2020 Orin Swift ‘8 Years in the Desert’ California Red Blend

Estate Notes: Bright violet in the glass, the 2020 8 Years in the Desert is the epitome of our style, the reason we are even here in the first place. As it’s being poured, the aromatics hit squarely on the nose with a perception of sweetness: pure brambly raspberry juice and blueberry preserves with a hint of white pepper and High Sierra forest floor. Yet, the perceived sweetness on the nose is just that, perceived, and doesn’t carry through to the palate. Lush and enveloping with a beam of acidity, notes of blackberry pie, plum and kirsch flourish. Ultra-round tannins and lingering raspberry, the wine finishes in slow-motion. 
Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah aged for 8 months in French Oak, 51% New – 15.8% Alc./Vol.
Zinfandel started this entire journey for Orin Swift. Two tons in ʻ97 that stuck and since then, it hasn’t gotten much easier. It would become a common occurrence for years because of the difficulty fermenting Zinfandel in our style; its humbling in many ways. But every year, we get better. The 2019 Zinfandel was blessed with ideal growing conditions across the state, similar to the 2018 iteration. Syrah and Petite Sirah also benefited from the growing season. Sourced from premier California growing regions, the 2019 8 Years in the Desert is a quintessential exemplar of drinkability, perceived sweetness and complexity. 

8 Years in the Desert is our homage to California. Anchored by a distinctly Californian grape varietal, Zinfandel, we have been able to source fruit from across the state and craft a wine that shows off our style. As a result of picking later than most, we have a higher risk of ‘ stuck fermentations ’ specifically with Zin; our methods have minimized those risks although they still remain year to year. Compl emented by structured Petite Sirah and layered Syrah, this blend was carefully selected to be the fourth progression in the series.