2018 California Red Wine Orin Swift Cellars
“8 years in the Desert” is part of an eight-label ensemble, where a buyer can collect each of their labels. Early on, the winemaker began by growing Zinfandel grapes. Then vineyard expanded, and has evolved into an Icon. Authors who rated this red wine marked it into the 90’s. T-L-C Dashboard has a different take. Stepping out our usual sequence, the LOOK first grabs a buyer’s attention. Its desert view label is seen through stretched gauze… interesting without a name, vintage, or varietal. Copying many French winemakers using only Chateau photos on labels, Swift Cellars imaginatively shows a forlorn desert landscape. I looked for more useful information, which was on the back, inside a very small printout. The info told me I bought a library level California red wine. The bottle came as a surprise; it was quite sturdy as wine bottles go. Its punt was very deep, nearly 3”, making for an E-Z pour. There was relief in pulling the cork; the cork was genuine! For me, a cork in the bottle is the “tell”. The quality of cork forecasts an attitude a winemaker’s expectations. The wine inside this bottle can be stored with a real cork. (Composition and plastic corks do not keep wines safe for extended periods.) How did 8 Years in the Desert wine fair in Taste? Those writers poured this red wine into their glass, either alone or at the vineyard. They tasted the pour giving high ratings, ignoring many other variables. I poured a glass after it was chilled to 64 . Its color could not get any darker: a deep, dark and opaque red. The wine held along the glass with heavy legs. The nose was earthy, maybe green fern. Orin Swift winemaker’s blend is a complexity beginning with 50% Zinfandel. There is gradation in the mix of Syrah, Petite Sirah all the way down to 4% Grenache. My tongue didn’t get confused by finding Raspberry, dark chocolate and some white pepper. Chewing it caused me frown, because it stuck to the roof my mouth heavy oak tannin. The Cost becomes a price point: is a buyer willing to pay library level money for this blended California red wine? A different point-of-view about single-digit number rating systems; writers get “free” wine. Vineyards send them samples or invite them to tour a vineyard for private tastings. I bought this bottle off the shelf, and tried it at home. 8 Years in the Desert is a hearth red California red that will pair well with red meats, and/or spicy dishes. The buyer gets to decide the issue of store or not to store.
