On the nose, plum and blackberry. Full-bodied, massive, extracted, jammey, oakey, earthy, rustic, peppery, and raisiny. Long and hot finish. This is a completely over the top, unbalanced beast of a wine that no serious wine critic would ever describe as “elegant.” But like Phinney’s other efforts (Saldo, Prisoner, Veladora), I can’t help but like it. A good match with spicy Mexican or tomato-based Italian cuisine or pungent cheese. As an aside, the 2010, D66 is a very good wine (I give it 90 points), but not the full-throttle experience of the 09 vintage.
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11/10/2011 - Wamrod wrote: 86 Points
Deep inky purple/garnet black - big legs
Blackberry, black currant, peat, tar, also aggressive alcohol burn on nose. I do get the rosemary and iron ore noted by others.
On palate, rather shocking acid, up front, with candied/jammy fruit following, sweet tannins which are also fairly smooth for its young age - also some tannic oak bitterness at back of mouth. Rather concentrated.
The alcohol heat is present on the palate also - NOTICEABLY so. This is not balanced. Got to be close to 16% alcohol - I was feeling it before the end of the first glass.
With air the tannins started becoming more powdery.
Great first effort, needs a few years to settle down, will revisit. Worried about the alcohol heat. 88 or 89 for now, but hoping for improvement with age, as I have 7 more of these.
Highly recommend decanting this well if you are going to drink it this young. It'll help take off some of that alcohol too.
All of the above said - I did enjoy 3 glasses of this before being forced to call it a night - it is very drinkable, if not perfect.
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11/5/2011 - drgrape wrote: 91 Points
Wonderful grenache with nice tannins. Full flavor.
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10/30/2011 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Massive, big, black, brooding, hot, extracted, tannic, extreme oak, ripe chewy black fruits. This will knock you out if your not careful. Leave it to an iconic American winemaker to blow French terroir right out of the water! You'll love this if you're a fan of The Prisoner (91); if you like balance, then maybe you wont (86). Blind I thought this was an over extracted super oaked California Zinfandel. Extremely heavy bottle with a little surprise in the punt.
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10/30/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 87 Points
Hennepin Lake's Annual Tasting (Tons of Napa Cabs) (Minneapolis, MN): Not my style but drinkable with cherry, blackberries, spice and oak. This has some sweetness on the palate. Medium but hot finish. Needs some time to develop.
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10/9/2011 - mpricher wrote: 90 Points
Deep purple, with shine upon pour. Some oak, crushed rosemary, iron.ore, and purple fruit. The frontal attack is very fruit forward on this grenache, and if anything became stronger and sweeter throuout the evening. While I see this as a well made wine, this is a sweeter form of grenache than I typically prefer. Very new world in style, not out of place. I will hold the second bottle to see how this evolves, but no rush to buy more at this point.
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10/1/2011 - pizzasomm wrote:
nose: complex with lots of fruit, bright raspberry, cherry and spices
taste: blueberry jam, some vanilla with spices up front, bold tannins
other: could use some aging, grapes from France, 80% grenache, 12% syrah, 8% carignan
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9/29/2011 - RussK wrote: 91 Points
RussK WIC here.
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9/25/2011 - mflesh wrote: 94 Points
We are in love with Orin Swift products, this one no different. The wine is served in champagne shaped bottle. Pulled cork with less than 1mm cork bleed. Cork was not dark - medium purple in color actually. Wine poured a light purple/deep red. Nose is instantly permeated with plum, licorice, chocolate, and dark fruit. Didn't seem to go with what we saw on the cork. With 80 grenache and 12 syrah, we were concerned about the grenache grit. This wine doesn't drink like a grenache at all. On the palate, there is no sediment on the tongue either front or back. This is a well smoothed out Grenache. Velvety finish. Tannin wasn't there. Spice appeared on the palate towards the end and lingered all the way through to the next sip. Enjoyed with Tomato and brie Bruschetta Hatch Green Chile soup and a nice rare Filet Mignon. This is a wine to pair with spicy food. I can't say I'd put this in a Grenache category - it is highly reminiscent of a fully leaded, mature shiraz. Excellent wine, though not extraordinary.
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9/15/2011 - powersaxo wrote: 92 Points
Date is approximate as I tried this months ago.
The wine needed a few hours to open up (no decanting), so it either needs to be decanted next time or given a few years. Once it opened up, blue fruits started to come out nicely - blueberry and plum. There's some good acidity to it, too, so I probably wouldn't have this on it's own next time. Otherwise, it went down very easily - I ended up drinking the whole bottle myself at a party. By the end of the evening, I was out on a bench swing on our patio with the last two glasses. Best non cab-based blend from Orin Swift I've had yet.
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9/4/2011 - alohaboys wrote: 92 Points
Rich dark color. Blackberry, plum on nose. Dark fruit, chocolate, hint of tobacco on the palate with moderate tannins. Served with antipasti plate of cheese and chacuterie. Paired nicely. Will look for more if I can find it.
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8/21/2011 - Martin Redmond wrote: 91 Points
Recap of 2011 Family Winemakers of California Tasting - San Francisco (Fort Mason Center - Festival Pavilion): Dark red fruit, with subtle floral, and oak aromas. On the palate well structured with burst of ripe dark cherry, spice flavors. Medium bodied with a long finish. Inaugural release of new winery and vineyard in France. 80% Grenache, 12% Syrah, and 8% Carignan. Aged in 100% French oak, 25% new for 12 months.
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8/21/2011 - Javachip wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes, then poured back into bottle and consumed 2 hours later. "Only" 15.2% alcohol, but smells and tastes much hotter -- like young, dry port spiked with brandy, cognac, or tequila. Intense jammy black fruit. Paired OK with flour-less chocolate torte. Not a food-friendly wine.
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8/6/2011 - stantheman wrote: 92 Points
Very bright fruit. Wonderful balance and integration. Loved it!
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7/31/2011 - Adam T 12 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big wine, dark fruits, pepper, spice. I like it but think it will better in a year+.
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7/25/2011 - joshwoodward wrote: 87 Points
Vanguard (Columbus, OH): Very sweet, slightly foxy, dark, concentrated, interesting. $40
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7/24/2011 - djs wrote: 82 Points
Not the least bid remoninscent of grenache. Would have pegged as a Barossa shiraz. Dark, glass staining purple- black color. Dark fruits, plum and oak on the nose. Silky mouthfeel ( I guess from the alcohol). Overoaked and hot. I don't think that time will do this wine any favors.
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7/17/2011 - MoTheMan wrote: 92 Points
92 Points just because I enjoyed the flavor so much!! :-D
Good nose with spicy, kirsch, underbrush, and terroir noted. Very fruit expressive with nose suggestive of raspberries, mulberries, boysenberrries, and blackberries.
Almost jammy on the palate; very highly extracted & certainly c/w old Grenache vines and fruit expression. Good balance with still plenty of spice and terroir.
Still a bit hot & young and certainly needs more bottling time or decanting & airing time!
The classic Orin Swift heat & zing present but integrating well (always makes me wonder if they use a bit of oak chips in the barrels -- oh no . . . say "no").
Overall found it pleasing & will get more.
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7/16/2011 - Matteo's wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Thick and dark in the glass. Dark cherry and cinnamon, it seemed almost port like. Long finish. I will drink this with a meal next time and probably on a cold night. It did not work well on a hot Virginia night by itself.
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6/26/2011 - garambler wrote: 92 Points
I tasted this at a friends 6/26/11 Paella dinner. It had a powerful ripe bouquet of black cherry, blackberry, plum, pepper, cinnamon and spice aromas. The palate was big, spicy, complex and very tasty with flavors that followed the nose.
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6/22/2011 - yasha wrote: 92 Points
very good wine. open a hour before drinking , nice color and tste great
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6/14/2011 - pdemaio wrote: 91 Points
Well made. Huge wine. continued to open up all night and the next morning. Probably needs a little time in bottle to really sing.
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5/28/2011 - rjrausch Likes this wine: 94 Points
Another phenomenal product. On the nose I get a strong berry aroma and the palate bursts with fruit flavor. I felt the alcohol was well contained and it was smooth. I went back for more. It is a stock up wine for me.
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5/27/2011 - whits wrote: 89 Points
bought out of sheer curiosity, dark color with a ruby rim, some raisin on the nose along with violets and crushed berry, very rich on the palate, blackberry, spice, cocoa, cappuccino, and maybe some dried herb on the back end, lengthy finish, modern, complex, firmly structured, big and powerful, not a summer wine, put away for a future winter
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5/21/2011 - isuitaliano wrote: 92 Points
Great wine, complex, spicy and decidedly not french tasting except for a hint of earthiness.
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5/12/2011 - Vawerner wrote: 91 Points
Nose: slight alcohol. Dark fruit, not bright. Over ripe pomegranate. Slight leather. Freshly mowed hay.
Taste: concentrated fruit. Quite tight after being opened only 15 min. After 45 min: alcohol gone on nose. Taste has nice long tart finish. Fruit still very concentrated. No oak. Complex. Really lush. Nice round tones of elderberries, cherries and pomegranate.
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5/7/2011 - jeward wrote: 90 Points
Excellent wine, decanted for 30 minutes. Swift somehow made a Grenache that was well balanced and not too raisiny. A good wine to pair with food - not a fruit bomb.
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5/1/2011 - 1H2oMan wrote: 90 Points
Very tasty nice fruit tannins are very smooth, going to buy more of this before they sell out
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5/1/2011 - GreatLibations wrote: 88 Points
Pours almost black with rich aromatics consisting of ripe black cherry and cinnamon sticks. Full body, good acidity, moderate tannins and plenty of booze. This does make an impression on a large scale at first but does become more subdued after a while. Straight forward and with length at finish. I feel the ABV is what holds this specimen together.
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4/30/2011 - Lee Fining wrote: 91 Points
Excellent color. Primary aroma of Ginger snaps. Fruity, meaty with a distinct bitter cherry character. This is an excellent example of what Grenache can do! Still could use a little time in the bottle, but is enjoyable now.
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4/27/2011 - tlinch wrote: 90 Points
Opened for 2 hours and gently decanted. Nose shows some heat (surprise!), blueberry creme,mint, moist earth, and some tempered vanilla/oak. The front palate strikes first with some level of sweetness/alcohol, the remainder is driven by some rough tannins, blueberry, blackberry, plum, oak, and mushroom. The finish is all about drying tannins and black plum. This is an exciting wine but it needs a year or two to settle down and round out (once the tannins integrate some I would probably score this 92+). One can definitely sense and appreciate the French influence on Mr. Phinney but his style remains. Cheers.
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