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Orin Swift Wines

Let’s talk about Orin Swift wines. Who are they? Why are they so popular and highly rated? First, who is Orin Swift? Well, back in 1995, David Swift Phinney traveled to Florence, Italy with a friend to spend a semester studying. During the time he spent in Italy, he was introduced to wine, which then led to his curiosity of all viticulture and vinification. When he returned from Florence to the University of Arizona, he began working in a wine shop. His passion slowly transitioned from political science to the world of wine. When he returned from Florence to the University of Arizona where he was studying Political Science at the time, he immediately began working in a wine shop. A few more years after graduating, he landed a job at the Robert Mondavi Winery as a temporary harvest worker.

Some years went by and David slowly realized that if he was going to make his dream happen, he was going to have to create his own business. 1998 arrived and so did the founding of Orin Swift Cellars! Orin is his father’s middle name, Swift being his mother’s maiden name. Throughout the next decade, David dedicated all of his time into Orin Swift Cellars creating a multinational brand that now includes 300 acres of vineyards in Southwest France, as well as Spain, Italy, Corsica, and Argentina.

The first two vintages, 1998 and 1999 he made Zinfandel and Cabernet, but it was not until 2000 that his claim to fame was born. As many know, 2000 was not the greatest vintage in California. Cool and rainy weather took away some of the weight and ripeness that Phinney looked for in his wines. He found, however, that he could still find quality fruit from some of the more esoteric varietals such as Syrah, Petite Sirah and Charbono. Phinney knew he did not want to make several mediocre wines from each variety, so instead he used only the best fruit to create the first Prisoner. Success came quickly, but production remained low since Phinney was committed to only creating wine from the best possible vines he could. “The demand was there,” he explained. “But if we can’t find that quality of fruit we just won’t make it.”

Curious about the packaging on his wines? Artistic, attractive, and creative, Orin Swift’s labels on his wines definitely cause a double take, or even triple take. Studies show that 27% of all wine is purchased without knowing a single thing about the contents inside the bottle, so Phinney took complete advantage of that 27%. He drove in that extra slew of consumers by showing that edgy creative label on each and every wine he made.

“There are lots of subtle differences in making wine,” explains Phinney. “But it is finding the vineyards, making sure that they are farmed properly, and knowing when to pick.” Despite the growth, Orin Swift Cellars continues to operate as a small, passionate team of friends and family dedicated to making great wine.

The following Orin Swift wines that we carry at Divine Wines are :

Locations AR- $17.99

Locations E- $17.99

Locations F- $17.99

Abstract- $32.99

Papillon- $66.99

Prisoner (recently sold)- $43.99